Defensive Pre-Season Camp Freshmen Standouts

The Gamecocks have entered game week as Carolina prepares for East Carolina out of Conference USA. Let’s take a look at some freshmen standouts of pre-season camp out on the Proving Grounds. The Gamecocks welcomed one of the most athletic and decorated recruiting classes to USC under the Steve Spurrier era. Names like Clowney, Dukes, Quarles and Shell were all players to get excited about in this class especially on defense. Now while Clowney has not disappointed there are some names from the 2011 recruiting class that have turned some heads which non-recruit-niks (unlike me) would not recognize. Here are some freshmen defensive playmakers in Gamecocks camp:
1) Defensive End Jadeveon Clowney (Rock Hill, SC): Would I be credible at all if I did not list Clowney first??? Clowney so far has lived up to the hype as the nation’s #1 recruit. Per observations at practice Clowney has the most explosive first step of any DL at Carolina. Sometimes his first step is almost too explosive as he has been guilty of jumping off sides at times. Clowney’s instinctive pass rushing prowess is off the charts! At times he has been so disruptive during pass skeleton drills that Spurrier has stated the coaches need to tell him to “slow down”. Clowney’s athleticism is off the charts. He must continue to mature and learn the tendencies of college football but per the coaches he is very coachable and a well-grounded young man.

2) Linebacker Cedric Cooper (Lithonia, GA): Cooper really captured the attention of Ellis Johnson early in camp with his speed and physicality. In years past Cooper would definitely be in the two-deep rotation but fortunately USC is stock piling talent and is afforded the luxury to redshirt players like Cooper. Cooper is very instinctive at the MLB position with great lateral quickness and really covers a lot of ground. Nice get by Lorenzo Ward late in the 2011 Signing class.

3) Free Safety Brison Williams (Warner Robbins, GA): Williams was actually a member of the 2010 Signing class but fell short academically and had to enroll at Fork Union Prep School for a year. He enrolled at USC in January 2011 and immediately began to exhibit the athleticism the Carolina coaches saw him display down in South Georgia in high school. Williams was physically ready to play this year and really providing starting Free Safety Jimmy Legree some quality competition back in the Secondary. Unfortunately Williams suffered a broken arm during the second scrimmage is out for a 6-8 week period. I have seen conflicting reports whether Williams will redshirt or play in 2011 after he recovers from his injury.

4) Cornerback Ahmad Christian (Jacksonville, FL): Christian is an interesting prospect. He was a 46th round draft choice of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2011 MLB Draft, but he really wanted to play college football. Christian was one of the final three commitments (Cooper and Clowney rounded out the class) to cast his lot with Carolina. Many casual recruiting fans might have written Christian off as an afterthought with all the Clowney hype, but Christian has come into fall camp and really turned heads. His fearless attitude in the one-on-one drills where he has defended some of the better Gamecocks’ WR’s like Alshon Jeffery or Ace Sanders and the freshman has held his own in those one-on-one battles. Christian has good speed, demonstrates excellent hips to play Cornerback and plays with a physical presence at the CB position.

Next blog I will focus on the undervalued contributors on offense & defense that will be a key to USC’s successful 2011 football season.