South Carolina football: seniors that will make big impacts
By Jacob Elsey
JJ Enagbare
Enagbare led the Gamecocks in sacks and tackles behind the line of scrimmage last season. He pondered taking the leap to the NFL, but ultimately opted to return to school for his final year. The defensive end lived in opposing backfields, and was a nightmare for SEC quarterbacks.
Folks around the college football world took note, too. Pro Football Focus recognized him as the nation’s best pass rusher in third down situations, while Bleacher Report projected him to be a first round pick in next year’s draft. If he has the same success that he saw in 2020, it’s certainly not out of the question.
RJ Roderick
Roderick has long been a member of the South Carolina secondary, earning his first start as a freshman in 2018. The safety caught some flack for opting out of the final three games last year, but coach Shane Beamer welcomed him back for his senior season considering the how thin the Gamecocks are in the defensive backfield.
Roderick has tallied 134 tackles during his tenure in Columbia, while adding a pair of interceptions. His presence in the back end of the defense will give the unit a huge boost in its first season under Clayton White.
Parker White
White, like Muse, is using his COVID year as an extra season of eligibility. The program’s third leading scorer should make the special teams unit one of the SEC’s best. White got his first start as a freshman, and has appeared in 46 games since arriving to campus.
He was nominated to the Lou Groza watchlist ahead of the 2020 season, and should see some similar preseason recognition as the Fall creeps closer. For his career, White has connected on 56-of-82 field goal attempts, and 122-of-124 extra points. He’ll be counted on heavily next year as the Gamecocks will likely need all the points they can get.