South Carolina football fans have a while to wait for spring practice to begin in March, but until then, they have one eye on the NFL Draft and the former Gamecocks who may be selected this April.
After the college all-star game circuit finished up at the beginning of the month, the NFL Draft talks got stronger than ever, and names like Xavier Legette and Spencer Rattler were commonly heard as potential top-half selections in April's festivities. It was obvious that the the dynamic pitch-and-catch duo would have the NFL Scouting Combine as their next step, but they were joined by some of their teammates on the invite list.
According to an official release from the NFL, five Gamecocks have received invitations to take part in the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.
Wide receiver Xavier Legette and quarterback Spencer Rattler knew they would be participating in Indianapolis, but they will be joined by cornerback Marcellas Dial, tight end Trey Knox, and offensive lineman Nick Gargiulo. Gargiulo, as a former Ivy Leaguer, was informed of his invitation about two weeks ago. Former Gamecocks like tight end Jaheim Bell (Florida State), cornerback Johnny Dixon (Penn State), and running back MarShawn Lloyd (Southern Cal) were also invited.
The NFL Combine will begin February 26th and run through March 4th, a full eight days running from the final Monday in February to the first Monday of March. Much of the Combine will be broadcast on the NFL Network, so South Carolina football fans hoping to monitor their favorite players competing with other top prospects will have a chance to watch.
Wide receiver Xavier Legette has an outside chance of being the fastest player in the draft. Much like defensive back Darius Rush last season, the former Gamecock shouldn't be expected to claim the top mark, but he will surprise some people with how close he gets. Fellow wide receiver Ahmarean Brown was not invited, but if he receives a late invitation, he also could challenge for the fastest time.