South Carolina football: ranking each position group
By Jacob Elsey
Ranking South Carolina football’s position groups
OL
The offensive line should again be strong. The group opened up huge holes for Kevin Harris’s 1,100-yard campaign, and it loses just one starter from last season. Dylan Wonnum, Eric Douglas, Jovaughn Gwyn, Jaz Turnetine, Vershon Lee, Jakai Moore, and Vincent Murphy will all battle for playing time along the front five.
Wonnum seems to be the best of the bunch, while Gwyn, Douglas, and Moore made major impacts last year. The team still needs to figure out who will protect Luke Doty’s back side, but mammoth Jaz Turnetine (6′ 7”, 340 lbs) is an option. Moore and Lee should fill in at the other tackle spot, which could allow Wonnum to move inside to guard to fill the void left by Sadarius Hutcherson’s departure to the NFL. Gwyn, Douglas, and Murphy will play on the interior as well.
LB
South Carolina lost its team captain and leading tackler of the past two seasons when Ernest Jones opted to pursue an NFL career. Just a junior, Jones skipped his final year of eligibility in Columbia and wound up being taken in the third round by the Los Angeles Rams.
Outside of Jones, though, the unit should return intact. Sherrod Greene comes back for a final season with 25 starts under his belt. Mo Kaba, Jahmar Brown, Damani Staley, Rosendo Louis, and Brad Johnson also return after making past contributions. The group consists of a mix of youth and experience, and there should be enough depth to keep everyone fresh throughout the year.
Also joining the roster are transfers Debo Williams and Bam Martin-Scott. Williams has yet to play a down in college, having transferred from Delaware. The Blue Hens cancelled their 2020 season due to COVID in Williams’ freshman year, so the linebacker opted to test the transfer portal. It didn’t take long for the coaching staff to reel in the former top recruit in the First State.
Martin-Scott was an all-conference performer at Dodge City Community College, and signed with South Carolina as one of the nation’s top JUCO prospects. Both he and Williams will have a chance to make an immediate impact on the program this season.