South Carolina Football: Five Players With the Most to Prove in 2020
By Jacob Elsey
RICK SANDIDGE
Sandidge joined the Gamecock roster in 2018 as the headliner of an 18th ranked recruiting class. Unfortunately, he’s yet to make a real impact.
Not all of that has been Sandidge’s fault, as he’s spent the last two seasons behind a first-round draft pick, but he’ll be asked to take a leap forwad in 2020 and live up to the lofty expectations that followed him to Columbia.
He’ll also have to compete for playing time with senior Jabari Ellis, and rising sophomore Zacch Pickens, who seemed to overtake Sandidge on the defensive depth chart a season ago while earning All-SEC honors.
In two seasons, he’s recorded 25 tackles and just a half a sack. Sandidge won’t be asked to match the output of All-American Javon Kinlaw, but his production will be expected to rise significantly in his third campaign. He’s certainly got the size and talent to make it happen, but he’ll need to take that next step on the field.
After playing in a reserve role thus far in his Gamecock career, the junior from North Carolina will be tasked with proving to new defensive line coach Tracy Rocker that he deserves one of the two starting tackle spots.