South Carolina Football: Official Heights and Weights Updated
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina football has released its official spring heights and weights. For most players, this is of little to no consequence as their measurements don’t change much from season to season. However, for freshmen and other newcomers, these official numbers can be extremely important as they are much more accurate to what a player will look like in the fall than when they were previously measured as a high school or junior college student. Even some transfers have completely different bodies than expected based on former measurements. It is important to note that there is time for these numbers to change before the season begins in the fall. Also, some players from the 2023 team are not on campus (Nyck Harbor, etc.) because they have not yet graduated high school. Therefore, their official school measurements are not known.
Here are some of the significant numbers from gamecocksonline.com:
WR Kylic Horton; 6’4″; 205 Pounds
Redshirt freshman Kylic Horton looks like an SEC wide receiver. He is physically impressive, and on a Gamecock team that does not have many taller receivers (other than at tight end), Horton has a chance to compete for playing time this season.
TE Trey Knox: 6’5″; 250 Pounds
A transfer from Arkansas, Knox was expected to come in and play a bigger receiving role at the tight end position. However, he is heavier than expected, meaning he might be able to hold up as a blocker in the run game, as well. If Knox can play as an effective in-line tight end in addition to playing as a receiver, the Gamecocks will be better off for it.
TE Joshua Simon: 6’4″; 242 Pounds
The Western Kentucky transfer is in a similar spot as Knox. Both tight ends are heavier (and, hopefully, stronger) than they were expected to be. With five scholarship tight ends moving on from last year’s team, any help that Simon can provide will be welcome by Tight Ends Coach Jody Wright and Offensive Coordinator Dowell Loggains.
TE Connor Cox: 6’5″; 225 Pounds
Another tight end, Cox has a reputation as a good blocker, and his skill set lends itself to being an in-line tight end. However, at only 225 pounds, Cox will not be able to be strong at the point of attack as a freshman. Unless he bulks up over the next few months, Connor Cox will likely need another year or two to physically develop before seeing much game action.
TE Nick Elksnis: 6’6″; 252 Pounds
Yet another tight end, Nick Elksnis is a load. At 252 pounds, the former Florida Gator will get every opportunity to earn some playing time, especially in blocking situations. With how big he is, the only thing that might differentiate Elksnis from some of his trimmer offensive line teammates will be his #84 jersey.
OL Nick Gargiulo: 6’5″‘ 310 Pounds
Weighing in at 20 pounds heavier than he was thought to be, the Yale transfer seems as if he is heavy enough to withstand assaults from SEC defensive linemen. A versatile lineman during his career in the Ivy League, Gargiulo is expected to factor in heavily at center, and at 310 pounds, fans shouldn’t be concerned about his size.
OT Sidney Fugar: 6’5″; 315 Pounds
A trimmed-down transfer portal addition, Fugar looks the part of an SEC tackle. Last season at Western Illinois, he seemed a bit heavy and out of shape, but he’s clearly put the work in to get his body in the right position to compete for a spot on the Gamecock offensive line. Don’t be surprised to see Fugar’s name on the 2-deep heading into fall practice.
DT Xzavier McLeod: 6’5″; 320 Pounds
The 2022 Mr. Football award winner for the state of South Carolina, McLeod is a big man. He might be even bigger than expected, though. It is not unrealistic to expect that the true freshman, if he is conditioned enough, might see some early playing time in obvious run situations.
DL Elijah Davis: 6’3″; 283 Pounds
A junior college transfer originally from the Palmetto State, Davis’ size was one of the recruiting class’ biggest mysteries. Listed anywhere from 262 pounds to 305 pounds, Davis’ positional future was not easy to figure out. With his official measurements coming in at 283 pounds, the defensive lineman will almost surely play inside as a defensive tackle.
EDGE Desmond Umeozulu: 6’6″; 240 Pounds
Umeozulu is a true freshman who might be called on to play right away at a position that lost two of its top-3 players (and the third is coming off of a torn ACL). Umeozulu is well put-together, and, at 6’6″, his 240-pound frame is light to play defensive end in the SEC, but it is bigger than many thought Desmond U to be. With a good spring and summer, he may be ready to contribute this fall.
EDGE Bryan Thomas, Jr.: 6’2″; 235 Pounds
The most undersized of the rotational players at EDGE last season, Thomas did not gain much weight this offseason. He was expected to add some mass to help him hold up against SEC offensive tackles, but the offseason is not over, and Thomas still has time to continue getting bigger and stronger.
LB Grayson “Pup” Howard: 6’4″; 242 Pounds
No, that’s not a misprint. Pup Howard measures in at the exact same size as Joshua Simon. The true freshman was always viewed as a big linebacker, but if he gets any bigger, he will probably outgrow the position. Howard will be able to contribute at either spot, but the question remains: will he be a big ‘backer a la Jasper Brinkley, or will he be learning a new position soon?
LB Stone Blanton: 6’2; 235 Pounds
Stone is a big linebacker. He probably always will be. However, he has gotten bigger since last season. Because Blanton struggled with keeping up with SEC speed a season ago, fans can be confident that Luke Day and his strength staff have been working with him on getting faster, but it remains to be seen if this weight gain will help him get there.
LB Bam Martin-Scott; 6’2″; 227 Pounds
Rumors were circulating this offseason that Bam Martin-Scott could be a candidate to make a move to EDGE to help put a salve on the wounds created by the departures of defensive ends Jordan Burch and Gilber Edmond. With this weigh-in, those rumors seem pretty unfounded. Martin-Scott will be in the mix to get snaps at linebacker with two seniors gone from last season.
LB Jaron Willis: 6’2″; 235 Pounds
Willis has a wide range of skills on the defensive side of the ball. Primarily a safety in high school, he bulked up during his one season at Ole Miss and was projected as maybe being a pass rusher in the future. Now that he has transferred to South Carolina, Willis seems poised to play linebacker. His skills rushing the passer can still be utilized, but EDGE does not seem to be in Willis’ future.
S Nick Emmanwori: 6’4″; 220 Pounds
One of the biggest “freaks” on the South Carolina football team, Emmanwori was a freshman All-American last season at safety. However, his tackling acumen has had many fans wondering if a move to linebacker could be in the cards. He has bulked up just a bit, making fans wonder even more if Emmanwori might be the answer to Carolina’s problems in the middle of the defense.