Former South Carolina football captain had big-time showing in NFL preseason

The NFL's official roster cutdown day was on Tuesday, and a number of South Carolina football alums made their team's 53-man rosters. One of them was offensive lineman Jovaughn Gwyn who made the squad for the Atlanta Falcons.

Gwyn, who saw action in just one game during his rookie season with the Falcons in 2023, could be in line for a more important role in 2024. Fighting for a spot in the two-deep on the interior of the Atlanta offensive front, Gwyn had a strong showing during the NFL preseason.

Based on Pro Football Focus' grades for offensive linemen, Gwyn was one of the Falcons' best overall players during preseason games, grading out with a 83.8 in pass rush situations and 73.4 as a run blocker. He allowed just one quarterback pressure the entire preseason despite being on the field for 84 passing plays, and he held up well in the run game.

Gwyn spent most of the 2023 season as a reserve at center and was inactive on gamedays in all but one game. However, there is a real chance that Gwyn could be a real candidate to be a backup at either guard or center this fall. Because of roster constraints, NFL teams typically keep fewer than 10 offensive linemen on the dress list (a list even smaller than the 53-man roster limit), so positional versatility helps reserve offensive linemen earn a spot. Gwyn's ability to play three of the five positions up front should only help his case for a potential role in Atlanta this year.

The Falcons also cut fellow interior offensive lineman Zack Bailey, a former teammate of Gwyn's with the South Carolina football program. Like Jovaughn Gwyn, Bailey had a good preseason, so he should catch on with another team at some point this season.