Phil Steele puts three South Carolina standouts on preseason All-SEC squad, one on All-American team
In the college football world, July is the height of preseason projections and “list season.” Every offseason, one of the most anticipated projections comes from long-time college football analyst Phil Steele. In his 2025 preseason guide, Steele released his preseason picks for the All-SEC and All-American teams. South Carolina is represented on both lists.
According to Steele, the Gamecocks will have three All-SEC players in 2025 and one All-American. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers, EDGE Dylan Stewart, and defensive back Jalon Kilgore cracked his preseason All-SEC list, but only one made his preseason All-American team. Stewart made the team as a first-team defensive lineman, Kilgore was listed as a second-team corner, and Sellers was a third-teamer. Stewart also earned a spot on Steele’s preseason All-American squad as a second-team selection.
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Sellers is one of a handful of SEC quarterbacks who have garnered significant preseason hype. He has been a virtual lock on All-SEC projections and has made a few preseason All-American teams. Most Heisman Trophy betting odds have included Sellers in the top 10 nationally. The redshirt sophomore is a trendy pick as a first-round talent for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Kilgore, listed as a corner on Steele’s list, will start the 2025 campaign at nickel. He also could see reps at safety and will cover certain receivers in man-to-man situations. As a rising junior, Kilgore is draft-eligible and has earned some early-round predictions for the 2026 NFL Draft.
The most consistently-hyped player on the 2025 South Carolina football team, Stewart was a no-brainer for Steele’s teams. With at least two years before he can go pro, the former five-star prospect is an early candidate for the first pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
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Also in his 2025 preview, Steele picked South Carolina to finish tied for 10th (with Auburn) in the SEC. That ranking reflects his belief that the Gamecocks own the fourth-hardest schedule in college football this fall. Steele seems to believe that Carolina will have a tough time following a 9-3 regular season with another College Football Playoff-contending effort.
Last year, Steele predicted the Gamecocks would finish tied for 11th with Kentucky and Auburn. That proved to be considerably lower than the team’s tied-for-fourth finish in reality. Steele did, however, have at least one predictive model that correctly predicted a 9-3 season in 2024.
Shane Beamer’s Gamecocks will open the 2025 campaign with a neutral-site contest against the Virginia Tech Hokies. USC and VT will play in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, August 31st. ESPN will broadcast the non-conference matchup, while the ESPN app will make it available for streaming.
