South Carolina Football: Combine Begins and Pro Day Announced
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina football has five players that have been invited to the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Cornerbacks Cam Smith and Darius Rush, defensive tackle Zacch Pickens, offensive lineman Jovaughn Gwyn, and wide receiver Jalen Brooks will all be in attendance during this week’s event in Indianapolis. As of now, no measurements or testing has taken place at the Combine, but some interviews, medical exams, and NFL-related meetings have begun. Garnet and Cocky will post updates as the former Gamecocks receive official measurements, undergo testing, and participate in drills and workouts.
A similar event available to the South Carolina football program, South Carolina’s Pro Day will allow 13 Gamecock seniors to be measured and tested professionally in an effort to up their NFL Draft stock or improve their chances of being signed as a free agent after the draft. NFL scouts, team officials, and agents will be invited to attend, but the March 13th event is closed to the public.
The five NFL Combine participants (Smith, Rush, Pickens, Gwyn, and Brooks) will also take part in Pro Day activities. Joining them will be Nate Adkins, Christian Beal-Smith, Sherrod Greene, Brad Johnson, Eric Douglas, Josh Vann, Dylan Wonnum, and Devonni Reed.
The Gamecocks’ Pro Day will be a much smaller-scale event than the NFL Scouting Combine and will focus primarily on the physical traits of the participating athletes.
Specifically, players will have their heights, weights, hand sizes, wingspans, and arm lengths measured. They will also run the 40-yard dash, short shuttle, and 3-cone drills and showcase their vertical leaps, broad jumps, and bench press reps (225 pounds).
Afterwards, players will participate in position-specific individual drills. Oftentimes, current and former players will aid the Pro Day participants in their workouts: receivers will run routes for quarterbacks, quarterbacks will throw for receivers, corners will cover pass catchers, etc.
All of the Pro Day measurements and testing will take place in the Long Family Football Operations Facility, its weight room, and the Jerri and Steve Spurrier Indoor Practice Facility.