South Carolina Players Stepping Up in Key Defensive Position Battles

Entering the offseason, the South Carolina Gamecocks had to find a way to replace several key starters on defense. While some spots may take the by committee approach, o thers are beginning to see guys step up in their respective rooms.

The interior defensive line room, for example, lost a lot of talent in the offseason with TJ Sanders, Alex Huntley, and Tonka Hemingway all headed to the NFL. South Carolina chose to replace those guys with transfers and guys who were depth pieces last year in Columbia. As we get closer to kickoff of week one, there are three guys fans should keep an eye on along the middle of the defensive line.

"Obviously all of them because we lost everybody, so that's not a surprise," South Carolina defensive coordinator Clayton White said. "I think guys like Monkell Goodwine has really stepped up his game and just day-to-day and consistency. Same thing with Dindy [Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy]. I love his power and his strength. He's one of our best guys in the weight room. He started to bring that stuff to the field. Then you have the old school guy Nick Barrett. Doing a great job making plays."

Another key positional battle comes in the safety room. Former Gamecock Nick Emmanwori left a large void after being selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. DQ Smith continues to man one of the safety spots, but the second position is up for grabs. Currently it appears to be a two man battle between redshirt junior Peyton Williams and sophomore David Bucey. White says both guys bring something to the table.

"It's going very well. They all bring something different to the table. I think they're doing a really good job of just competing and helping each other. They understand the best guy goes out there who gives us the best chance to win.