Jaycee Horn was USC’s pro day headliner, but these Gamecocks showed out as well

The South Carolina Gamecocks hosted their NFL pro day Wednesday, with 13 former Gamecocks expected to work out for pro scouts.

The five Gamecocks invited to the NFL Combine were among those taking part: Ernest Jones, Israel Mukuamu, Shi Smith, Jaycee Horn and Sadarius Hutcherson.

Also set to work out were Javon Charleston, Tavien Feaster, Daniel Fennell, Collin Hill, J.T. Ibe, Caleb Kinlaw, Adam Prentice and Eldridge Thompson. Several from the group wrapped up their eligibility with the 2019 season but missed out on a chance to work out for scouts when the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the Gamecocks’ 2020 pro day.

NFL teams watching Gamecocks pro day

All 31 NFL teams had a representative to the workout. Six NFL general managers representing the Cardinals, Bills, Broncos, Packers, Dolphins and Titans, and two head coaches, Matt Rhule from the Panthers and Mike Vrabel from Titans, were among the 61 NFL staffers in Columbia on Wednesday, according to a South Carolina release.

Defensive back coaches from the Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, Cincinnati Bengals and Carolina Panthers also were at USC, according to Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy.

Horn and Smith were two of the top draws from the Gamecocks who NFL personnel were looking at Wednesday. Former NFL receiver Joe Horn, father of Jaycee Horn, also was in attendance.

Jaycee Horn a defensive back, is projected as a first-round selection in many NFL Mock Drafts.

Former Gamecock and NFL standouts Captain Munnerlyn and Javon Kinlaw also were at the workout.

How the Gamecocks did at pro day

▪ Horn was measured just over 6-foot tall and 205 pounds Wednesday and registered a 41 1/2-inch vertical leap and had an 11-foot, 1-inch broad jump. Horn’s 40-yard dash time was 4.37 according to a release sent out by South Carolina. Only five players had a better vertical jump than Horn’s at the 2020 NFL Combine, the last time it was held before COVID-19.

Horn also benched 225 pounds 19 times.

▪ Smith, a receiver, ran between a 4.43 and 4.47 seconds in the 40-yard dash, according to to Nagy. His arms measured at 31 7/8 inches and hands at 9 1/2 inches. Smith’s vertical jump was 36 inches.

▪ Hutcherson, an offensive lineman, was measured at 6-foot-3 and 321 pounds. He did an eye-popping 36 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press. At the 2020 NFL Combine, only two players — Fresno State’s Netane Muti (44) and Indiana’s Simon Stepaniak (37) had more reps.

Weber State’s Iosua Opeta (39) and Clemson’s Dexter Lawrence (36) — did 36 reaps or more on the bench.

Hutcherson also had 79 3/4-inch wingspan. He also ran under 5.0-second 40-yard dash with a 4.95 or 4.96 time.

▪ Mukuamu, a defensive back, was measured at 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds. He had 80 3/4-inch wingspan and vertical jump of 36 1/2 inches. He didn’t run a 40-yard dash because of a hamstring injury.

▪ Jones, a linebacker, was measured at 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds. He benched 225 pounds 19 times, had a vertical jump of 38 1/2 inches and wingspan of 80 1/8.

▪ Hill, who started most of the season at quarterback for the Gamecocks, was measured at 6-foot-4 and 213 pounds. He had a hand size of 9 1/8 and ran between 4.93-4.96 in the 40-yard dash.

▪ Feaster, who spent time on NFL rosters last year, ran a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash.

This story was originally published March 24, 2021 at 5:21 PM.