South Carolina Football: Former Gamecock has new contract in Arizona, could earn starting role
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina football has put a number of big-time players in the NFL in recent years. Arguably the best positional group to come from the Gamecocks is cornerback.
Since 2002, South Carolina football has seen 14 corners selected in the NFL Draft, and 10 of them have gone on to become starters at the professional level (with two more coming into the league as rookies this season).
One of these NFL cornerback starters from South Carolina football is Rashad Fenton. Fenton has spent some time starting with both the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons but has a new home in 2023. Earlier this offseason, Fenton signed a contract with the Arizona Cardinals.
According to FanSided’s Jim Koch who writes for Raising Zona, the South Carolina football alum could be in line to start for his third professional team this fall. Marco Wilson is expected to own the job at one corner spot for Arizona, but the other corner spot is up for grabs, and Koch believes Fenton could be the best man for the job.
Fenton’s primary competition at the second corner position appears to be journeyman Antonio Hamilton. Ironically, Hamilton is a South Carolina native and played his college ball for South Carolina State, and he and Fenton were teammates for one season (2020) with the Kansas City Chiefs. Fenton started several games for KC that season, while Hamilton started none.
Last season, Hamilton was the starting corner for a handful of games for the Cardinals, and his production was up and down. Fenton provides a purer cover corner option for new Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon and new defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, while Hamilton is a better tackler in the secondary.
During Fenton’s South Carolina football career, he was very good in man coverage and tallied 20 pass breakups, 5 interceptions, and a kickoff return touchdown for head coaches Steve Spurrier and Will Muschamp.