The Athletic's Recent Mock Praises Two Gamecock Defenders

A pair of South Carolina defenders were taken in a recent mock draft by The Athletic draft analyst Dane Brugler.

The Athletic draft analyst Dane Brugler has made waves in the industry for quite some time. He typically is ahead of the curve when it comes to prospects, as Brugler begins film study during the college football season.

He recently released a mock draft, going through potential fits for each respective team during the midseason point of the NFL. The draft order is beginning to come into picture after the trade deadline passed a few weeks ago.

Furthermore, the college football regular season has concluded. While schools still must play bowl games and finish out the year, most teams have already seen what they need from prospects.

They now move on to the evaluation stage, pouring over the tape and waiting for athletic testing during the spring. Several South Carolina Gamecocks could leap to the professional ranks this offseason, and Brugler holds two particular ones in high esteem.

Corner Cam Smith has been the talk of Columbia for about a month. Talent evaluators come away raving after seeing him in person, as he has the makings of a potential high-level corner.

Brugler slated Smith at No. 19 to the Tampa Bay Buccanneers, the 2020 Super Bowl Champions. With several members of their secondary potentially parting in free agency, Brugler sees a fit here.

"Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean are both free agents after this season, making cornerback a potential need for Tampa Bay. With his light feet, length and physicality, Cam Smith is similar in several ways to his former teammate, Jaycee Horn. Though his route anticipation and early contact must improve, Smith's play personality and skill set fit what the Buccaneers target at the position."

Most expect to see Smith's name at the top of draft boards. It has been that way since the spring when the first-round buzz began to pick up steam, and hasn't changed since.

However, other Gamecocks don't generally accompany him in these mock drafts. Brugler went through an expansive exercise where he mocked four second-round picks and one third-round pick.

Defensive tackle Zacch Pickens was his lone third-rounder heading to the San Francisco 49ers. The team let several interior defensive linemen walk in free agency, meaning they have needs along their front.

Pickens has the physical attributes and personality that could lend to professional success. Brugler explained that he's worth taking a shot on during day two, which was his thinking with the selection.

"The 49ers dealt their original third-round pick to the Panthers in the Christian McCaffery trade, but they are projected to receive a pair of third-round compensatory picks. Zacch Pickens looks the part (6-4, 305, 34-inch arms) and plays with the body control and power to line up at different positions on the Niners' defensive front."

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