Latest PFF mock draft has three Gamecocks in first three rounds
Several former South Carolina football players are now counting down the final days as they wait to hear their names called at the 2023 NFL Draft, which is April 27-29 in Kansas City this year.
Pro Football Focus shared its latest updated mock draft for the first three rounds and has three Gamecocks — Cam Smith, Darius Rush, and Zacch Pickens — being selected during that stretch.
While the exact teams are of course incredibly difficult to pinpoint, that range — top 100 — is the same that Gamecock Central has heard for all three during the lead-up to the draft.
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Below is what PFF had to say:
Cam Smith – Pittsburgh Steelers – No. 49 overall (2nd round)
Versatile and smart defensive backs are a Steelers defensive staple. Smith may not have ideal traits, but he can line up anywhere in a secondary.
Zacch Pickens – Indianapolis Colts – No. 79 overall (third round)
Darius Rush – Dallas Cowboys – No. 90 overall (third round)
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The Steelers, which PFF has selecting Smith, have an interesting tie to South Carolina in that their defensive backs coach is former South Carolina DBs coach Grady Brown, though his time in Columbia did not overlap with Smith’s.
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If Rush were to be selected by the Cowboys, he’d be reunited with a couple of his former South Carolina teammates in Israel Mukuaumu and Rico Dowdle and joining former Gamecock Stephon Gilmore, who was traded to Dallas in the offseason.
In non-Gamecock news, PFF’s latest mock featured a run of quarterbacks to start the draft with Ohio State’s CJ Stroud as the No. 1 pick, Alabama’s Bryce Young as the No. 2 pick, and Florida’s Anthony Richardson as the No. 4 pick.
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More on the 2023 NFL Draft
The 2023 NFL Draft is set to take place from Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. The event will be held at the plaza just outside of Union Station.
Round 1 of the NFL Draft is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 27. Rounds 2-3 will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Apr. 28, and Rounds 4-7 will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Apr. 29. The draft will be broadcasted throughout the weekend on both ESPN and NFL Network.
