Gamecocks in the NFL: Preseason recap
The 2024 NFL preseason concluded with a slate of three games on Sunday. Now, the league’s 32 teams will take a short break before first returning to action on Thursday, Sept. 5, when the Baltimore Ravens take on the Kansas City Chiefs to kick off the regular season campaign.
Over the last three weeks of preseason play, more than two dozen alumni of the South Carolina football program took the field for their respective teams. Here’s how they performed in preseason action.
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AFC East
Damiere Byrd – Wide receiver, Buffalo Bills
Byrd signed a one-year contract with the Bills on Aug. 12. He did not appear in the team’s second preseason game, which happened five days after his signing, but he did record one catch for 20 yards in the Bills’ preseason finale on Aug. 24 against the Carolina Panthers. Byrd was cut by Buffalo on Sunday.
Cam Smith – Cornerback, Miami Dolphins
Smith played in the Dolphins’ Week 2 matchup against the Washington Commanders, logging four total tackles (including three solo tackles) and one pass defended.
Kevin Harris – Running back, New England Patriots
Among former South Carolina football players this preseason, Harris is the most prolific touchdown scorer of the bunch. He accumulated 37 rushing yards on 12 attempts and 24 yards on two receptions, scoring once in the air and once on the ground.
Marcellas Dial – Cornerback, New England Patriots
Dial recorded statistics in two of the Patriots’ preseason contests. He totaled eight tackles, including seven solo tackles, in games against the Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles.
Javon Kinlaw – Defensive tackle, New York Jets
Kinlaw did not record any statistics during preseason action.
AFC North
Ahmarean Brown – Wide receiver, Cleveland Browns
Brown played as both a wide receiver and kick returner during the Browns’ 2024 season. As a wideout, he was targeted six times, making two catches for 26 yards. He also returned three kicks for 70 yards in a game against the Green Bay Packers on Aug. 10.
Darius Rush – Cornerback, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rush appeared in all three of the Steelers’ preseason games, making three total tackles and defending one pass.
AFC South
Chris Lammons – Defensive back, Indianapolis Colts
Lammons recorded four total tackles – two solo, and two assisted – across three preseason contests.
AFC West
Nate Adkins – Tight end, Denver Broncos
Adkins caught two passes for 20 yards in the Broncos’ preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals on Aug. 25. He scored a toucdown on one of those passes – a one-yard completion from Zach Wilson in the second quarter.
Nick Gargiulo – Guard, Denver Broncos
The number of snaps Gargiulo played during the preseason were not tracked. But he did make an appearance in the Broncos’ game against the Cardinals, per The Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel.
Hayden Hurst – Tight end, Los Angeles Chargers
Hurst was targeted just once in preseason play. That lone target, which came against the Seattle Seahawks on Aug. 10, did not result in a catch or any yardage.
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NFC East
Rico Dowdle – Running back, Dallas Cowboys
Dowdle only appeared in the Cowboys’ preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams on Aug. 11. He ran the ball three times, gaining 14 yards on those carries.
Israel Mukuamu – Safety, Dallas Cowboys
Mukuamu made an appearance in two contests – against the Las Vegas Raiders on Aug. 17 and the Chargers on Aug. 24 – and recorded a pass defended in each.
Jalen Brooks – Wide receiver, Dallas Cowboys
Brooks was targeted three times during the preseason and recorded a team-high 49 receiving yards against the Rams on Aug. 11.
Dante Miller – Running back, New York Giants
Miller accumulated 108 rushing yards across 26 attempts he registered in two preseason contests. In an Aug. 8 matchup against the Detroit Lions, he also caught two passes for seven yards.
Taylor Stallworth – Defensive tackle, Washington Commanders
Stallworth recorded one solo tackle against the Jets on Aug. 10.
NFC North
Kingsley Enagbare – Defensive end, Green Bay Packers
Enagbare made his lone preseason appearance against the Broncos on Aug. 18, logging one assisted tackle.
Keisean Nixon – Defensive back, Green Bay Packers
Nixon recorded three tackles (one solo and two assisted) against the Browns on Aug. 10.
Stephon Gilmore – Cornerback, Minnesota Vikings
Gilmore did not record any statistics during preseason action. But he did sign a one-year, $10 million deal (including $7 million guaranteed) with the Vikings on Aug. 18.
Nick Muse – Tight end, Minnesota Vikings
Muse was targeted and caught completed passes four times during the preseason, totaling 34 yards on those receptions.
Trey Knox – Tight end, Minnesota Vikings
Knox caught one pass for nine yards across two preseason games.
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NFC South
Jovaughn Gwyn – Guard, Atlanta Falcons
Gwyn played 159 total snaps along the Falcons’ offensive line during the 2024 preseason. 114 of those snaps came at left guard, and 45 came at center.
Zack Bailey – Guard, Atlanta Falcons
Bailey played primarily at right guard, totaling 56 snaps played at the position across the Falcons’ three preseason contests.
Jadeveon Clowney – Linebacker, Carolina Panthers
Clowney did not record any statistics during preseason action.
Jaycee Horn – Cornerback, Carolina Panthers
Horn did not record any statistics during preseason action.
Xavier Legette – Wide receiver, Carolina Panthers
Legette did not record any statistics outside of one target that did not result in a catch against the Bills on Aug. 24.
D.J. Wonnum – Linebacker, Carolina Panthers
Wonnum did not record any statistics during preseason action.
Spencer Rattler – Quarterback, New Orleans Saints
Rattler appeared in all three of the Saints’ preseason contests as he battled with Jake Haener for the team’s backup quarterback spot. Across all three games, he completed 20 of his 38 pass attempts (52.6%) for 202 yards and gained 26 rushing yards on seven attempts. Rattler led the Saints on a game-winning drive and scored a rushing touchdown during his preseason debut; on Aug. 25, he also recorded his first passing touchdown on a 21-yard completion to Equanimeous St. Brown.
Adam Prentice – Running back, New Orleans Saints
Prentice caught one pass for five yards in the Saints’ third preseason game against the Tennessee Titans.
NFC West
Ernest Jones – Linebacker, Los Angeles Rams
Jones did not record any statistics during preseason action.
Deebo Samuel – Wide receiver, San Francisco 49ers
Samuel appeared exclusively in the 49ers’ preseason finale against the Raiders. He was targeted three times and made two catches for 32 yards.
