South Carolina’s Pro Timing Day is scheduled for March 24. NFL scouts, head coaches and other front officials will watch Gamecocks work out on campus, a few days after the head coach Shane Beamer and his current players start the spring camp on March 20. The full schedule for the spring camp has not yet been released, but the start date and spring game on April 24 have been revealed.
Given that the 2021 NFL Scouting Combine canceled all face-to-face training, tests on campus will be the primary training for Gamecocks competing to play in the NFL before the draft on April 29 through May 1.
Five players were invited to the combination; defensive back Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu, Defender Ernest Jones, offensive striker Sadarius Hutcherson and wide receiver Shi Smith. Other Gamecocks that may be participating in Pro Day include quarterback Collin Hill and defender Adam Prentice. Both were transferred from graduate school in 2020 and participated in pre-NFL draft experiments, Prentice at the Spiral Tropical Bowl on January 17th and Hill at College Gridiron Showcase’s January 17th to 21st. Hutcherson met virtually with The NFL folks in the NFLPA experience Collegiate Bowl and Smith participated in Reese’s Senior Bowl practice and game.
Horn received second All-SEC team honors from league coaches and third team honors from Pro Football Focus … started each of the first seven games as a cornerback … credited with 16 tackles … led the team with eight passes defended, including six pass separations and a pair of interceptions … average of 1.14 defended passes per game, second in the SEC … received five tackles, the best of the season in Florida … had the best game of his career in the victory over Auburn … credited with three tackles, two interceptions and four pass breaks, winning Walter Camp Defensive Player of the Week and SEC Defensive Player of the Week … he chose to leave the final three games of the season after the expulsion from the head coach Will Muschamp … nominated for the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll … credited with 101 career tackles, 23 pass separations and two interceptions.
Mukuamu played in six games, making five games in 2020 … played both cornerback and safety … drew in the lead of the team with two interceptions … had choices against Florida and LSU … chose to leave the final three games of the season following the dismissal of coach Will Muschamp … appeared in 31 career games with 19 games … credited with seven career INTs and 10 pass separations.
Jones won Phil Steele’s fourth team All-SEC honors … started each of the first nine games, losing the final competition with an ankle injury … led the team in tackles for the second consecutive year with 86 stops. . had an average of 9.6 tackles per game, sixth in the SEC … had four games with at least 11 tackles during the season … recorded 199 tackles in just 26 games in the last three seasons, including 21 games … had 10 , 5 loss tackles with a pair of bags … credited with two interceptions, five pass breaks, six hurried defenders, three forced fumbles and a couple of fumble recoveries.
Hutcherson started as a left guard all 10 competitions in 2020 … named one of the four permanent team captains … led an offensive line that helped Kevin Harris became the first 1,000-yard striker for the Gamecocks since 2013 … was the most experienced player on the team with 39 career starts (16 on the left guard, 12 on the right guard and 11 on the left tackle) … appeared in 45 games in general … started each of the last 36 games consecutively.
Smith won Phil Steele’s and Pro Football Focus’s second-team All-SEC honors … started all nine games in which he appeared … followed the team with 57 receptions for 633 yards and four touchdowns … came in fifth SEC place in receptions per game (6.33) and ninth in receiving yards per game (70.3) … became the first player in the history of the school to record double-digit receptions in consecutive games … recorded eight receptions for 76 yards with a touchdown in the victory over Auburn … got 10 receptions for 117 yards and a score on Ole Miss … appeared in 43 games during his four-year career in Carolina with 35 matches … managed 174 passes for 2,204 yards and 13 touchdowns … ended his career in fourth place in receptions, behind only Bryan Edwards, Kenny McKinley and Alshon Jeffery … ranked eighth in their career receiving yards in Carolina history.