South Carolina has two of the top receivers in the country, this publication says
July 05, 2018
The 2015 football season now seems a long time ago for South Carolina.
That was when the Gamecocks had an All-SEC wide receiver in Pharoh Cooper, and a slew of walk-ons, players who didn't make an impact and a young future star who couldn't stay healthy. Life if a little different now.
Going into the 2018 season, USC boasts not one, but two of the 30 best wide receivers in the country according to Athlon Magazine. In a ranking of the 50 best, Deebo Samuel was rated the No. 4 receiver in the land, while Bryan Edwards came in 28th.
"A broken leg in mid-September ended Samuel’s 2017 season after three games," Athlon's Steve Lassen wrote. "However, he’s ready to reclaim his spot among the nation’s top playmakers at receiver in 2018. Prior to the injury, Samuel caught 15 passes for 250 yards and three scores. Those numbers were easily on pace to exceed his 2016 totals: 59 catches for 783 yards and a touchdown. In addition to his ability on offense, Samuel is one of the nation’s top kick returners."
The 2015 football season now seems a long time ago for South Carolina.
That was when the Gamecocks had an All-SEC wide receiver in Pharoh Cooper, and a slew of walk-ons, players who didn't make an impact and a young future star who couldn't stay healthy. Life if a little different now.
Going into the 2018 season, USC boasts not one, but two of the 30 best wide receivers in the country according to Athlon Magazine. In a ranking of the 50 best, Deebo Samuel was rated the No. 4 receiver in the land, while Bryan Edwards came in 28th.
"A broken leg in mid-September ended Samuel’s 2017 season after three games," Athlon's Steve Lassen wrote. "However, he’s ready to reclaim his spot among the nation’s top playmakers at receiver in 2018. Prior to the injury, Samuel caught 15 passes for 250 yards and three scores. Those numbers were easily on pace to exceed his 2016 totals: 59 catches for 783 yards and a touchdown. In addition to his ability on offense, Samuel is one of the nation’s top kick returners."
Samuel scored six total touchdowns in those three games, becoming an all-around big-play threat and looking like a Heisman contender.
In his stead, Edwards, who started as a true freshman in 2016, became USC's top target, and he in turn produced.
"The South Carolina native was already a proven target after a promising freshman campaign (44 catches for 590 yards) but took his game up a level last fall," Lassen wrote. "Over 13 games, Edwards caught 64 passes for 793 yards and five touchdowns."
Their rise has been part of a rebuilding process that's taken place under offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon and coach Will Muschamp. Edwards was the first of four blue chip recruits the current staff reeled in across three classes, along with OrTre Smith, Shi Smith and Josh Vann.
Samuel was a holdover from the Spurrier era, but finally got somewhat healthy (he played in 10 games) in Muschamp's first year.
USC returns every pass catcher from 2017 outside tight end and first-round draft pick Hayden Hurst, plus third-year starting quarterback Jake Bentley.
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South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Bryan Edwards (89), South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Deebo Samuel (1) and South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Shi Smith (13) during practice at Williams-Brice Stadium. Jaff Blake
July 05, 2018
The 2015 football season now seems a long time ago for South Carolina.
That was when the Gamecocks had an All-SEC wide receiver in Pharoh Cooper, and a slew of walk-ons, players who didn't make an impact and a young future star who couldn't stay healthy. Life if a little different now.
Going into the 2018 season, USC boasts not one, but two of the 30 best wide receivers in the country according to Athlon Magazine. In a ranking of the 50 best, Deebo Samuel was rated the No. 4 receiver in the land, while Bryan Edwards came in 28th.
"A broken leg in mid-September ended Samuel’s 2017 season after three games," Athlon's Steve Lassen wrote. "However, he’s ready to reclaim his spot among the nation’s top playmakers at receiver in 2018. Prior to the injury, Samuel caught 15 passes for 250 yards and three scores. Those numbers were easily on pace to exceed his 2016 totals: 59 catches for 783 yards and a touchdown. In addition to his ability on offense, Samuel is one of the nation’s top kick returners."
The 2015 football season now seems a long time ago for South Carolina.
That was when the Gamecocks had an All-SEC wide receiver in Pharoh Cooper, and a slew of walk-ons, players who didn't make an impact and a young future star who couldn't stay healthy. Life if a little different now.
Going into the 2018 season, USC boasts not one, but two of the 30 best wide receivers in the country according to Athlon Magazine. In a ranking of the 50 best, Deebo Samuel was rated the No. 4 receiver in the land, while Bryan Edwards came in 28th.
"A broken leg in mid-September ended Samuel’s 2017 season after three games," Athlon's Steve Lassen wrote. "However, he’s ready to reclaim his spot among the nation’s top playmakers at receiver in 2018. Prior to the injury, Samuel caught 15 passes for 250 yards and three scores. Those numbers were easily on pace to exceed his 2016 totals: 59 catches for 783 yards and a touchdown. In addition to his ability on offense, Samuel is one of the nation’s top kick returners."
Samuel scored six total touchdowns in those three games, becoming an all-around big-play threat and looking like a Heisman contender.
In his stead, Edwards, who started as a true freshman in 2016, became USC's top target, and he in turn produced.
"The South Carolina native was already a proven target after a promising freshman campaign (44 catches for 590 yards) but took his game up a level last fall," Lassen wrote. "Over 13 games, Edwards caught 64 passes for 793 yards and five touchdowns."
Their rise has been part of a rebuilding process that's taken place under offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon and coach Will Muschamp. Edwards was the first of four blue chip recruits the current staff reeled in across three classes, along with OrTre Smith, Shi Smith and Josh Vann.
Samuel was a holdover from the Spurrier era, but finally got somewhat healthy (he played in 10 games) in Muschamp's first year.
USC returns every pass catcher from 2017 outside tight end and first-round draft pick Hayden Hurst, plus third-year starting quarterback Jake Bentley.
South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Bryan Edwards (89), South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Deebo Samuel (1) and South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Shi Smith (13) during practice at Williams-Brice Stadium. Jaff Blake
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