Marcellas Dial
Position: Cornerback
Height: 6'0" Weight: 185 Pounds
40 Time: High 4.4s
Draft Projection High: Early 5th Round
Draft Projection Low: Undrafted
Marcellas Dial was part of Shane Beamer's first recruiting class in Columbia as a transfer from Georgia Military. The South Carolina native tallied over 100 tackles and 3 interceptions during his three-year career in garnet and black, but it was his coverage skills that made him an impact player for the Gamecocks. He played a big role in the Gamecock defense all three years he was on campus, primarily operating as an outside corner, including as the team's top man coverage player in 2023.
Dial's career included some ups and downs, but he largely was a reliable player for Carolina. The 2023 season was a poor one for the entire defense, and because of that, Dial's usually solid play in coverage often went unnoticed.
Physically, Dial has a lot of intriguing traits that could lead a team to taking a chance on him in this year's draft. Dial is long (nearly a 6'6" wingspan), and he has enough speed and quickness to stay "sticky" in man coverage. He also had his best game against big-time competition as he logged 3 pass breakups and an interception on 11 targets (just 1 completion) against Clemson in 2022.
He was invited to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl and got reps at practice at corner, safety, and nickel. He did not have a big impact in the game, but getting in front of scouts and media helped his draft stock a little bit thanks to the extra exposure. Since finishing up at the Shrine Bowl, Dial has been included in some mock drafts, usually in the 6th or 7th round.
If selected in the draft, Dial might be taken by the baltimore Ravens, a team with a very established defense but one that still needs a young corner or two to join the unit.
Barring trades, ending up in Baltimore likely requires a 7th round selection of Dial. The Ravens' defensive picks often pan out, so becoming a Raven could be an ideal fit for the former Gamecock defensive back.