Five players with state of South Carolina ties set for Super Bowl 58 between 49ers, Chiefs
Five players with ties to the Palmetto State will be on the rosters of the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 58 on Feb. 11.
Two players starred at Clemson, two were with the South Carolina Gamecocks, and one played at South Carolina State.
The 49ers have four players with South Carolina roots — wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Ray-Ray McCloud, and defensive linemen Javon Hargrave and Javon Kinlaw.
Samuel, a University of South Carolina product in his fifth NFL season, could have a major impact on the game. He has 60 receptions for 892 yards and seven touchdowns this season and has been one of the NFL’s most consistent receivers since being taken in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. A Pro Bowler in 2021, he starred at Chapman High in Inman.
McCloud is a former standout at Clemson who also is a threat as a return specialist. He had stints with the Bills, Panthers and Steelers before joining the 49ers two years ago. He has 12 catches for 135 yards this season and also has averaged 8.5 yards on 24 punt returns and 22.5 yards on 10 kickoff returns.
Hargrave is a native of Salisbury, North Carolina, but played college ball at South Carolina State in Orangeburg. A third-round draft pick by the Steelers in 2016, he spent four years with Pittsburgh and three with Philadelphia before signing with the 49ers prior to the 2023 season. He earned his second career Pro Bowl selection after making 44 tackles, 7.5 sacks and 14 quarterback hits.
Kinlaw, a South Carolina product who played at Goose Creek High, was a first-round pick, No. 14 overall, by the 49ers in the 2020 NFL Draft. He has 25 tackles and 3.5 sacks this season.
The fifth player with ties to the state of South Carolina is wide receiver Justyn Ross of the Chiefs. He signed with them as an undrafted free agent out of Clemson in 2022, but missed his first season with injury. He has six receptions for 53 yards in 10 games this season.
Scott Keepfer covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at skeepfer@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ScottKeepfer
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Players with state of South Carolina ties for 49ers-Chiefs Super Bowl
