Five South Carolina football players to watch for 2024 NFL Draft, led by Spencer Rattler
COLUMBIA — The 2023 NFL Draft was a win for South Carolina football and its five former players who were selected.
The Gamecocks had more players drafted than they'd had in the past decade, since seven were selected in 2013. Three other players reportedly have since signed with NFL teams as undrafted free agents.
South Carolina now looks ahead to the 2023 season, and several upperclassmen will aim to prove their worth to the NFL scouts for 2024. Here are five Gamecocks players that could make a splash in next year's draft.
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Spencer Rattler, quarterback
Rattler's status as a former five-star and No. 1 quarterback prospect in the nation automatically puts him on NFL radars, but the his position on draft boards is hard to pin down. The 6-foot-1, 218 pound quarterback has a sky-high ceiling that showed in the Gamecocks' wins over Tennessee and Clemson in 2022, and he was a Heisman Trophy contender after his first season starting at Oklahoma. However, he was also benched in 2021 after throwing five interceptions in the Sooners' first six games.
Rattler is primarily a pocket passer with great arm strength, and he's capable of making plays on the scramble as well. The biggest concern is his decision-making and football IQ. A final college season will give him a shot to change that narrative.
Antwane Wells Jr., wide receiver
Wells was South Carolina's breakout star in 2022 after transferring from an FCS program, James Madison. In his first season with the Gamecocks, Wells was the No. 2 receiver in the SEC with 928 yards and six touchdowns, averaging over 13 yards per catch. His main downside was a lack of red zone touches, and he will look to make a bigger impact there this year.
The 6-1, 210 pound receiver is an excellent route runner and performs well under pressure in contested-catch situations. However, he doesn't have the breakaway speed or slippery changes of direction that make for an elite pro receiver.
Trey Knox, tight end
This season will be Knox's first at South Carolina after transferring from Arkansas, and he'll aim to make a jump in the newly-installed Dowell Loggains offense. In four seasons with the Razorbacks, Knox logged 892 receiving yards and nine touchdowns averaging 24.7 yards per game in 2022.
The 6-5, 250-pound tight end came out of high school as a wide receiver, but he has the physical traits to succeed as an NFL tight end. He is highly athletic and an elite pass catcher, and adding some bulk would make him a stronger blocking threat.
Tonka Hemingway, defensive tackle
Hemingway wasn't a Week 1 starter in 2022 but played in all 13 games and ultimately earned the nine starts. He led the team in sacks and was second in tackles for loss, logging 33 tackles, eight for loss, four sacks and six quarterback pressures.
The 6-3, 290-pound tackle has NFL size and versatility to play on the edge or interior. Pass rushing ability is a high-value skill in the league, so Hemingway could climb the draft boards if he can increase his quarterback pressures as the the presumed starter in 2023.
Jordan Strachan, edge rusher
The 2023 season will be critical for Strachan to prove to NFL teams that he can stay healthy. Entering his seventh season with the Gamecocks, Strachan is coming off of a season-ending ACL injury and also suffered a major knee injury in 2019.
Strachan's build is borderline elite at 6-5, 245 pounds with above-average length. He excels as a run defender but doesn't have the pass rush numbers that NFL teams will look for. He needs a high sack season, or at least an increase in QB pressures, to establish himself as a legitimate prospect.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina football players to watch as 2024 NFL Draft prospects
