South Carolina football: predicting statistical leaders for 2021 season
By Jacob Elsey
Who will lead South Carolina football in each statistical category?
The 2021 South Carolina football season will soon be upon us, so we thought it a good time to take our best jab at predicting who will be the most impactful players on the roster. Last year, it was easy to pick out the offense’s best player as running back Kevin Harris rushed for 1,138 yards and 15 touchdowns. Will he have similar results in his junior year, or will MarShawn Lloyd or ZaQuandre White overtake him as the season wears on.
On defense, leading tackler Ernest Jones is off to the NFL, as is cornerback tandem Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu. Which players will step up in their absence? Will one of the incoming transfers make an immediate impact? What about the freshman class?
It will be interesting to see which new names we see pop up as major contributors. Harris, for example, was far from a household name entering the 2020 campaign. The same can be said for Enagbare.
The most intriguing battle might be at the wide receiver position, where a number of players are looking to step up following Shi Smith’s departure. There are three to four players at the position group that realistically could lead the team in receiving. Two new transfers enter with high expectations in Ahmarean Brown and EJ Jenkins, two veterans return after COVID opt outs in 2020 in OrTre Smith and Randrecous Davis, and Dakereon Joyner is looking to make his first major impact as a pass catcher. Will a newcomer take over as the go-to option, or will a familiar face climb into the role?
We’re breaking down our thoughts on which South Carolina football players will lead the team in each individual statistical category, on both offense and defense.