Three South Carolina Players to Watch This Week Against Ole Miss
Honestly and objectively, South Carolina is not a very good football team. There's a reason Ole Miss is a double digit favorite at home for this weekend's game.
However, there are some pro talents on the Gamecock roster that will be work keeping their eyes on going into Saturday. Here's three of those players who's matchups could help determine the outcome of Ole Miss vs. South Carolina.
1. Jaycee Horn, Jr. Cornerback No. 1
CBSSports, Pro Football Network and USA Today all released a new 2021 NFL Mock Draft within the past three days. All three had Horn as a first round pick, going as high as No. 17 overall. According to Pro Football Focus, Horn came into this season having played 1,426 snaps with opponents targeting his receiver 100 times for only 57 completions and two touchdowns.
So far this year, only 18-percent of balls thrown in Horn's direction on third down have gone for completions, an honestly absurd number. Typically, Horn plays on a team's best X or Y receiver. Whether he will venture into the slot to defend Elijah Moore this week will be a fascinating matchup to watch.
2. Shi Smith, Sr. Wide Receiver No. 13
Coming into his senior season, Smith ranked No. 12 all time in South Carolina's all-time receptions standings, despite playing behind Deebo Samuel and Bryan Edwards most of his career. At only 5-foot-10, Smith has been the team's top target this season. He's recorded 43 catches for 479 yards and three scores, ranking him behind only Elijah Moore and Alabama's DeVonta Smith in receptions.
Smith is also also a dynamic special teams return man and was my pick for offensive all-purpose player on our Sports Illustrated Preseason All-SEC teams.
3. Kingsley Enagbare, Jr. Defensive Lineman No. 52
Enagbare had made just one career start prior to the 2020 season. Now, the junior is the Gamecocks' top disruptive force on the defensive line. Coming off the edge, he leads the team in both sacks (4.0) and tackles for loss (5.0) on the season. He's not a player that's going to rack up gaudy tackle numbers on the defensive line, but he's a disruptor that seems to always be in the backfield and is the defense's top threat to make a big play around the quarterback.
Honorable Mention: RB Kevin Harris
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