South Carolina alums make first round NFL Draft mock
South Carolina football’s all-time record for NFL Draft selections in a single year is seven. 2009 and 2013 are tied as the Gamecocks saw seven players selected following each of those seasons. The 2025 NFL Draft class from Columbia could rival those years.
Shane Beamer’s program will be represented well in April’s draft as double-digit players from South Carolina are expected to be drafted or signed to undrafted free agent contracts following the end of round seven.
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This week, two Gamecocks cracked CBS Sports’ most recent first round NFL Draft mocks.
First, Chris Trapasso included defensive lineman TJ Sanders as the No. 31 pick in his mock draft. According to Trapasso, the Kansas City Chiefs will select the All-SEC performer with the penultimate pick of the opening round. The Chiefs utilize both a 4-3 and a 3-4, and the former Gamecocks’ versatility could be a draw for the franchise. Though he spent most of his career as a defensive tackle, Sanders played some end in USC’s 3-3-5 look, too.
Fellow CBS analyst Josh Edwards doesn’t put Sanders in his first round mock, but he does predict Nick Emmanwori as the No. 18 pick of the Seattle Seahawks. The All-American safety is a trendy riser in recent projections, and that should continue after the NFL Draft Combine. The Seahawks are among the teams who need help on the back end of their defense, so taking a well-rounded, athletic freak of a safety makes a lot of sense for Seattle.
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Both Sanders and Emmanwori forewent a final year of collegiate eligibility to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft. The NFL officially granted the two Gamecock greats their underclassmen special eligibility on Thursday.
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All-American EDGE and Bronko Nagursky Trophy winner Kyle Kennard has garnered a little buzz for the first round, too. However, most projections have Kennard off the board in the second or third rounds. A long list of other Gamecocks will be hoping to hear their names called later in the proceedings.
The 2025 NFL Draft will begin Thursday, April 24th. The three-day event will include its first round on Thursday, the second and third rounds on Friday, and fourth through seventh rounds on Saturday. ABC, the ESPN family of networks, and NFL Network will broadcast the draft.
