South Carolina Football Seniors Invited to NFL Combine
By Kevin Miller
The NFL Scouting Combine is a pre-draft tradition that allows fans and NFL scouts alike to have their imaginations captured by the potential of NFL draft hopefuls. At the Combine, prospects have the opportunity to compete against other draft-eligible invitees in physical and mental workouts, such as the 40-yard dash, 225-pound bench press, position-specific drills (passing for quarterbacks, catching for receivers, etc.), interviews with team executives, and the Wonderlic Contemporary Cognitive Ability Test. The South Carolina football team has five seniors who have received invitations to the event.
Potential first-round cornerback Cam Smith was an obvious choice for the Combine and fellow corner Darius Rush and defensive tackle Zacch Pickens seemed to have realistic chances at receiving invitations, as well. Senior offensive lineman Jovaughn Gwyn and former Wingate transfer wide receiver Jalen Brooks will join Smith, Rush, and Pickens in Indianapolis from February 27th-March 6th as the five former Gamecocks pursue their NFL dreams.
Many players perceived as “locks” to be taken with high picks elect to not participate in many of the Combine’s events. Cam Smith has been seen in most mock drafts as a first-round pick. While no news has come out regarding his level of involvement with the Combine, Smith is the type of high pick who could benefit from participating. His measurements and physical tools should only add to his value, as he should display above-average length and speed for the position. If he interviews well and has the type of Combine everyone expects from him, Cam Smith should be off the board in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
After an impressive showing at the Reese’s Senior Bowl where he was named Defensive Back Player of the Week, corner Darius Rush could see his draft stock continue to rise if he performs well at the Combine. Similarly to Smith, Rush has above-average length and speed when compared with other corners. Because of the varying emphases NFL teams place on players’ post-collegiate work, Rush has been given a wide array of projections about his future. Upon the 2022 college football season ending, some outlets predicted Rush to go undrafted in April’s NFL Draft, while more recent mocks (taking his Senior Bowl performance into account) have placed him anywhere from the third round to the seventh round. Impressive numbers at the Combine could push teams to take a flyer on Rush earlier rather than later.
The Senior Bowl’s Defensive Lineman of the Week was also a Gamecock, as defensive tackle Zacch Pickens used the all-star game’s practices to improve his NFL perception. Pickens has some versatility on the defensive line and could be utilized anywhere from a nose tackle to a 3-4 defensive end. Pickens’ strength testing should go well in Indianapolis, further increasing his value. Like Rush, his draft projections have come in with some variance. Pickens has been mocked in the second round and the fifth round by different outlets, so an expected strong bench press and a good performance in speed and agility drills could see Pickens solidify his status as a day-2 draft pick (2nd or 3rd round).
Jovaughn Gwyn will use the Combine to build off a solid senior season and yet another successful Gamecock Senior Bowl. Gwyn, primarily a guard at South Carolina, is viewed as an interior lineman at the next level, with his size profile seemingly a better fit at the center position. Gwyn hopes to follow in the footsteps of former Gamecock offensive linemen Rokevious Watkins and Jamon Meredith who earned a place amongst those drafted despite pre-draft prognostications indicating they would not hear their names called.
Perhaps the most-surprising Gamecock inclusion on the NFL Scouting Combine invite list is wide receiver Jalen Brooks. Brooks had an underwhelming career at South Carolina before coming on strong as a senior. He struggled with drops and with making adjustments to SEC play after transferring from D-II Wingate College. His final year in Columbia, though, saw Brooks’ substantial physical gifts shine through as he figured things out as a reliable option for the Gamecocks. At 6’3″ and 200 pounds, Brooks possesses solid speed that should translate to his testing numbers at the Combine. His size-speed combination will certainly intrigue NFL scouts, and with the potential for an excellent trip to Indianapolis in the future, Brooks may find himself on an NFL roster.