Projecting the South Carolina depth chart: Offense (pre-camp update)
Year 3 of the Shane Beamer era at South Carolina kicks off with the Gamecocks’ first preseason practice on Friday, which offers yet another excuse to revisit our ever-changing projected depth chart.
Beamer and the rest of the South Carolina staff seem to shy away from the idea of a depth chart as much as possible — preferring to focus on the ongoing competition required to hold down a starting position — but still, the concept offers a way for fans to quickly look at who they can expect to see on the field, and makes for excellent discussion fodder.
As always, this is an unofficial projection, and this iteration will serve as sort of a combination of what we expect to see in practice 1 while sometimes attempting to project ahead to the season.
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Quarterback
Spencer Rattler
Luke Doty
Tanner Bailey OR LaNorris Sellers
Position Analysis: Spencer Rattler and Luke Doty enter camp as the clear No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, but the most interesting conversation comes after that.
Tanner Bailey and LaNorris Sellers appear next in line in a crowded quarterback room and were used as such in the spring game.
The most interesting question about this room is whether or not Sellers will be used in some type of Wildcat package like Dakereon Joyner has been the last few years.
I entered the spring thinking Sellers would redshirt. I exited it thinking you have to find a way to get him on the field from time to time.
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Running back
Dakereon Joyner
Mario Anderson
Juju McDowell
Position Analysis: Dakereon Joyner’s impressive and quick transition from receiver to capable back has helped the outlook here and he’s the sure No. 1 entering camp. He looks like a natural runner and the bulk he’s added since arriving on campus and experience at QB and WR should only help him to impact this position.
Mario Anderson also made a smooth transition from Division 2 Newberry while Juju McDowell looks to bounce back and have more consistent season in Year 3.
Freshman DJay Braswell isn’t listed above but he’s a speedster the staff will take a long look at in the fall and may have the highest upside.
Wide receiver
Outside WR
Juice Wells
O’Mega Blake
Payton Mangrum
Outside WR
Xavier Legette
Eddie Lewis
Nyckoles Harbor
Slot WR
Ahmarean Brown
Elijah Caldwell
Landon Samson
Position Analysis: Juice Wells, Xavier Legette and Ahmarean Brown appear to be the starters and that’s a good trio that could trend towards being great if Legette — who had a great summer — can continue to build off his finish from last year and Brown can find a little more consistency.
Memphis transfer Eddie Lewis is listed here as an outside receiver but can probably help at both an outside receiver spot and in the slot. He brings experience and playmaking ability to the room.
There’s plenty of competition behind those four. Elijah Caldwell is furthest along of the freshman in terms of development (and we have him the nod in making the early camp two-deep) and Nyckoles Harbor’s speed is too much of a weapon for him not to find the field in some way.
We gave O’Mega Blake (co-most improved offensive player of the spring) the edge at one of the outside spots, for now, but he’ll have to fight off Harbor and others to maintain that spot.
Don’t be surprised if former walk-on Payton Mangrum is in the mix for playing time too.
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Offensive line
LT
Jakai Moore
Jaxon Hughes
(Jaylen Nichols – injured)
LG
Nick Gargiulo
JonDarius Morgan
C
Vershon Lee
Ryan Brubaker
RG
Trai Jones
Markee Anderson
RT
Sidney Fugar
Tyshawn Wannamaker OR Cason Henry (returning from injury)
Position Analysis: The outlook at this position was altered quite a bit by the injury to Jaylen Nichols who was penciled in as a starter at left tackle.
Now, it appears that Jakai Moore, who has started a lot of games in his career, will get the first shot at the position, though the Gamecocks plan to crosstrain their tackles and pretty much pick the best two, even if that means moving one from left to right or vice versa.
That’s already happened in the case of Sidney Fugar, who worked at left tackle in the spring, but is now expected to start preseason camp with the ones at right tackle.
As of right now, Fugar will battle it out with Tyshawn Wannamaker and Cason Henry, who is returning from injury, at the right tackle spot.
Transfer walk-on Jaxon Hughes and freshman Tree Babalade are working at left tackle too.
Nick Garguilo, Vershon Lee, and Trai Jones appear to be the starters on the interior.
Markee Anderson will start out preseason camp at right guard but can play either guard spot or center and may be the next man up on the interior.
Grayson Mains, Ryan Brubaker, JonDarius Morgan and freshman Trovon Baugh appear likely to fight it out for depth spots on the interior. We listed Morgan and Brubaker on the depth chart above but frankly could have picked any of them — those spots will be decided on the practice fields.
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Tight end
Trey Knox
Josh Simon
Nick Elksnis
Position Analysis: The depth chart itself doesn’t change much from what we expected entering the spring but how South Carolina’s newcomer tight ends will be used maybe shifts slightly — and expectations have only gone up.
Trey Knox, a receiver-turned-tight end, showed that he has the ability to not only make plays in the passing game as an athletic mismatch but is also big enough and willing to help as an in-line blocker.
Trey Simon was not only as good as expected but probably a couple of ticks better, we hear, and should be on the field quite a bit in two-tight end sets.
Nick Elknis is more of a blocker in comparison to the other two and should certainly have a role on offense.
The freshmen may find their way onto the field too.
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