South Carolina defender Kingsley Enagbare selected by Green Bay Packers

The South Carolina Gamecocks had three former gamers hear their names known as on this yr’s NFL Draft.

Defensive finish Kingsley “JJ” Enagbare, operating again Kevin Harris and tight finish Nick Muse have been all chosen Saturday on the draft’s ultimate day.

Enagbare was chosen as a linebacker with the 179th decide by the Inexperienced Bay Packers within the draft’s fifth spherical. He entered the season as a projected first spherical draft decide, however watched his inventory slowly lower given the slew of gifted go rushers on this yr’s class coupled with a less-dominant-than-expected marketing campaign.

“Engabare isn’t a quick-twitch pace rusher, he’s extra of an extended, heavy-handed energy rusher,” The Athletic’s Dane Brugler advised The State. “So whereas the 4.87 40-yard sprint at 258 kilos on the mix is a beneath common quantity, I don’t suppose it was fully sudden. The 7.51 three-cone on the professional day was additionally beneath common by NFL requirements.”

The Georgia native anchored the South Carolina defensive position reverse Aaron Sterling in his first and solely yr below defensive coordinator Clayton White. Enagbare completed the season with a career-high 42 tackles, however his 5 tackles for a loss and a pair of.5 sacks have been his lowest outputs since he was a freshman in 2019.

Enagbare is the sixth South Carolina defensive finish to be drafted since 2011 and the primary since D.J. Wonnum was chosen within the fourth spherical by the Minnesota Vikings in 2020.

The Gamecocks have now had a minimum of one participant chosen within the first three rounds of the NFL Draft since getting shut out totally in 2017. Cornerback Jaycee Horn — who was in the identical recruiting class as Enagbare — was the primary South Carolina participant off the board final season when he was taken with the No. 9 total choice by the Carolina Panthers.

Kevin Harris to Patriots

Former Gamecocks tailback Kevin Harris was chosen Saturday within the sixth spherical and No. 183 total by the New England Patriots within the 2022 NFL Draft.

Harris completed the 2020 season because the Southeastern Convention’s main rusher, racing to 1,138 yards and 15 touchdowns in simply 10 video games. Offseason again surgical procedure restricted Harris’ manufacturing in 2021. He missed South Carolina’s season opener in opposition to Japanese Illinois and didn’t take part in contact exercise till his first carry of the East Carolina recreation in Week 2, he advised The State earlier this yr.

“The again damage is a vital a part of Harris’ analysis and can be interpreted in a different way by every workforce,” Brugler advised The State. “He doesn’t have the creativity or burst as a runner, regardless if you happen to’re learning the 2020 or 2021 tape. However his run energy and stability whereas retaining his pads sq. to the road are positives to his recreation. Regardless, he must be extra constant on passing downs to make it within the NFL.”

Harris labored his means again to full well being and health by season’s finish, operating for 128 yards in a win over Florida and and one other 182 yards and a landing within the Duke’s Mayo Bowl victory in opposition to North Carolina.

The Georgia native examined nicely throughout his look on the NFL Mix in Indianapolis. Harris ending second out of the 32 operating backs that participated within the vertical bounce with a 38.5-inch mark. His 10-foot, 6-inch broad bounce additionally ranked third out of 30 rushers who took half the drill in Indianapolis.

Nick Muse to Vikings

South Carolina tight finish Nick Muse, the brother of former Clemson standout Tanner Muse, was chosen by the Minnesota Vikings within the seventh spherical and No. 227 total decide within the 2022 NFL Draft on Saturday.

The 6-foot-5, 259-pound Muse completed his profession at South Carolina as a largely dependable go catcher and strong blocker on operating downs, concluding his time in Columbia with 805 yards receiving and three touchdowns on 67 catches over three years.

The North Carolina native started his profession at William & Mary, the place he earned third-team All-Colonial Athletic Affiliation honors as a sophomore. Muse capped his second season in Williamsburg, Virginia rating seventh within the CAA in receiving yards per recreation (64.7) and second on the workforce in catches (30) and receiving yards (453).

Muse’s finest season as a Gamecock got here in 2020, when he recorded 30 receptions for 425 yards receiving, slotting him second on the squad in each classes behind solely 2021 sixth spherical draftee Shi Smith. He was named a fourth workforce All-SEC performer by Phil Steele.

“Muse is an attention-grabbing expertise who might be drafted late,” Brugler mentioned. “He has extra drops than you need and his routes want continued refinement. However he’s a ‘make it’ competitor and examined very well with a 4.70 40-yard sprint at 258 kilos on the Gamecocks professional day. It wouldn’t be a shock to see Muse earn a backup function as a rookie.”

Muse is the third South Carolina tight finish to be drafted lately after Hayden Hurst (2018) and Jerrell Adams (2016) have been each chosen within the NFL Draft after their Gamecocks careers.

Tanner Muse was additionally beforehand drafted, going within the third spherical and No. 100 total to the Las Vegas Raiders within the 2020 NFL Draft.

This story was initially revealed April 30, 2022 3:40 PM.