Defensive seniors break down standout young players
When Shane Beamer got up in front of the team the night before South Carolina’s bowl game, his message was about patience and fruits of a player’s labor sometimes taking time.
It’s human nature to want results quickly, and sometimes it might take a year or two for a young player to come in and make an impact on an SEC football team.
The Gamecock defense is proof of concept there, dotted with older players having career years as seniors. But, with those older guys moving on from the program, it means younger players having to step up with a few ready in the wings.
“The first name that popped into my head is TJ Sanders. I like TJ, man. He’s a young buck. He always wants to get better. There were times it was late but he’s texting me and asking me questions and showing me film. TJ Sanders is definitely one to watch out for,” Jabari Ellis said. “There are a lot of guys but TJ is one that popped into my head first.”
Sanders has earned the praise of a lot of different people around the program, including Shane Beamer who said while the in-state lineman is redshirting this year the staff thinks he can be really good once he’s on the field.
The Gamecocks’ defensive lineman played in two games this season and logged six snaps per Pro Football Focus and the hope is he has a chance to factor in next year along with a few other younger linemen.
“D-line, you got TJ Sanders. That’s going to be a guy. He’s going to fill into big shoes and I feel like the sky’s the limit. He’s got a very high ceiling. Alex Huntley, little Boog, he’s got a lot of potential as well. He’ll be getting a lot of snaps,” Brad Johnson said. “Guys on the back end, David Spaulding isn’t a younger guy but a younger guy who potentially has another year where if he stays can turn into a hell of a player. Not to mention Darius Rush. There’s a lot of different dudes who have potential.”
South Carolina will get Zacch Pickens back for at least one more season but will have big shoes to fill with Jabari Ellis exhausting his eligibility. Brad Johnson, RJ Roderick and Jordan Strachan have also announced their decisions to return in 2022.
The Gamecocks are also losing JJ Enagbare to the NFL Draft along with Jaylan Foster, Carlins Platel, Damani Staley and Aaron Sterling as super seniors so there will be snaps to replace at every level defensively.
“You look at the younger guys like (O’Donnell Fortune),” Platel said. “OD is going to have a great year. Zay Norris, Kolbe Fields, Bam, (Martin-Scott) TJ. All those guys are going to have great careers for years to come.”
Norris is one Foster brought up as someone who can make an impact next year despite playing sparingly after getting in before camp from junior college.
Norris played nine snaps this year, most on special teams, but Foster likes his potential entering next season.
“I’ll say Isaiah Norris,” Jaylan Foster said. “He’s a JUCO guy who came in and he’s slowly getting the defense. When he has the defense down he’s going to be a good player for us.”
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