Four South Carolina football alums were taken in the 2024 NFL Draft as wide receiver Xavier Legette (1st round, Carolina Panthers), quarterback Spencer Rattler (5th round, New Orleans Saints), defensive back Marcellas Dial (6th round, New England Patriots), and offensive lineman Nick Gargiulo (7th round, Denver Broncos) all heard their names called.
After the draft ended, do-it-all offensive player Dakereon Joyner (Seattle Seahawks, training camp invite) and wide receiver Ahmarean Brown (Cleveland Browns, undrafted free agent deal) quickly received pro opportunities, but they would not be the final former Gamecocks to catch the NFL's attention in the moments after the final pick.
According to a press release from the team, the Minnesota Vikings have signed Gamecock tight end Trey Knox to an undrafted free agent contract.
Knox, a smart player who had a knack for finding soft spots against coverage, spent just one year in Columbia after playing the rest of his career with the Arkansas Razorbacks. However, he was a starter for the 2023 version of the South Carolina football team and had some good moments with the garnet and black.
During his Gamecock career, Knox caught over 300 yards worth of passes and 2 touchdowns while being a good leader and teammate, despite being a new face in the building as a transfer last offseason.
Now with the Vikings, Knox will compete with former Gamecock tight end Nick Muse for one of the reserve tight end spots behind Pro Bowl starter TJ Hockenson. Hockenson, though, could miss the start of the 2024 season after suffering a torn ACL at the end of last year, so playing time could be available early for Muse and/or Knox to claim.
More Gamecock alums are sure to find their way to NFL rosters and/or rookie mini camps in the coming days.