South Carolina football: replacing production of NFL draftees

How can South Carolina football replace the production lost in the NFL Draft?

The South Carolina football team was well represented in last weekend’s NFL Draft, with four former players hearing their name called on the big stage as they set off to begin professional careers. Of those four, three were defenders, including cornerback Jaycee Horn, who was the first defensive prospect taken off the board. Wideout Shi Smith was also selected after leaving Columbia with the fourth-most catches in program history.

Looking ahead to next season, Shane Beamer and the new coaching staff will have to figure out how to replace that lost production. Which players will step up into starting roles? Who can make an impact after playing in a reserve role last season?

Let’s go through a few names to keep an eye on as the 2021 season approaches.

JAYCEE HORN –> CAM SMITH

The biggest replacement will be that of first-round pick Jaycee Horn. Horn was the Gamecocks’ best defensive player last year, picking off two passes and holding opposing receivers to the lowest completion percentage in the SEC. He was named National Player of the Week after a shutdown performance against Auburn, and was widely considered one of the top three defensive backs in the county.

His replacement will likely be Cam Smith, a former four-star recruit from Blythewood, SC. He actually took over in a starting role last season following Horn’s decision to opt out of the final three games, tallying eight tackles and an interception. He’s also one of the most experienced players in a thin cornerbacks room that consists of two redshirt freshmen and a handful of transfers.

Smith was recently recognized as a potential rising star in the SEC next season. Let’s see if he’ll be able to back it up come September.

ISRAEL MUKUAMU –> O’DONNELL FORTUNE OR JOEY HUNTER OR ISAIAH NORRIS OR MARCELLAS DIAL OR DAVID SPAULDING

Horn’s partner in crime, Israel Mukuamu, was also selected in the draft, going with the 227th overall pick to Dallas. While Mukuamu wasn’t as consistent in coverage, he had a knack for finding the football, as noted by his seven career interceptions. He struggled with some injuries last season before opting out of the final three games, but he did pick off two passes in his five games of action.

While Cam Smith was an obvious choice as Horn’s replacement, the final corner spot is a bit more uncertain. O’Donnell Fortune played in the final game of the year, making three tackles against Kentucky, but his experience is limited. He, and fellow freshman Joey Hunter, both took redshirt seasons, but they could pop into the rotation this Fall.

There were three cornerback transfer signees over the offseason, too, and all three will be expected to make an impact. Marcellas Dial and Isaiah Norris both played for the Georgia Military College in 2020, coming to Columbia as the seventh and eighth ranked corners at the JUCO level. Both will be juniors, making them two of the more experienced players at the position, which could get them into the starting rotation early.

The final transfer was former Georgia Southern Eagle David Spaulding. Spaulding started one game as a freshman for the Eagles last season. In that lone start, he notched four tackles and an interception, which he returned for a score.

The Gamecocks are thin and unproven at corner. We’ll see grabs that second spot alongside Cam Smith.

ERNEST JONES –> MOHAMED KABA

Ernest Jones has been the Gamecocks’ leading tackler in each of the last two seasons, and was the leader of the defensive unit for most of his collegiate career. He’s now off to play for the Rams, meaning South Carolina will need to find a replacement for one of the most productive players on the team.

Mohamed Kaba stands out as a possible starter at linebacker after landing All-SEC honors as a freshman. He appeared in four games, racking up 14 tackles. Kaba is a former four-star prospect that came to Columbia from the state of North Carolina. He’ll look to crack the starting lineup by the time the season opener rolls around.

SHI SMITH –> AHMAREAN BROWN

Smith accounted for more than a third of the team’s receiving production in 2020, hauling in 57 passes for 633 yards and four touchdowns. He was the only consistent threat at the wideout position, and is now off Charlotte to play for the Carolina Panthers.

It’s unlikely that one player will replicate Smith’s impact, but transfer Ahmarean Brown could be a player to watch in the wide receiver rotation. Brown, a transfer from Georgia Tech, notched 396 yards and seven scores as a freshman in the ACC. He fell off a bit as a sophomore, only appearing in seven games, but he could provide immediate contributions in Columbia. The Gamecocks are desperate for production in the passing game. Brown could provide it.