What early NFL Draft hype means for South Carolina entering 2022 season
South Carolina’s NFL Draft history is semi-limited compared with some of its Southeastern Conference counterparts, but the 2022 season may be a major step toward changing that.
Quarterback Spencer Rattler, cornerback Cam Smith and wide back Jaheim Bell could all conceivably be in play as first-round selections should they live up to their respective preseason hype.
And while there’s still a season to be played, the added attention on those in Columbia isn’t something the Gamecocks are shying away from.
“There’s no doubt when high school recruits are watching the NFL Draft and they see players from your school getting drafted, that’s a great thing,” head coach Shane Beamer said ahead of a Gamecock Club event in Anderson on Tuesday.
South Carolina hasn’t ever been an NFL factory in the way programs like Alabama, Georgia and Florida have been over the past 20 years, but USC isn’t devoid of recent draft history by any stretch.
The Gamecocks have had at least one player selected in the first round in three of the past five drafts. South Carolina has also had at least one prospect taken in 19 of the past 20 NFL Drafts — including one or more every year between 2002 and 2017.
This year’s crop of NFL-bound USC players included defensive end/linebacker Kingsley “JJ” Enagbare (Round 5, Green Bay Packers), running back Kevin Harris (Round 6, New England Patriots) and tight end Nick Muse (Round 7, Seattle Seahawks).
“South Carolina is going to be a projection, development program,” 247Sports Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong told The State last year. “They’re not going to just go out there and recruit top-10 classes. So it’s getting guys that maybe aren’t the best 17- or 18-year-olds, but they’ll be the best 21- and 22-year-olds.”
Heading into the 2022 season, South Carolina is expected to have a slew of players on NFL Draft radars come this time next year.
Bell, Smith and defensive tackle Zacch Pickens have all been projected as first-round picks in varying way-too-early mock drafts. Rattler, who was a perceived possibility for the No. 1 overall pick in 2021 ahead of his final season at Oklahoma, could play himself into the first round conversation with a bounce-back campaign in Columbia.
It’s also anticipated Gamecocks like OU tight end transfer Austin Stogner, defensive back David Spaulding, running backs MarShawn Lloyd and Christian Beal-Smith, receivers Josh Vann and Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. and defensive ends Jordan Burch and Jordan Strachan should or could be legitimate NFL prospects in 2023.
“First of all, you’re happy for those guys,” Beamer said of seeing members of his squad receive preseason NFL Draft attention. “But right now their priority — and they would tell you the same thing — is the most important thing for them is to go play well and for us to have a really good season in 2022. That’s the best thing they can do.
“But certainly, when that’s the case, it’s gives you momentum in recruiting and excitement about your program. And it means you’re recruiting pretty good players, too, and developing them.”
History says South Carolina’s roster that’s seemingly flush with players poised to get an NFL shot next year bodes well for the present.
Nine of the 10 teams that won SEC championships between 2012 and 2022 have had at least six players selected in the subsequent NFL Draft. The lone exception was Auburn in 2013, which had just four players chosen.
Those teams that have won SEC titles since 2012 also had at least two players taken in the first round in eight of 10 NFL Drafts that followed the season.
This isn’t to say South Carolina is poised to win or even compete for an SEC title in 2022. Any kind of improvement from a surprising 7-6 debut season under Beamer ought to be considered progress.
On paper, though, a Gamecocks team loaded with perceived NFL prospects is at least a step toward Beamer’s goal of, eventually, competing for league titles.
