South Carolina football: two former Gamecocks shine in NFL matchup

Two former South Carolina football players shine in NFL.

The San Francisco 49ers took on the Los Angeles Rams this past Sunday in a matchup of two NFC western division foes, and two former Gamecocks had a large impact on the outcome of the contest.

Second year pass catcher Deebo Samuel and rookie defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw made huge plays to help the 49ers preserve the 23-20 upset of their division rivals, and move to 5-6 on the season.

Samuel, who was returning from a hamstring injury, led all players with 11 catches and 133 receiving yards in his first game back. The former second round selection has now tallied 27 catches for 318 yards and a score in what’s been an injury riddled season. Samuel has only been able to play in five games this year.

He has been a thorn in the side of the Rams, though, with his top two receiving outputs coming against Los Angeles. It’s been particularly sweet for Samuel, who had been in a bit of a spat with Rams lineman Aaron Donald, after he said he didn’t know who Samuel was prior to the teams’ first meeting.

Samuel wasn’t the only alum that showed out in the matchup. Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw recorded a couple of tackles and had a second quarter interception, which he returned for a 27-yard score.

Both players were first-team All-SEC selections as seniors with the Gamecocks before moving on to the NFL. Samuel was instrumental in helping the 49ers reach the Super Bowl last season, while Kinlaw was the team’s first pick in last year’s draft. Their futures in San Francisco look bright once the team can finally get healthy.