This week, College Football Network released its updated 2025 NFL Draft projections . South Carolina football was well-represented.
According to CFN, four Gamecocks could come off the board in the draft’s first 55 overall picks. All four players–Nick Emmanwori, TJ Sanders, Demetrius Knight, and Kyle Kennard–were part of USC’s standout defense in 2024.
First off the board in the CFN mock was safety Nick Emmanwori. In this projection, the All-American safety is headed to the Buffalo Bills with pick No. 30. The Bills are a winning team but struggled mightily against the pass this fall. In a separate piece breaking down the mock draft , Will Helms wrote that Emmanwori’s improvements in coverage would fit the team’s needs perfectly: “While [Emmanwori]’s always been a thumper in the back, unafraid of coming downhill to stop the run, he showcased elite ball skills in 2024.” If taken in the first round, Emmanwori will be the second Gamecock safety ever taken that high, joining versatile defensive back and fellow All-American Rick Sanford.
Then, at No. 43, College Football Network has defensive lineman TJ Sanders going to the San Francisco 49ers. The talented 49ers had a down year in 2024, but with a few tweaks (like improvement on the interior of the defensive line), the ‘9ers could be “back” in 2025. Helms believes the versatile Sanders “could become a better pro than college player.” That is big praise considering he was an All-SEC contributor for the Gamecocks. Sanders has earned draft grades as high as the first round but seems most likely to go in the second.
Linebacker Demetrius Knight is the third Gamecock in CFN’s mock draft. Slotting in at No. 46 to the Atlanta Falcons, Knight represents an elite blend of size and speed at linebacker. The Falcons need lots of help on defense, so picking the Gamecock defender makes sense. Helms argues that the higher-than-consensus projection for Knight could become more realistic after Knight competes at the NFL Combine. His recent draft stock has ranged anywhere from the second round to the sixth but is trending upward.
The final South Carolina football product in CFN’s three-round mock draft is EDGE Kyle Kennard at No. 55 to the Green Bay Packers. The Packers employ versatile pass rushers (like former Gamecock Kingsley “JJ” Enagbare) as combo stand-up EDGE players and hand-in-the-dirt defensive ends. Kennard can do both, as well. Following a Bronko Nagurski Trophy-winning season, Kennard has earned NFL Draft grades ranging from the first round to the fourth. However, most projections peg him as a second or third-rounder.
Several other South Carolina standouts should hear their names called in the 2025 NFL Draft. Because of that, the Gamecocks have a solid shot at breaking their all-time record for most players selected in one draft. Back in both 2009 and 2013, USC saw seven players taken.
