Gamecocks in the NFL: 2021 regular season recap
After a long 18 weeks of play, the NFL regular season has finally come to an end. Over the next month 14 teams will compete in the playoffs for a chance to be crowned Super Bowl LVI Champion.
Gamecocks in the NFL Playoffs
Of those 14 teams, seven have a former South Carolina player on their roster in some capacity (active or practice squad). The Las Vegas Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers all have a combined 16 Gamecock alumni on their teams.
Former Gamecock 2021 NFL MVP: Deebo Samuel (duh)
Samuel exceeded just about any expectation that could have been given to him this season. His long list of accolades from this year includes being selected to the Pro Bowl, First Team All-Pro (AP and PFF) and two time NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
Stat wise, Samuel was clearly dominant. He finished fifth in the NFL for receiving yards, first in yards per reception, third in all purpose yards and seventh in touchdowns.
Regular Season Stats
Below you'll find a list of former South Carolina players that are currently in the NFL and a brief summary of how their respective season panned out.
OL Zack Bailey: Bailey spent the season on three different teams practice squads, starting off with the Minnesota Vikings and the Indianapolis Colts. He is currently a member of the Washington Football Team practice squad.
WR Damiere Byrd: played in 11 games for the Chicago Bears, finishing the season with 26 catches, 329 yards and a touchdown.
LB TJ Brunson: spent the season on the New York Giant's injured reserve list.
OT AJ Cann: started four games for the Jacksonville Jaguars before landing on the injured reserve list for the remainder of the season.
K Joseph Charlton: played five games for the Carolina Panthers, averaging just under 40 yards a punt before being placed on the injured reserve and eventually waived a month later. Charlton was picked up by the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 18 and averaged 50 yards a punt in his debut for the Jags.
DE Jadeveon Clowney: played in 14 games for the Cleveland Browns, finishing the season with 37 tackles and nine sacks.
TE Jared Cook: played in 16 games for the Los Angeles Chargers, finishing the season with 48 catches, 564 yards and four touchdowns.
WR Pharaoh Cooper: played in eight games for the New York Giants, bringing in four catches for 33 yards.
OL Dennis Daley: played in 15 games this season for the Carolina Panthers, starting in nine of them.
RB Mike Davis: played in 17 games for the Atlanta Falcons, finishing the season with 503 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 44 catches for 259 yards and one receiving touchdown.
RB Rico Dowdle: spent the season on the Dallas Cowboys injured reserve list.
WR Bryan Edwards: played in 16 games for the Las Vegas Raiders, finishing the season with 34 catches for 571 yards and three touchdowns.
RB Tavien Feaster: spent most of the season on the Arizona Cardinals practice squad but did make an appearance in three games this year.
DB Rashad Fenton: played in 13 games for the Kansas City Chiefs, finishing with 49 tackles and a forced fumble.
DB Stephon Gilmore: played in seven games for the Carolina Panthers, finishing with 16 tackles and two interceptions.
DB Jaycee Horn: started three games for the Carolina Panthers and had five tackles and an interception before ending up on the injured reserve list for the rest of the season.
OL Sadarius Hutcherson: spent the entire season on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers injured reserve.
TE Hayden Hurst: played in 13 games for the Atlanta Hawks, finishing with 26 catches, 221 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
LB Melvin Ingram III: started in one of his six games with the Pittsburgh Steelers before he was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs who we played nine games for. Ingram finished the season with 15 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble.
LB Ernest Jones: played in 15 games for the Los Angeles Rams, starting in seven of those games, totaling 61 tackles on the season along with two interceptions.
DT Javon Kinlaw: started in four games for the San Francisco 49ers and had eight tackles before ending up on the injured reserve list.
DB Chris Lammons: played in 12 games for the Kansas City Chiefs, totaling 12 tackles and a fumbled recovery in the season.
TE Kyle Markway: was a member of the the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Rams practice squads this season.
LB Skai Moore: appeared in week 17 after spending the entire season on the Indianapolis Colts injured reserve.
DB Israel Mukuama: played four games for the Dallas Cowboys with a majority of his snaps coming on special times.
DB Keisean Nixon: played in 11 games with the Las Vegas Raiders, finishing the season with 12 tackles.
FB Adam Prentice: played in seven games for the New Orleans Saints, finishing the season with five rushing yards and 16 receiving yards.
WR Deebo Samuel: played in 16 games for the San Francisco 49ers, totaling 1770 yards of offense, split between 1405 receiving and 365 rushing. He also brought in six receiving touchdowns, eight rushing touchdowns and even threw one touchdown pass.
OL Brandon Shell: started ten games for the Seattle Seahawks but eventually ended the season on the injured reserve.
DT Kobe Smith: was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad all season.
WR Shi Smith: played in six games for the Carolina Panthers, finishing the season with six catches for 104 yards.
OL Donnell Staley: spent the entire season on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers injured reserve.
DT Taylor Stallworth: played in 16 games for the Indianpolis Colts, finishing the season with 16 tackles and three sacks.
K Ryan Succopp: played in 17 games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, finishing the season making 25 of his 30 field goal attempts and converting 56 of his 59 extra point attempts for 131 total points.
DE DJ Wonnum: played in 17 games for the Minnesota Vikings, finishing the season with 47 tackles, eight sacks and a forced fumble.
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