What Does Drew Tuazama Bring To South Carolina's D-Line
With veteran edge rusher Jordan Strachan coming off a second ACL tear and a lack of proven experience behind him, the edge defender position has been one of the more significant question marks for South Carolina's football team this offseason. On Saturday night, Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks added a graduate transfer in UAB's Drew Tuazama, hopeful that he can help provide an extra boost to a group full of pieces that have, for one reason or another, yet to prove themselves at the SEC level. When looking at the career of the North Carolina native and some of his games from last season, what will Tuazama bring to the field for South Carolina?
Experience
There's an old saying in life that there's no substitute for experience, and while experience doesn't guarantee automatic success in football, it certainly doesn't hurt. Drew is going into his fifth season of college football, having played for two years at Syracuse before heading to East Mississippi Community College in 2021 and landing at UAB in 2022. Whether it's fighting to fit into a rotation at the Power 5 level or fighting to make it back to the FBS, Tuazama has been through it all, something that's invaluable for a slightly younger South Carolina squad.
Positional Versatility
Tuazama was part of a UAB defense that threw multiple fronts at their opponents, constantly changing the alignment of their defensive line. At times, Drew had a hand in the dirt shaded on the inside of the offensive tackle, and at other times, the grad transfer was standing straight up and lined up outside the offensive tackle. The new Gamecock edge defender can line up on either side of the formation in various stances at different spots, which should lessen his learning curve with Clayton White's defensive scheme.
High-End Potential In Rush Defense
As a player, what stands out the most when watching Tuazama is his strong power base when engaged with a blocker, as he rarely loses ground in a one-on-one situation in the trenches. Drew also does an excellent job of keeping his arms fully extended when engaged with a blocker, which helps him maintain separation.
Tuazama will need to improve this season by finding ways to consistently get off blockers at this level, as he has the athleticism to make an impact but won't just overpower offensive linemen in the SEC. If Drew can accomplish that goal, he can help this Gamecock defensive front this Fall.
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