2023 NFL Draft: ESPN’s final mock draft includes multiple Gamecocks

ESPN’s final mock draft before the 2023 NFL Draft dropped on Tuesday, this one compiled by Matt Miller. In other mock drafts, South Carolina football has had three players appear consistently, usually in the top-100 picks of the draft. Cam Smith, Darius Rush, and Zacch Pickens are virtual guarantees to be selected, and several other Gamecocks (Jovaughn Gwyn, Jalen Brooks, Nate Adkins, Eric Douglas, Josh Vann, and Dylan Wonnum) have outside shots being selected late.

Cornerback Cam Smith has been mocked as early as the late first round or as late as the early third round. Fellow corner Darius Rush has fallen into a similar range, usually anywhere from the mid-second to the middle of the third round. Defensive tackle Zacch Pickens has been projected from the middle of the second round to the early fourth. The order of the three picks has varied, but Smith typically has been viewed as the first Gamecock off the board. This remained true in Miller’s mock draft.

Below are the results for the Gamecocks included in Miller’s projection:

CB Cam Smith: Round 3, Pick 7 (70th Overall), Las Vegas Raiders

Cam Smith is supremely talented. His hips and fluid movement ability are among the best of any player in the draft. However, for unspecified reasons, several teams were not satisfied with Smith’s interviews at the NFL Scouting Combine and South Carolina football’s Pro Day. His stock has dropped since that point as the once solid first-round pick has been projected in the second round more than any other.

If Smith is taken by the Raiders, he will have a chance to become an impact player almost immediately. The Raiders have struggled at corner for several years, and Smith’s impressive mobility, above-average length, and elite ball skills could lead to a starting role in Vegas if things go well.

DT Zacch Pickens: Round 3, Pick 11 (74th Overall), Cleveland Browns

Zacch Pickens is a rare combination of above-average size (300 pounds), above-average length (82″ wingspan), and above-average athleticism (solid strength and top-10 athletic testing numbers for defensive tackles). He doesn’t do anything at an elite level but was pretty good at everything as a Gamecock. He has been mocked consistently in the third round of the draft.

Pickens is a high-character player who has been very coachable in his career, so his solid baseline of ability paired with his coachability make him a coveted prospect even without any elite traits. If taken by the Browns, he will have an opportunity to play early. The Browns need a tackle who can play 3-technique, and that is probably Pickens’ best spot on the line at the next level. His flexibility to situationally move inside to a 1-technique or outside to a 4i or 5-technique make him even more desirable for a Browns team that needs help all over the defensive line.

CB Darius Rush: Round 3, Pick 16 (79th Overall), Indianapolis Colts

Darius Rush is the most physically-impressive corner in the draft. His 4.36 40-yard dash time was one of the fastest of any player at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, and his 80″ wingspan ranked as the longest among draft-eligible defensive backs. Known for a strong work ethic and solid man coverage skills in college, he has seen his draft stock sky rocket in the last 8 months, moving from a “hopefully drafted” player to a virtual lock as a top-100 pick.

If taken by the Colts, Rush could start immediately. After trading away potential Hall of Famer (and former Gamecock) Stephon Gilmore to the Cowboys, the Colts have at least one hole at corner, and some NFL analysts think they have two or three needs at the position as the two projected starters are in the last year of their respective contracts. Rush would likely not be the only corner taken by Indianapolis, and the team brought in a rookie free agent at corner last year, so there would be lots of competition among young players for playing time.