Gamecocks Pro Day Participants Eager to Join the “South Carolina Panthers”

COLUMBIA, S.C. — “You said South Carolina Panthers,” linebacker Debo Williams quickly corrected, making it clear his comment was more of a correction than a question.

It’s not far off, though. As NFL teams prepare for next month’s draft, they’re traveling to various pro days across the country, and the ties between South Carolina and NFL clubs are becoming more evident. Columbia has consistently been a resource for the Carolina Panthers, who currently have five former Gamecocks on their roster: Jaycee Horn, Xavier Legette, D.J. Wonnum, Jadeveon Clowney, and newly signed free agent Rico Dowdle.

The Gamecocks are certainly aware of how well represented they are on the Panthers roster.

“Got them all on social media and stuff like that, I congratulated Jaycee Horn for his great addition and what he was able to do,” Williams said. “So we’ll keep it rolling. Hopefully they still like us and are able to draft us and bring us on.”

On Tuesday, Williams and linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. were put through drills by Panthers linebackers coach Pete Hansen and assistant linebackers coach Mayur Chaudhari.

“Definitely took away some things that you can add to your game,” Knight said. “Like always finishing, which is second nature, but being able to keep your feet as a linebacker, things don’t always go right in a play, but get up, keep going.”

The Panthers weren’t the only ones paying attention at South Carolina’s pro day. The talent-rich SEC environment drew many teams, but the focus was particularly on Nick Emmanwori, the safety who turned heads at the NFL Combine. His eye-popping 4.38-second 40-yard dash, 43-inch vertical, and 11-6 broad jump made him one of the standout players in Indianapolis, and he didn’t rest on his impressive combine performance during pro day. Emmanwori participated in every position drill, even repeating them to perfect his technique.

“That’s just a dawg mentality. That’s just what’s in me. Like, messed up, come back, do it again, make it right,” Emmanwori said. “That’s just the type of guy I am, come back, get to work.”

A possible first-round pick, Emmanwori is aware of Carolina’s history with Gamecocks players and the Panthers’ current draft position at No. 8 overall. With nine picks to work with, Emmanwori is hopeful his connection with the team will lead to an opportunity in Charlotte.

“The Panthers, man, they got a huge impact on us down here,” Emmanwori said. “Just got Rico (Dowdle), so they’re building a Gamecock squad up there, so hopefully they come pick me up too.”

Alongside Emmanwori, there were several other intriguing prospects on display at pro day, including defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway. The younger brother of former Chiefs wide receiver Junior Hemingway, Tonka took his sibling’s advice to just be himself throughout the day.

“I really, I feel like I did really good from my head up, you know, meeting-wise, and then also showed my athletic ability so that I can play at this level,” Tonka shared.

Demetrius Knight, who previously spent time with the 49ers in Charlotte, was another standout after a solid season with 82 tackles and 2 sacks. For the sixth-year senior, pro day was simply another step forward in his journey.

“Never being content with myself,” Knight said of his mindset. “I had a day to get better from. I did things today that I can learn from, and then, you know, you get better. Days like today, we’re going to stack on that. We’re going to continue to stack this day Pro Day until we get drafted and then on this to the NFL.”

With pro days winding down, teams will soon shift their focus to final team visits and interviews. While there is still much to be decided, the South Carolina prospects walking off the field Tuesday afternoon couldn’t help but feel the hope of adding their names to the growing list of Gamecocks in Charlotte — and maybe becoming a part of the “South Carolina Panthers.”