New England Patriots Draft Marcellas Dial With 180th Overall Pick

The cornerback run continues.

Last April Cam Smith went 51st overall in the NFL Draft to the MIami Dolphins and Darius Rush was a fifth-round choice by the Indianapolis Colts, meaning two cornerbacks off South Carolina’s 2022 roster both earned a draft selection.

Make it three now, as Marcellas Dial went No. 180 overall to the New England Patriots. He is the sixth Gamecock cornerback in as many years to go in the NFL Draft, joining his two former teammates plus Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu in 2021 and Rashad Fenton in 2019.

Dial played in 38 games for the program across the first three seasons of the Shane Beamer era, starting 29 of them including in all 12 games last season. He finished his career with 114 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and three interceptions.

All three of his picks were in the 2022 season, most notably when he scored a crucial one in the fourth quarter of South Carolina’s 31-30 upset win at Clemson. His forced fumble was in 2021 at Missouri, and he picked up his lone collegiate sack at Texas A&M in 2023.

Dial is the second in-state product to spend his entire career with the Gamecocks and get drafted this year, joining wide receiver Xavier Legette. He is also the eighth member of South Carolina’s 2022 team to earn a draft selection, a team which went 8-4 for the most successful season of the Beamer era to date.

Former South Carolina running back Kevin Harris currently plays for the Patriots.

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