The state of South Carolina and much of the South Carolina football fanbase is largely split between two local teams. The Carolina Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons each have tons of fans in the Palmetto State and often seem to have a fair number of players who spent their college careers as Gamecocks. Projected to be the highest-drafted player from the University of South Carolina this year, Cam Smith could be staying pretty close to home.
The Carolina Panthers have several former Gamecocks on their roster. Cornerback Jaycee Horn, tight end Hayden Hurst, and wide receiver Shi Smith are all Panthers. Obviously, with Horn, the Panthers have one very good corner, but the team is looking for a solid second corner to pair with Horn. Smith and Horn were on the 2019 and 2020 South Carolina rosters together, but Smith only played sparingly at that point in his career.
The Panthers are almost sure to take a quarterback with the top overall pick but have another selection in the second round at pick 39. Smith makes sense in that range. Most of his pre-draft grades have been between the late first round and mid-second round, so the Panthers’ need for a corner and their second-round pick being in that range has draft prognosticators suspecting Cam Smith to come off the board if he is still available at 39.
Outside of the norm, the Atlanta Falcons currently have zero South Carolina Gamecocks on their roster, but, according to NFL Draft sources, that be changing after April’s NFL Draft. Smith, one of the highest-rated corners in the draft, has been linked heavily to the Falcons. Atlanta has an All-Pro corner in AJ Terrell (ironically, a former Clemson Tiger), but does not have a solid second corner. They are expected to pick a corner in one of the first two rounds of the draft, right where Smith is projected to be taken.
The Falcons have the 8th pick in the draft, but if they do not take Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez or Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon with that pick, they will likely take a corner with the 44th pick of the draft. Smith could still be available there, but it would be toward the back end of where he is projected to be selected.
If the Falcons and the Panthers both do not take corners in the first two rounds, look out for South Carolina’s other corner in the draft. Darius Rush has risen up draft boards in recent months and is projected to go anywhere from the end of the second round to the fifth round.
The Bills (Round 1, Pick 27; Round 2, Pick 59), Vikings (Round 1, Pick 23; Round 2, Pick ), and Jaguars (Round 1, Pick 24; Round 2, Pick 56) have also been linked to Smith.
The 2023 NFL Draft will take place in Kansas City, Missouri from April 27-29.