Competition fierce in loaded South Carolina tight end room
Heading into the season, South Carolina will have a problem that many teams would love to have. They have a loaded tight end room with at least three guys that could start on any given day.
As preseason camp rolls on, it will be a competitive race to see who takes first-team reps. Despite it being a battle, each player still tries to make the others around them better.
“Everybody in there has helped me and helped each other get where we are now,” Nate Adkins said. “And coach (Jody) Wright’s a great coach as well. Everybody just kind of chimed in and helps each other, it brings out the best of each other.”
For Adkins, he comes from a smaller school unlike the other two tight ends with the Gamecocks. The two other top guys both played high-level football before: Jaheim Bell at South Carolina and Austin Stogner at Oklahoma.
Adkins played at the FCS level at East Tennessee State, an All-SoCon tight end. He’s a physical blocker who also hauled in 73 passes for 749 yards and four touchdowns over his career.
With one year of eligibility remaining, Adkins committed to South Carolina in late April. He joined his father, Greg, who’s going into his second season as the Gamecocks’ offensive line coach.
Since arriving, Adkins has said he’s open to doing anything the team asks of him.
“Whether it’s in line my hand on the ground or kind of weighing being able to motion across the formation and do all sorts of stuff. Just learn it all,” Adkins said. “And I think that’s the best way to be on the field as much as possible. It’s just learning it all and soak it all in and be knowledgeable in all aspects of the offense.”
As for Bell and Stogner, they each bring something different to the table.
After catching one pass in 2020, Bell had a nice season last year, snagging 30 passes for 497 yards and five touchdowns. He’s coming off one of the best outings of his career with 159 yards receiving and two touchdowns in the bowl game.
Because of his abilities, Bell plays similarly to how Deebo Samuel did when he was with the Gamecocks. It’s a role he’s looking forward to taking on this fall.
“That role is very huge to me. I take a lot of pride into that. So that goes just going through my playbook and all the plays that I have to know for that position,” Bell said. “As far as being compared to Deebo, I really don’t like that. I’m one-of-one. I’m myself. I don’t really wanna be compared to the next guy. I’m just myself.”
Like Bell, Stogner could find himself both as an in-line tight end and on the outside at receiver. While at Oklahoma, he caught 47 passes for 654 yards and eight touchdowns. Standing at 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, Stogner is happy to help the Gamecocks however he can this season.
“I just go up there and practice and do my job and they’ll put me in the right spot,” Stogner said.
Even though Bell and Stogner may not share the same play styles, they complement each other well.
“I might not be as savvy in the run game…but getting (Bell) the ball in the open field’s a really good thing but I can also go across the middle of the field and make plays there,” Stogner said.
When it comes down to it, Shane Beamer will have a tough decision to make at this position. However, Spencer Rattler believes each of the Gamecocks’ tight ends can be a great asset. He said he’s been impressed by their ability to “go up and get the ball.”
“I mean, that’s what you want in every tight end, their ability to run routes well,” Rattler said. “They’re all super physical, can run routes, and are all smart as well. I think we got one of the best tight end rooms in the country for sure.”
