South Carolina's defense outperformed some of its outside expectations, bouncing back from a tough 2020 to be a much improved outfit in its first year under Shane Beamer and coordinator Clayton White.
The Gamecocks are losing a few key pieces from this year's seven-win team like JJ Enagbare, Jabari Ellis, Aaron Sterling among others leaving the door open for a few other players to step into bigger roles.
Here's a look at a few of those returners who had good 2021 seasons with the potential to take a step forward this year as well with some Pro Football Focus numbers included.,
Cam Smith, defensive back
Smith ended the season the Gamecocks’ second-highest defensive grade behind JJ Enagbare at 88.4 overall. He was great in coverage almost all year, allowing just 15 receptions for 184 yards on 32 targets.
He’d allow a touchdown but finish with three interceptions and just 42 yards after the catch allowed. Quarterbacks finished with a 36.5 passer rating when targeting his receiver.
Smith can be better about missed tackles, finishing with six, but should be a boon for South Carolina’s secondary next season.
Darius Rush, defensive back
Rush earned a key role in the Gamecocks’ secondary in the preseason and didn’t do anything to relinquish it and put together his best season of his career.
He’d finish with a 75.1 overall grade and allow 16 receptions on 39 targets, allowing 349 yards and four touchdowns to one pick. He still has room to grow but he was a nice piece to the secondary and should only continue to improve with consistent snaps like he had this year.
Jordan Strachan, EDGE
Strachan was one of the big returners this offseason for the Gamecocks, who obviously lose their top edge rusher in Enagbare to the NFL Draft and Aaron Sterling to exhausting eligibility.
Strachan played 281 snaps with a 74.7 grade with 12 total pressures, second among returners behind Zacch Pickens, with three sacks and eight quarterback hurries. Getting more playing time, and potentially starting, should help the Gamecocks maintain an efficient pass rush in 2022.
Jordan Burch, EDGE
Burch had an inconsistent freshman year but showed flashes in his second year in the program with 10 pressures and seven quarterback hurries in 334 snaps. He also had 17 tackles and nine stops, which lends itself to helping in the run game plus a pick-six in the opener.
He’d end with a 68.2 overall grade and a tackling grade of 67.4.
With obviously Enagbare and Sterling not on the roster next season the Gamecocks need someone to step up at defensive end and Burch could be the man to do it.
Alex Huntley, defensive tackle
Huntley, after being injured most of the 2020 season, logged 194 snaps as a reserve interior lineman with a 66.2 overall grade with nine stops defensively. Huntley was also able to register two pressures and two quarterback hurries from the interior as well.
His best facet of his game was his run defense and with the Gamecocks losing Jabari Ellis to exhausting eligibility Huntley could be a name to take over in the starting lineup.
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