Leading off, let's say congrats to our playoff Gamecocks. In the MLB, both Clarke Schmidt and Whit Merrifield are in the playoffs with the Yankees and Braves respectively. In the WNBA, A'ja Wilson, Tyasha Harris, and Tiffany Mitchell are still alive although Mitchell and Harris are injured/sick.

On the gridiron it was a big week for some Gamecock alum. Chris Lammons and Xavier Legette played the best games of their careers. Rico Dowdle hit pay-dirt and several other Gamecocks had strong games across the league.

Stats and highlights in a loaded edition of Professional Gamecocks are below.

Jonah Bride (INF) Miami Marlins - Jonah capped off the best year of his career this season in Miami, hitting .276 with 11 home runs and 39 RBIs. Bride also finished with career highs in slugging .818 and OBP .357

Whit Merrifield (any position outside of pitcher and catcher) Atlanta Braves – Merrifield saw his playing decrease upon the return of Ozzie Albies. Overall, it was down season for Merrifield with both Philadelphia and Atlanta. He hit .222 with four homers and 15 RBIs. He did steal 17 bases. The Braves secured a Wild Card for the playoffs, Merrfield's versatility and speed should land him a spot on the roster. The Braves take on San Diego in the first round.

Jordan Montgomery (LHP) Arizona Diamondbacks – Jordan had a rough season. He went 8-7 with an ERA of 6.23. In 117 IP he struck out 83 and walked 44, also allowing 149 hits.

Carmen Mlodzinski (RHP) Pittsburgh Pirates – Mlodzinski was injured for large chunks of the season. he struggled early but pitched well in the second half the season. He finished the year 5-5 with 3.38 ERA in 40 appearances. In 50.2 IP he struck out 46 and walked only 19, also allowing only 41 hits.

Clarke Schmidt (RHP) New York Yankees – Schmidt was also injured for about half of the season. He made 16 starts and went 5-5 with a 2.85 ERA. In 85.1 IP he struck out 93 and walked 30 with 71 hits allowed. Clarke had a career best 2.0 WAR. The Yankees are the top seed in the AL Playoffs and will play the winner of the Royals/Orioles series in round two.

Christian Walker (1B) Arizona Diamondbacks – Walker missed a solid month of the second half of the season so his overall numbers are down this year. He hit .251 with 26 homers and 84 RBIs in 130 games. Walker slugged .468 and had an OBS of .335. Walker is a free agent this offseason at 33 years old.

Miami Dolphins- Cam Smith (DB): Smith is beginning his second NFL season on the IR with a hamstring injury.

New England Patriots- Marcellas Dial (DB): Dial played 23 snaps on special teams in the Patriots loss to the 49ers. He did not record a stat and has one tackle on the season.

Kevin Harris (RB): Harris is on the Patriots practice squad. This is his third season in the NFL.

New York Jets- Javon Kinlaw (DL): Javon had one tackle in the Jets loss to Denver. Kinlaw has eight tackles and a sack on the season.

Buffalo Bills- Ahmarean Brown (WR): Brown was signed to the Bills practice squad last week. This is his rookie season in the NFL.

Pittsburgh Steelers- Darius Rush (DB): Rush was inactive for the Steelers' Week 4 loss to the Colts.

Tennessee Titans- Ernest Jones (LB): Jones recorded five tackles with coming for a loss in the Titans MNF win over the Dolphins. Ernest has 29 total tackles and a defended pass on the season.

Indianapolis Colts- Chris Lammons (DB): Lammons had the best game of his NFL career with five tackles, a sack and a recovered fumble that he forced. Chris has eight total tackles on the season with a sack and a forced and recovered fumble a piece.

Los Angeles Chargers- Hayden Hurst (TE): Hurst had one catches for six yards on three targets. Hayden has six catches for 59 yards on the season.

Denver Broncos- Nate Adkins (TE): Adkins had one catch for a no gain on one target. The Broncos only had 60 passing yards yet still somehow won. He has one tackle and one catch for six yards on the season.

Nick Gargiulo (OL): Gargiulo is on the Broncos practice squad. This is his rookie season.

New York Giants- Dante Miller (RB): Dante is on the Giants' practice squad. This is the first season he has made an NFL roster.

Dallas Cowboys- Rico Dowdle (RB): Dowdle had one catch for 15 yards with a touchdown and 11 rushes for 46 yards in the Cowboys TNF win over the Giants. Rico has nine catches for 74 yards and a touchdown and 134 rushing yards this season.

Jalen Brooks (WR): Brooks played eight offensive snaps and 15 on special teams. Jalen has three catches for 52 yards on the season.

Israel Mukuamu (DB): Israel played two snaps on defense and 17 on special teams. He recorded a tackle on kickoff coverage his first tackle on the season.

Chicago Bears- Zacch Pickens (DL): Pickens was inactive for the Bears Week 4 win over the Rams.

Green Bay Packers- Keisean Nixon (DB/RS): Nixon had seven tackles, a sack and forced a fumble in the Packers loss to Minnesota. He also returned a punt for one yard. This season he has 19 total tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a pass defended.

Kingsley Enagbare (DL): Kingsley played 23 snaps on defense and 12 on special teams without recording a stat. Enagbare has five tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble on the season.

Minnesota Vikings- Stephon Gilmore (CB): Gilmore had one defended pass. He has 14 tackles and a defended pass on the season.

Nick Muse (TE): Muse is currently on the IR with a hand injury.

Carolina Panthers- Jadeveon Clowney (DL/LB): Clowney played 42 snaps on defense without recording a stat in the Panther loss to the Bengals. He has nine tackles on the season with a sack.

D.J. Wonnum (DL): D.J. is currently on the Reserve/PUP list. This is his fifth year in the NFL. He will miss at least the first four games with an injured quad.

Jaycee Horn (DB): Jaycee had eight tackles with one for a loss and a defended pass. Horn has 17 tackles, three defended passes, and an interception on the season.

Xavier Legette (WR): Legette got his first NFL touchdown on six catches for 66 yards and a touchdown. He has 12 catches for 143 yards on the season with a touchdown.

Atlanta Falcons- Jovaughn Gwyn (OL): Gwyn was inactive for the Falcons Week 4 win over the Saints.

New Orleans Saints- Adam Prentice (FB): Adam played 24 offensive snaps and 15 on special teams with one tackle. He has one tackle on the season.

Spencer Rattler (QB): Spencer served as the emergency third QB. This is his rookie season.

San Francisco 49ers: Deebo Samuel (WR): Deebo returned to action with two carries for 14 yards and three catches on five targets for 58 yards. He has 16 catches for 222 on the season and 12 carries for 27 yards and a touchdown.

The first round of the WNBA Playoffs are in the book and the second round has already begun. Aliyah Boston, Victaria Saxton and the Indiana Fever saw their season come to an end against the Connecticut Sun. Mikiah Herbert Harrigan and Phoenix were eliminated by Minnesota, and Laeticia Amihere and Allisha Gray's Atlanta Dream were swept by the NY Liberty. The Las Vegas Aces and Connecticut Sun are the only two teams with Gamecocks remaining.

The Aces currently trail the top seed Liberty 1-0 but the Sun won Game 1 over the Lynx. This round of the playoffs are best 3-of-5 series. Here are the Gamecocks' stats from the playoff thus far:

Atlanta Dream: Laeticia Amihere played only in Game One but she played well with eight points, five boards, and a block in 10 minutes of action.

Allisha Gray 37 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the two games.

Indiana Fever: Aliyah Boston although the Fever lost, Boston's playoff debut was a success. She scored 33 points with 30 rebounds and six assists and four blocks in the two losses.

Victaria Saxton played two minutes in Game One and scored two points hitting her only field goal attempt.

Phoenix Mercury: Mikiah Herbert Harrigan played three minutes combined in the two losses and didn't have any stats or attempt a shot.

Players Still Playing:

Connecticut Sun: Tyasha Harris twister her ankle four minutes into Game One of the opening series with over Indiana. She has not returned to action since. Her only stat in the four minutes was one committed foul.

Tiffany Mitchell has not played since July 16 due an undisclosed illness.

Las Vegas Aces: A’ja Wilson was dominant in Round One scoring 45 points with 21 rebounds, four assists, and seven blocks in the two Aces wins. She was a little quieter, for her, in the loss to the Liberty with 21 points, six boards, five assists, and two blocks.

Game two of both series are tonight beginning at 7:30 on ESPN2. The Aces/Liberty lead the night off and are followed by the Lynx/Sun.