South Carolina football: potential All-SEC performers on the roster

Cam Smith

Smith will have the task of replacing first round pick Jaycee Horn. While he played in more of a reserve role last season, Smith did see some action towards the end of the year with Horn opting out of the final three games to focus on the NFL Draft.

In those three starts, the corner tallied eight tackles and a pick. Despite playing as a backup for seven games, Smith tied for the team lead in interceptions with two. He’s been named as one of the SEC’s rising stars ahead of the ’21 campaign, so folks are aware of his talent. Should the junior put it all together on the field, postseason accolades will begin to roll in.

Kevin Harris

Harris was the Gamecocks’ most impactful player last year, rushing for 1,138 yards and 15 touchdowns. He’s looking for a repeat performance in 2021. The tailback came to South Carolina as a relative unknown, but has taken the offense by storm in his two seasons in Columbia.

If he can come close to the production we saw last year, he’ll become South Carolina’s first player to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons since Marcus Lattimore. That will certainly be All-SEC worthy.

Dylan Wonnum

Wonnum comes back for one final season before he joins his brother, DJ, in the NFL. The offensive tackle has started 24 games for the Gamecocks since 2018, and earned All-America honors as a freshman.

He’ll be tasked with protecting Luke Doty and opening up holes for a talented Gamecock backfield next year. Wonnum will be an integral part of the team’s offensive success in 2021.

Jordan Burch

Burch, like Pickens, is a former five-star recruit that’s getting his best shot to live up to that billing on the defensive line. He will likely land a starting role opposite JJ Enagbare, and should see a ton of pass rushing opportunities as a sophomore.

Last year was his introduction to the SEC, and he held his own, recording 19 tackles, including 2.5 behind the line of scrimmage. He was unable to land his first sack, but you can bet he’ll get that, and much more, in his second season in Columbia.

Jordan Strachan

Strachan is a newbie to the South Carolina defense, but he comes in with a ton of expectations. The edge rusher led the nation in sacks last season while at Georgia State, and he’s looking for similar production in his first year with the Gamecocks.

The strength of South Carolina’s defense will be the pass rush, and Strachan will be a huge part of the unit’s success. If the Gamecocks can get to the quarterback often in 2021, they can mask some deficiencies on the back end.

MarShawn Lloyd

Lloyd will likely start the year as the Gamecocks’ second option out of the backfield, but he figures to see the field often. Kevin Harris has obviously earned the starting role, but Lloyd is just too talented to keep on the sidelines. After missing 2020 with an ACL team last year, he’ll be looking to earn all-conference honors as a redshirt freshman.

Lloyd was a five-star recruit for the Gamecocks in the class of ’20. He’ll get his first chance to meet those expectations in his second season on campus in what should be a deadly South Carolina backfield.