Over the weekend, South Carolina football released its preseason media guide for the 2023 season. Gamecock fans have already begun scouring the pages of the media guide to see what they can learn about their favorite team.
The media guide, as always, includes notes about the players, coaches, facilities, and just about anything one could imagine. The 260-page guide is loaded with photos, biographical information, Gamecock historical content, and all sorts of other things that are teasing South Carolina football fans with a month and a half before the season kicks off in Charlotte against the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Several parts of the media guide stood out at first glance, and the heights and weights for players both returning and new are always of interest. True freshmen and transfers have had their information published officially for the first time, and some returning players have different numbers than they had in the spring.
Below is listed some of the most interesting height and weight data in the 2023 preseason media guide for South Carolina football.
Updated heights, weights, and numbers for South Carolina Football
Dakereon Joyner: The recently-converted running back is getting BIG. Joyner is listed at 6’1″ and 229 pounds. He is getting his body ready for the wear-and-tear of being an every-down back in the SEC. If he is able to maintain his speed and quickness, Joyner could be poised for a good season at his new position. He will still wear #5.
LaNorris Sellers: The true freshman quarterback is starting to resemble other thick-bodied SEC quarterbacks like Cam Newton and Tim Tebow as he has bulked all the way to 245 pounds at 6’3″. The offense’s new #16 could have a role in the wildcat in 2023, especially if Dakereon Joyner plays the type of larger role at running back that is expected.
Nick Emmanwori: The 2022 Freshman All-American safety appears to be staying put at the position despite offseason speculation that he might move to linebacker. He is listed as a few pounds lighter than last season as he is measuring in at 6’4″ and 219 pounds. He will remain #21.
Trey Knox: Knox was listed at 250 pounds before spring practice but has trimmed up to be 237 pounds. At that weight as a 6’5″ tight end, Knox will have the versatility of playing in-line or split out wide in new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains’ offense. He will be #1 this fall.
Joshua Simon: Trey Knox’s running mate at tight end, Josh Simon is 6’4″ and 238 pounds. While one would never guess by looking at the two, Simon actually weighs more than Knox does now. #6 will have a chance to play a big role in the offense in 2023.
Nick Elksnis: The expected “blocking tight end” of the three transfers at the position, Elksnis is up to 251 pounds at 6’6″. He will wear #84 this season and could be used in a major way in the run game like former Gamecock tight end Nate Adkins was last year.
Elijah Davis: Defensive lineman Elijah Davis could play inside at tackle or outside at defensive end this fall. He is listed at 6’3″ and 289 pounds, which is slightly heavier than his spring practice weight. Is this indicative of a permanent move inside? During the Garnet and Black Spring Game, Davis played both tackle and end. He will wear #11.
Tonka Hemingway: Tonka Hemingway has high expectations heading into the 2023 season, and #91 could play inside and outside for the Gamecocks this fall. Primarily a defensive tackle in the past, he is athletic enough to help out at a thin defensive end spot, as well. He is listed at 6’3″ and 285 pounds.
Xzavier McLeod: The big defensive tackle has lost weight since spring practice. Big #64 is listed at a trim 284 pounds at 6’5.” That is over 30 pounds lighter than his initially reported weight when he signed with the Gamecocks.
Nick Gargiulo: The Yale transfer has bulked up since joining the Gamecocks. 6’5″ and 327 pounds is a solid number for the expected starter at guard or center. Gargiulo will wear #69.
Tyshawn Wannamaker: A former guard, Wannamaker has played tackle lately and has trimmed up his body to be more athletic outside. He is now 6’3″ and 290 pounds and is the expected starter at right tackle in the fall. He is still #62.
Stone Blanton: One of the most-monitored weights in the program is linebacker Stone Blanton. Most believe that Blanton will be a good linebacker for the Gamecocks if he can be fast enough. He is listed at 6’2″ and 224 pounds. Blanton has trimmed up a bit after bulking from last season, usually a sign of getting stronger and faster. That is good news. He will still wear #52.
Mo Kaba: Coming off of his ACL tear in the early goings of the 2022 season, linebacker Mo Kaba has bulked up to 253 pounds at 6’2″. If he can retain his pre-injury athletic ability, Kaba could be in line for a huge year in the middle of the Carolina defense. He will stay as #32.
Bam Martin-Scott: Viewed by some as a player who could move to EDGE if the need arose, his 6’2″, 226-pound frame makes the move seem unlikely. He will wear #22 again this season.
Jaron Willis: Another linebacker with some EDGE potential, Willis has lost weight and now measures in at 6’2″ and 225 pounds. The transfer from Ole Miss appears to be set as a full-time linebacker. He will wear #14.
Bryan Thomas, Jr.: The award for best spring game performance on defense went to Bryan Thomas, Jr. as the undersized EDGE player was very disruptive. At just 6’2″ and 232 pounds, he is unlikely to be an every-down player up front in 2023, but #46 could carve out a role rushing the passer.
Summer newcomer heights, weights, and numbers of note for South Carolina Football
Nyck Harbor: Everyone wants to know how big Nyck Harbor is. Officially, the nation’s most interesting freshman is listed as a 6’5″ and 241-pound wide receiver, which is a little bit heavier than anticipated. What this could mean for Harbor’s future is unclear, but Gamecock fans can’t wait to watch #8 for the first time this fall.
DJay Braswell: The true freshman running back could be in line for significant duty in the 2023 season, and his listed size is 5’11” and 204 pounds. Probably the biggest home run threat at the position, Braswell will wear #23.
Jatius Geer: One of the transfer portal newcomers this offseason, Geer has a chance to be a major factor at defensive end this fall. He is officially listed at 6’6″ and 243 pounds. #12 is competing for a starting role for defensive end/outside linebackers coach Sterling Lucas.
Desmond Umeozulu: True freshman EDGE player Desmond Umeozulu is gained some good weight to help hold up at defensive end. He is listed at 6’6″ and 246 pounds heading into the fall and will wear the #9 jersey.
Vicari Swain: Swain is one of the highest-upside freshmen in the class, and he has positional versatility. He is beginning his career as a defensive back and is expected to spend most of his time working at corner. He is listed at 6’1″ and 183 pounds and will wear #16.
Ni Mansell: Mansell is a walk-on transfer from Mercer who could be in the two-deep on the interior of the offensive line when all is said and done this season. He is 6’3″ and 306 pounds. He will wear #61.
Jaxon Hughes: Hughes is another walk-on offensive lineman who played as the starting left tackle for Charlotte last season. He is expected to be in the two-deep at tackle at the beginning of the season. He is #79 and is listed at 6’6″ and 297 pounds.
Trovon Baugh: A 4-star offensive lineman whose future is likely on the interior, Baugh is bigger than many thought he’d be. The newly-minted #78 is listed at 6’4″ and 337 pounds.
Oluwatosin “Tree” Babalade: One of three 4-star offensive linemen in the class of 2023, Babalade is listed at 6’5″ and 338 pounds. He will wear #51. Babalade is not expected to be a major contributor in 2023, but he is a candidate to be one of the starting tackles of the future.
Kelton Henderson: Henderson was expected to be small, but 165 pounds is really small for an SEC receiver. He is listed at 6’0″ and as #83. With a skillset somewhere between Ahmarean Brown and Juju McDowell, he will be looked upon to fill similar roles to those players in the future.
Elijah Caldwell: Caldwell is expected to push some veteran receivers for playing time in 2023. Listed at 6’1″ and 191 pounds, #14 is more physically ready than some anticipated. He will get some reps in 2023 and could be in for a big role in 2024.
Connor Cox: The freshman tight end is bulking up. He has gained ten pounds since the spring and is listed at 6’5″ and 235 pounds. He will wear #18 and will continue working on his body this season so as to be ready to play an in-line tight end role in the future.
Peyton Argent: Walk-on freshman kicker/punter Peyton Argent was relatively highly regarded out of high school and could serve as a backup to Mitch Jeter in 2023. At 6’2″ and 203 pounds, he is a big kicker and will wear #48.
Some other items of note from the South Carolina Football media guide
- South Carolina football has found an assistant strength and conditioning coach to replace the outgoing Byron Jerideau. Jamil Walker, a candidate for the job when Luke Day was hired, will be joining Day’s staff.
- Suspended freshmen Monteque Rhames (4-star defensive end) and Cameron Upshaw (3-star defensive back) are officially not on the roster and listed as “no longer on squad” in the 2023 signing class portion of the media guide. Upshaw has enrolled in junior college, and Rhames is expected to do so, as well. Suspended redshirt freshman Anthony Rose entered the transfer portal earlier this offseason.
- Running back Dante Miller is not listed on the roster. Miller was hoping to receive a waiver from the NCAA granting him a 6th year of eligibility.
- The media guide reports a total of 33 active South Carolina football alums in the NFL.
- The two primary NIL collectives for the Gamecocks, Garnet Trust and Carolina Rise, are both mentioned in the media guide.
- DeAngelo Gibbs, one of two seventh-year players for the Gamecocks (along with EDGE Jordan Strachan), will be 26 years old during this season.
- Williams-Brice Stadium ranked 16th in average game attendance in 2022, including a hurricane-moved Thursday contest against South Carolina State that brought the number down a bit.
- The spring 2023 semester produced the highest-ever team GPA in Gamecock history.
- After the obvious states of South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida, the Gamecocks have more players from Maryland (4) than any other state. With two more from Washington DC and three more from Virginia, Shane Beamer’s emphasis on the DMV is paying off.
- South Carolina football is ranked 23rd in the AP and Coaches preseason polls.