Gamecocks in the NFL: Week 1 recap

The 2024 NFL season is officially under way, as all 32 of the league’s teams played their first regular season games of the year between Thursday and Monday.

More than two dozen former South Carolina football players are currently on an active 53-man roster, and a significant number of those players made their 2024 debuts. Here’s how they performed during the first week of regular season action.

[Win two tickets to the South Carolina-LSU football game]

AFC East

Cam Smith – Cornerback, Miami Dolphins
Smith did not record any statistics or play any snaps in the Dolphins’ Week 1 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Kevin Harris – Running back, New England Patriots
Smith did not record any statistics or play any snaps during Week 1.

Marcellas Dial – Cornerback, New England Patriots
Dial made most of his contributions in the Patriots’ season opener on special teams. He played 18 snaps on special teams, according to Pro Football Focus.

Javon Kinlaw – Defensive tackle, New York Jets
Kinlaw made three tackles, including two solo stops, in his first game with the New York Jets. The Jets happened to be playing against his former team, the San Francisco 49ers, who won the contest 32-19 on Monday night.

AFC North

Darius Rush – Cornerback, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rush did not record any statistics in the Patriots’ season opener against the Atlanta Falcons. But he did play seven snaps on special teams, including three on punt coverage and four on punt returns, according to PFF.

AFC South

Chris Lammons – Defensive back, Indianapolis Colts
Lammons played 22 snaps on special teams in the Colts’ Week 1 matchup against the Houston Texans, according to PFF.

Ernest Jones – Linebacker, Tennessee Titans
After spending the first three years of his NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams, Jones was part of a trade package the team sent to the Titans in exchange for a 2026 fifth-round pick on Aug. 27. Jones logged three tackles and defended one pass in the Titans’ season opener against Chicago Bears.

AFC West

Nate Adkins – Tight end, Denver Broncos
Adkins did not receive any targets but played 14 offensive snaps in the Broncos’ Week 1 contest against the Seattle Seahawks. He also played 25 snaps on special teams, according to PFF.

Nick Gargiulo – Guard, Denver Broncos
Gargiulo did not record any statistics or play any snaps in the Broncos’ season opener.

Hayden Hurst – Tight end, Los Angeles Chargers
Hurst was targeted three times and caught two passes for 33 yards in the Chargers’ season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders. One of those passes went for a 27-yard gain.

NFC East

Rico Dowdle – Running back, Dallas Cowboys
Dowdle operated in tandem with fellow running back Ezekiel Elliott in the Cowboys’ Week 1 game against the Cleveland Browns. He ran the ball eight times, two fewer than Elliott, and gained 26 yards on those carries. Dowdle also caught one pass for six yards.

Israel Mukuamu – Safety, Dallas Cowboys
Mukuamu did not record any statistics in his first appearance of the 2024 season. He did, however, play 16 snaps on defense and an additional 21 on special teams, according to PFF.

Jalen Brooks – Wide receiver, Dallas Cowboys
Brooks was targeted just once in the Cowboys’ season opener. That target led to a completed pass and a gain of 18 yards.

Dante Miller – Running back, New York Giants
Miller did not record any statistics or play any snaps in the Giants’ season opener against the Minnesota Vikings.

NFC North

Zacch Pickens – Defensive tackle, Chicago Bears
Pickens was listed as inactive heading into the Bears’ season opener against the Titans. He is currently suffering from a groin injury, according to the Bears’ injury report. Pickens was limited in the team’s practices on both Wednesday and Thursday and did not practice on Friday.

Kingsley Enagbare – Defensive end, Green Bay Packers
Enagbare did not record any statistics in the Packers’ season opener against the Eagles in Sao Paulo. But he did play 30 snaps on defense and an additional 17 on special teams, according to PFF.

Keisean Nixon – Defensive back, Green Bay Packers
Nixon was one of the Packers’ standout performers in the team’s Week 1 contest, finishing third on the team with seven tackles. He also recorded one sack and defended one pass.

Stephon Gilmore – Cornerback, Minnesota Vikings
Gilmore made four tackles, including three solo stops, in the Vikings’ Week 1 game against the Giants. The game was Gilmore’s first for the team after signing a one-year, $10 million deal (including $7 million guaranteed) during the offseason.

Nick Muse – Tight end, Minnesota Vikings
According to PFF, Muse played two offensive snaps – operating exclusively as a run blocker – in the Vikings’ season opener. He also played an additional seven snaps on special teams.

NFC South

Jovaughn Gwyn – Guard, Atlanta Falcons
Gwyn did not record any statistics or play any snaps in the Falcons’ season opener against the Steelers.

Jadeveon Clowney – Linebacker, Carolina Panthers
Clowney made one tackle in what was his Panthers debut and the team’s season opener against the New Orleans Saints.

Jaycee Horn – Cornerback, Carolina Panthers
Horn recorded one solo tackle in the Panthers’ Week 1 game.

Xavier Legette – Wide receiver, Carolina Panthers
Legette logged 35 receiving yards on four receptions in his NFL debut.

D.J. Wonnum – Linebacker, Carolina Panthers
Gwyn did not record any statistics or play any snaps in the Panthers’ season opener.

Spencer Rattler – Quarterback, New Orleans Saints
Rattler did not make an appearance in the Saints’ Week 1 contest against the Panthers.

Adam Prentice – Running back, New Orleans Saints
Prentice did not record any statistics in the Saints’ season opener against the Panthers. But he did play 24 snaps on offense and an additional five on special teams, according to PFF.

NFC West

Deebo Samuel Sr. – Wide receiver, San Francisco 49ers
Samuel Sr. put up the best performance of any former Gamecock during Week 1, as he helped the 49ers pick up an early-season win over the Jets. He logged five receptions for 54 yards, including one completion that went for a 25-yard gain. Samuel Sr. also totaled 23 yards on eight rushing attempts, one of which was scored for a touchdown.

Discuss South Carolina football on The Insiders Forum!