A way-too-early look at South Carolina’s 2023 NFL Draft prospects
The 2022 NFL Draft finished out its final selections Saturday night.
Three former South Carolina players — defensive end/linebacker Kingsley “JJ” Enagbare, running back Kevin Harris and tight end Nick Muse — were taken in this year’s event.
While USC’s draftees were taken during or after the fifth round, the 2023 NFL Draft figures to have a heavy dose of Gamecock flavor.
Here’s a look at a few names to watch:
QB Spencer Rattler
I’ll start with the obvious here — if Spencer Rattler looks the part of his 2020-self, he’s almost certainly going to find himself taken in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Rattler was a perceived front-runner for the Heisman Trophy heading into his second season as the starter at Oklahoma. Ineffectiveness and Caleb Williams’ development moved Rattler to the bench and, eventually, to Columbia.
It’s not a given that the former Sooner signal-caller will step in and light the world on fire, but early returns are positive. Rattler completed 8 of his 10 passes for 79 yards, including a 30-yard completion to Xavier Legette, in the annual Garnet and Black spring game two weeks ago.
The 2023 quarterback class will be loaded at the top with Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. Behind that? It’s a mix of inexperience or limited track records.
Sporting News has Rattler listed as the No. 31 pick in its way-too-early 2023 mock draft, while Pro Football Focus and the Pro Football Network left him off of their first round projections.
If Rattler regains his 2020 form, he’ll be on plenty of draft boards next April.
TE-WR Jaheim Bell
Rattler will draw plenty of headlines, but Jaheim Bell might be the most electric player on South Carolina’s roster in 2022.
Bell has lined up everywhere from tight end and receiver to running back and fullback in his brief time in Columbia. Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield told reporters this spring they’re now classifying the Florida native as a “wide back” given his versatility.
It’s easy to draw comparisons to former Gamecocks standout Deebo Samuel when looking at Bell’s possible NFL career. Samuel has done a bit of everything for the San Francisco 49ers and became one of the league’s most dynamic offensive talents this past year.
Pro Football Focus projected Bell to go No. 29 overall to the Green Bay Packers in its way-too-early 2023 mock draft.
CB-nickel Cam Smith
It’s only been a year or so since Jaycee Horn was taken with the No. 8 overall pick by the Carolina Panthers. Don’t be surprised if Cam Smith follows in Horn’s footsteps.
Smith has been a difference-maker since he lined up in the same secondary as Horn as a freshman. A foot injury limited him some last year, but he still only allowed 15 receptions on 32 targets for 184 yards, while adding three interceptions and nine pass breakups.
Beamer and defensive coordinator Clayton White have worked Smith at nickel this spring due to injuries at the position, and it’s conceivable he’ll play there when the regular season comes around.
Smith has the swaggy attitude NFL teams like in their defensive backs. Though he can play a bit out of control here and there, he’s a legit No. 1 corner. Couple those traits with three years as a starter in the Southeastern Conference and it’s not crazy to imagine the Westwood High School product hearing his name called on Day 1 of next year’s draft.
DB David Spaulding
As good as Smith has been, it almost overshadows the job done by former Georgia Southern transfer David Spaulding.
Spaulding was a bit of an unknown when he made the jump from the Sun Belt to the SEC, but he proved a stalwart alongside Smith and cornerback Darius Rush.
The Georgia native appeared in all 13 games for the Gamecocks in 2021 while splitting time at nickel with Assumption College import Carlins Platel. Spaulding finished the year with 21 tackles, three pass breakups and an interception return for a touchdown in an Oct. 2 win over Troy.
Spaulding, along with Rattler, was also one of a handful of players to attend the NCAA’s Elite Student-Athlete Symposium — a pseudo-secret, invite-only event held in Indianapolis during the NFL Scouting Combine that teaches elite prospects how to navigate the financial side of professional football.
Injuries limited him throughout the spring, but Spaulding should be a big part of South Carolina’s secondary again this year and, assuming all goes well, he’ll be on draft radars in short order.
DL Zacch Pickens
This last name could be interchangeable with about half of South Carolina’s defense (Jordan Burch, Jordan Strachan, etc.), but I’ll roll with Zacch Pickens as a name that could shoot up draft boards with another productive season.
The biggest difference between Pickens and players like Burch and Strachan is his more proven track record at the SEC level.
Strachan tied for the FBS lead in sacks while at Georgia State but was in a more complimentary role last year behind Aaron Sterling and Enagbare. Burch, too, will be counted on in a more featured slot this season after spending time learning behind the elder statesmen of the group.
Pickens, meanwhile, came to South Carolina with ample hype as a five-star recruit and the No. 8 player in the 2019 class, per 247Sports. He’s since appeared in 35 games over the last three seasons, including 20 starts.
The comparison isn’t perfect, but there’s reason to think Pickens could see his stock skyrocket in the way Javon Kinlaw’s did between his second and third seasons at South Carolina. Kinlaw was a disruptive force during his second campaign with the Gamecocks, but doubled his sack total as a senior and earned first-team All-American honors for his efforts.
Pickens turned down an opportunity to go pro this past year to improve his draft standing. This isn’t to say he’s a surefire All-American or first-round pick next year, but another season in a featured role only stands to help his cause.
Other names to watch:
- WR Josh Vann
- WR Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr.
- DL Jordan Strachan
- DL Jordan Burch
- RB MarShawn Lloyd
This story was originally published May 3, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
