The NFL Draft likely will come calling for several South Carolina Gamecocks next spring. Shane Beamer's team has players, both underclassmen and seniors, who could begin their professional careers during the offseason.
According to the most recent Big Board from Pro Football Focus (PFF), five Gamecocks are on the NFL Draft radar.
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First, quarterback LaNorris Sellers is 49th on the list, putting him firmly in second-round territory. Recent indications have been that Sellers is considering a return to school more than many previously thought. The dynamic dual-threat has two more years of eligibility remaining, but his draft stock is somewhat unknown. Most around the NFL believe he is a first-round talent, but some inconsistencies (both in his game and in South Carolina's offense around him) have made a selection that high feel more improbable. If that is correct, it only increases the likelihood of him returning to USC.
Next up on the PFF Big Board is defensive back Jalon Kilgore at No. 143. If that ranking translated to an NFL Draft selection, it would be in the early fifth round. Kilgore, like Sellers, is in his third year of college; however, with no redshirt under his belt, he has just one year of eligibility left at the collegiate level after 2025. Kilgore is an intriguing secondary prospect because of his size, athleticism, and positional flexibility. Some NFL scouts like him at safety, others think he could be a corner, and still others believe a combo role at nickel (like the one he plays for the Gamecocks) would be best for him.
Also with a fifth-round grade, PFF lists wide receiver Nyck Harbor at No. 172. Harbor, perhaps the most polarizing receiver prospect in the class, has a unique combination of world-class speed and elite positional size at 6-5. He has improved his hands significantly over the past two years, and he has experienced some growth as a route runner, too. Harbor has one more collegiate year available to him beyond this fall.
Offensive lineman Tree Babalade is next. Slotting in at No. 292, Babalade is outside of the seven-round range of the NFL Draft but is a name worth watching, per PFF. The big right tackle has been South Carolina's best lineman since taking over for Cason Henry after the latter was lost for the year with an injury. Babalade still isn't a finished product, so the redshirt sophomore could make use of his two remaining years of eligibility.
The final South Carolina football player on PFF's Big Board is a senior. Defensive back DQ Smith, like Babalade, is beyond the seven-round range, coming in at No. 370. Primarily a safety, Smith has some experience at nickel and has played in the box at times. He is in his fourth year as a starter at Carolina and earned some Freshman All-American honors in 2022. Smith feels like a strong candidate for an undrafted free agent opportunity of some kind.
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There are other South Carolina standouts who have earned NFL Draft buzz from other outlets. Specifically, cornerback Brandon Cisse and defensive tackles Nick Barrett and Gabe Brownlow-Dindy have been in lots of draft discussions. Others, like defensive tackle Monkell Goodwine, cornerbacks Vicari Swain and Judge Collier, running back Rahsul Faison, and EDGEs Bryan Thomas Jr. and JT Geer have been on the NFL radar in some capacity in recent months.
This year's NFL Draft will take place from April 23rd through April 25th in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.