2023 NFL Draft: Gamecock DB linked to America’s Team in pre-draft projections
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina football had one of its best-ever cornerback pairings in the 2022 season. Both Cam Smith and Darius Rush had very good seasons, and both players will be drafted later this month in the 2023 NFL Draft. Smith has been regarded as a potential high NFL Draft pick since high school, something that was not true about Rush. Even as recently as before his senior season, Rush was sometimes viewed as a player who would go undrafted.
Things changed for Rush after he put together an excellent final campaign in garnet and black. He moved his name into “likely drafted” territory, but he wasn’t done moving up draft boards yet.
A good showing at the 2023 Senior Bowl saw Rush named the Defensive Back Player of the Week for his team, and he was timed as one of the fastest players on the field during Senior Bowl practice. Rush took a few more steps up the ladder of NFL Draft projections.
Then came the NFL Scouting Combine. In Indianapolis, Rush (along with teammates Smith, Zacch Pickens, Jovaughn Gwyn, and Jalen Brooks) competed in drills and other athletic testing. The former #28 for the Gamecocks posted some of the best measurements and testing numbers of all players at the combine, coming in the top-10 in both speed numbers and size numbers among all cornerbacks. Rush’s draft stock rose even more.
Smith and Rush now seem to be likely top-100 picks in the draft. Smith was once seen as a likely first-round pick but has been projected in the second round more frequently of late.
Rush has also gotten some second-round grades recently. A team with interest in the big corner is the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys currently have two All-Pro corners in Stephon Gilmore and Trevon Diggs. Both corners are bigger corners with good straight-line speed, just like Rush. However, it is unlikely that both will remain with the team for the long term as Gilmore is trending toward retirement, and Diggs will soon command a massive contract. Rush could benefit from learning from the two corners while being set up to take over a starting job if one or both leave.
Rush, Smith, and Pickens are all viewed as “locks” to be drafted, while Gwyn, Brooks, Nate Adkins, Eric Douglas, and Josh Vann are hoping to hear their names called late on Day 3.
The NFL Draft will be held in Kansas City from Thursday, April 27th through Saturday, April 29th. Thursday night will just include round 1 and will begin at 8:00. Rounds 2 and 3 will be on Friday and will be shown at 7:00. And the rest of the draft (rounds 4-7) will be televised starting at 12:00 on Saturday. All three days of coverage will be broadcast on ESPN, ABC, and the NFL Network.