I have taken some time to break down the film on all of the signees of the Gamecocks 2018 class. This first part will be on the Offense. Offensively, there are some real studs who can and probably will, contribute Day 1. This class as a whole rest on the shoulders of 1 player. You never really want that, but this is a special kid who wants the challenge of being the one everybody is looking at. So without further ado, here is the breakdown of the 2018 class of signees on the Offensive side of the ball.
BLUE CHIP PROSPECTS:
Josh Vann – WR – 5’11 180lbs - Tucker, Georgia
Rivals Rating – 5.9, 4 Star
BDF’s Take on Vann: Explosive, home run hitter who is a flat-out stud. Vann is a game breaking playmaker from anywhere on the field and is a legit threat with the ball in his hands. Although Vann is only 5’11, he is a serious Red Zone threat because has really long arms and huge hands which helps him high point a ball. Vann is also dynamic as a Punt Returner, as well. Will Muschamp and Bryan McClendon landed a tremendous talent in Josh Vann. I expect Josh Vann to be a day 1 impact player. His freshman season could be like what we seen from Shi Smith during his freshman campaign. But Vann could be utilized even more with a more creative playcaller at the helm.
BDF’s Career Expectations for Vann: Multi-year starter who could push to break school WR records if he stays healthy. NFL potential. All-SEC Potential.
Deshaun Fenwick – RB – 6’2 210lbs – Bradenton, Florida
Rivals Rating – 5.7, 3 Star
BDF’s Take on Fenwick – This is a player that Rivals (and every other recruiting service) has completely whiffed on. Fenwick is an absolute beast and a kid that immediately makes the RB room better. The fact he is an EE (Early Enrollee) is not only huge for him, but huge for the team. Fenwick is a big, bruising RB who has an upright running style with great vision, agility, and has good speed. For being a big back, Fenwick has an explosive arsenal of moves he uses to consistently get chunk yardage. He has a great hurdle, jump cut, stiff arm, spin move, and has a unique ability to make himself small when running through holes. Fenwick has great hands out of the backfield and his HS would even split him out as a WR to cause mismatches. Fenwick is one of my favorite players in this entire class. Behind the scenes, this is a player our staff was very nervous about losing and extremely relieved when he signed. Florida, FSU, and Georgia all had a full court press on Fenwick to try and flip him. I’ve been told that the staff had Fenwick graded as the 2nd best RB in the entire 2018 class behind 5-star Zamir White. I can’t reiterate this enough; Gamecock fans are very fortunate to have this special player and are in for a treat. Look out for big things from Fenwick.
BDF’s Career Expectations for Fenwick: Multi-year starter who could push to break some school RB records if he stays healthy. NFL potential. All-SEC Potential.
Jovaughn Gwyn – OG – 6’3 290lbs – Charlotte, North Carolina
Rivals Rating – 5.8, 4 Star
BDF’s Take on Gwyn – Eric Wolford landed a stud in Jovaughn Gwyn. Typically, when it comes to Offensive lineman, you’ve got two types: Road grader/mauler and athletic OL that are typically more finesse. Rarely ever do you see the two types blend together and when they do, you get a pretty special Offensive Lineman. This is the case with Gwyn as he is an athletic mauler. Gwyn is quick footed and has shown a great ability to pull and get outside on blocks. But what makes him really special is his hands. When he puts his hands on a Defender, two (2) things happen: they go backwards, or they get pancaked. Gwyn has ferocious hands and legit power in his punch. Gwyn stood out at the Rivals camp a year ago when he went up against the likes of 5-Star DE KJ Henry and 4-Star DT Rick Sandidge and got the best of both of those guys during the camp. Gwyn is a stud who will push for playing time early. He’s a hardworking, blue collar player who will bring his lunch pail every day.
BDF’s Career Expectations for Gwyn: Multi-year starter. NFL potential. All-SEC potential.
Hank Manos – Center – 6’4 275lbs – Chapin, South Carolina
Rivals Rating – 5.6, 4 Star
BDF’s Take on Manos – The Under Armour All-American comes to Columbia with little fanfare as he committed early in the process and is also at a position that receives little notoriety. But Hank Manos is a stud and could be the first player from this class to break into the starting lineup. How early could he start? He very well could end up starting the first game of the season in his true Freshman campaign. Most Gamecocks fans are aware of his All-State wrestling accolades in which he hasn’t lost a match in sometime. Due to wrestling, Manos has had to stay below the 275lb weight limit of the Heavyweight division. So, I look for this EE, under the guidance of Strength and Conditioning Coach Jeff Dillman, to quickly get up to somewhere between the 295-305lb range. Manos is a road grading Center, with high football IQ and upside. Manos, like Gwyn, has incredible hands and once engaged, he’s hard to get off a defender. I think Manos is going to be a special player for the Gamecocks who could start every game of his four year career, barring injury.
BDF’s Career Expectations for Manos: 4 year Starter. All-SEC potential.
SOLID STARTERS/CONTRIBUTORS:
Maxwell Iyama – OT/OG – 6’6 280lbs – Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Rivals Rating – 5.8, 4 Star
BDF’s Take on Iyama – Iyama is a long, lean, athletic Lineman who will develop into a very nice starter for the Gamecocks. Although some analyst project him as an OG, I like him at the Right Tackle spot. Iyama has the height and long arms you look for when projecting the OT position. Iyama is a smart player who has big time upside. He has some footwork to clean up and needs a year in the weight room to thicken up his body. A redshirt year for Iyama could do wonders. I really liked Iyama’s film, specifically the jump from his Junior to Senior season. In all of his film he shows a good kick slide to block edge defenders, he also gets to the second level of the Defense nicely. The big difference in his Senior film is that he starts pancaking defenders which shows the development of aggression. Under the tutelage of Eric Wolford, I think Maxwell Iyama could be a really good Right Tackle for the Gamecocks.
BDF’s Career Expectations for Iyama: Multi-year starter at RT.
Tyquan Johnson – WR – 6’3 195lbs – Sylvania, Georgia
Rivals Rating – 5.6, 3 Star
BDF’s Take on Johnson – Tyquan Johnson was a guy that was able to come to a camp over the summer and put on a really good performance in front of Will Muschamp and the Gamecocks Coaching Staff. When watching the film of Johnson, a few things jumped out at me. One, his ability to jump and high point balls while being contested. Two, his willingness to block. Johnson’s QB rarely led him open, which caused most of his passes to be contested. He proves in his film he is a WR that isn’t afraid to attack the ball in traffic. With his height and length, he will be a Red Zone target early in his career at SC. Don’t overlook his blocking ability. That’s always a valuable asset of a WR and one that can block well, usually sees the field pretty early. Johnson is a very interesting player to me because it looks as if his HS offense held him back. He is a freak athlete and getting into the SC offense could prove that Johnson is an even better player than what is shown on film. One thing is for certain, Bryan McClendon has flipped the WR room and to get playing time at that position, you are going to have to be good at all facets of the game.
BDF’s Career Expectations for Johnson: Solid Contributor. Could be a late career starter.
DEVELOPMENTAL PLAYERS:
Darius Rush – Athlete – 6’2 170lbs – Greeleyville, South Carolina
Rivals Rating – 5.5, 3 Star
BDF’s Take on Rush – Darius is a tremendous athlete that excels not only on the football field, but also on the track where he is a state level winner in multiple events. Rush is big, fast, and a hardworking kid who will be a great Ambassador to the program. The knock on Darius is where does he play? What position is he? Don’t get me wrong, his athleticism will find a home somewhere on the field and will be a positive impact. But, not being able to clearly define a position for a player can raise some concerns. But the good news is, Darius will work hard to excel wherever he plays. I see him being a solid special teams contributor most of his career but could see some snaps late in his career at the WR position.
BDF’s Career Expectations for Rush: Special Teams contributor.
Wyatt Campbell – OT – 6’6 285lbs – Elgin, South Carolina
Rivals Rating – 5.5, 3 Star
BDF’s Take on Campbell – Wyatt is a young player, just 17 years old, who is still developing both physically and mentally in the game. The good news is, he already has tremendous size. Wyatt has some footwork issues to work on and some strength areas to gain. But you have to imagine that will come. Wyatt plays with a mean streak and if the physical tools can develop, he’s a guy who can see some playing time down the road.
BDF’s Career Expectations for Campbell: Solid backup OT.
THE WILDCARDS/UNKNOWNS:
Dakereon Joyner – QB – 6’1 190lbs – North Charleston, South Carolina
Rivals Rating – 5.8, 4 Star
BDF’s Take on Joyner – “Kereon” is a complete wildcard to me. We’ve all seen the gaudy HS numbers (9,745 yards passing, 3,324 rushing and 157 Total TDs), but there’s times you see Joyner throw the ball and you wonder: Is he a college QB? I think it’s easy to look at the numbers and say ‘Yes’. But, I believe you must look deeper than just stats. I’ve been on hand to watch Joyner play live numerous times and I always leave a bit confused on what I see. On one hand, you see an incredible athlete who I’ve rarely seen tackled one on one, more less in the open field. He’s absolutely incredible as a ball carrier. But his passing, specifically mechanics, leave much to be desired. Every time I watch Joyner, he’s a pretty accurate passer outside the numbers, typically on deep balls. But, his intermediate game and especially across the middle is far from what you would like to see. Now, those technical flaws about Kereon as are completely mad up by the intangibles he brings. Joyner is a charismatic leader who people rally around, they fight for, and they believe in. Joyner has an incredible will to be the best and never let anything drag him down. Most are aware of the upbringing and hardships Kereon suffered growing up. That has molded him in to be a truly special person. I will say this about College Football in today’s time, a mobile QB (whether extremely accurate as a passer or not) is about the most important thing you can have. There is no doubt that Kereon is the type of QB that will be able to extend drives with his legs and give Will Muschamp the type of rest he wants for his Defense. I trust Will Muschamp as a Defensive evaluator and few people I put above him, but Will seems to think Joyner is a special player and I’m willing to accept that. Now, most of that comes from his intangibles. But we all seen how far the Gamecocks got with Connor Shaw, who was physically limited, but had intangibles through the roof. Joyner’s success is ultimately what makes or breaks this class. Not only that, he is also the next generation of QB after the Jake Bentley era. There’s a lot that rides on the success on Dakereon Joyner. And no one will be a bigger fan his, than me.
BDF’s Career Expectation for Joyner: I don’t know at this time.
Lavonte Valentine – RB – 6’1 190lbs – Melbourne, Florida
Rivals Rating – 5.7, 3 Star
BDF’s Take on Valentine – Lightning. That’s how you describe Valentine. He has world-class speed and has been timed as low as 10.4 in the 100. The Gamecocks haven’t had that type of speed since WR Damiere Byrd (who was misused at SC, btw), but even then, never had a RB this fast. Typically, you don’t see this type speed from a RB. Valentine will be a mismatch for anybody because Defenses simply don’t have world class speed all over their Defense so there will be a weakness, as Valentine’s speed will exploit it. Why is Valentine a wildcard? Well, for one, he’s coming off a pretty serious knee injury. By all accounts, his knee is healing up well. But, his speed is the #1 fear factor in Valentine. If this injury takes any amount of speed away from him, it could mean he’s not as dynamic and a different player. Also, he never carried a full starting RB load at the HS level. Now, will he carry a big load at SC? No. But, injuries for a guy who was never the primary ball carrier, can be a question mark. If Valentine gets 100% healthy and returns all of his speed, I think he is a 3rd down option in his career and will be a dynamic Kick Returner. But again, he’s got to regain his pre-knee injury form.
BDF’s Career Expectation for Valentine: I don’t know at this time.
BDF's Overall Take on The Offense - I really like the players the Gamecocks signed during the Early Signing Period on this side of the ball. Will Muschamp and Staff have added a lot of size, speed, athleticism, and power. I am extremely excited to see Deshaun Fenwick, who I've heard the staff had a 5-star grade on. He's going to be a tremendous player. Josh Vann is an absolute stud who is going to make plays all over the field. Eric Wolford did an incredible job bringing in Jovaughn Gwyn, Hank Manos, and Maxwell Iyama who I think will all be long time starters on his unit. But the key to this whole puzzle is Dakereon Joyner. He's an incredible athlete, he's an even more incredible person, let's just all hope he's as good a QB and the Gamecocks will be sitting very well in the national scene in a couple seasons!
Go Cocks!
BLUE CHIP PROSPECTS:
Josh Vann – WR – 5’11 180lbs - Tucker, Georgia
Rivals Rating – 5.9, 4 Star
BDF’s Take on Vann: Explosive, home run hitter who is a flat-out stud. Vann is a game breaking playmaker from anywhere on the field and is a legit threat with the ball in his hands. Although Vann is only 5’11, he is a serious Red Zone threat because has really long arms and huge hands which helps him high point a ball. Vann is also dynamic as a Punt Returner, as well. Will Muschamp and Bryan McClendon landed a tremendous talent in Josh Vann. I expect Josh Vann to be a day 1 impact player. His freshman season could be like what we seen from Shi Smith during his freshman campaign. But Vann could be utilized even more with a more creative playcaller at the helm.
BDF’s Career Expectations for Vann: Multi-year starter who could push to break school WR records if he stays healthy. NFL potential. All-SEC Potential.
Deshaun Fenwick – RB – 6’2 210lbs – Bradenton, Florida
Rivals Rating – 5.7, 3 Star
BDF’s Take on Fenwick – This is a player that Rivals (and every other recruiting service) has completely whiffed on. Fenwick is an absolute beast and a kid that immediately makes the RB room better. The fact he is an EE (Early Enrollee) is not only huge for him, but huge for the team. Fenwick is a big, bruising RB who has an upright running style with great vision, agility, and has good speed. For being a big back, Fenwick has an explosive arsenal of moves he uses to consistently get chunk yardage. He has a great hurdle, jump cut, stiff arm, spin move, and has a unique ability to make himself small when running through holes. Fenwick has great hands out of the backfield and his HS would even split him out as a WR to cause mismatches. Fenwick is one of my favorite players in this entire class. Behind the scenes, this is a player our staff was very nervous about losing and extremely relieved when he signed. Florida, FSU, and Georgia all had a full court press on Fenwick to try and flip him. I’ve been told that the staff had Fenwick graded as the 2nd best RB in the entire 2018 class behind 5-star Zamir White. I can’t reiterate this enough; Gamecock fans are very fortunate to have this special player and are in for a treat. Look out for big things from Fenwick.
BDF’s Career Expectations for Fenwick: Multi-year starter who could push to break some school RB records if he stays healthy. NFL potential. All-SEC Potential.
Jovaughn Gwyn – OG – 6’3 290lbs – Charlotte, North Carolina
Rivals Rating – 5.8, 4 Star
BDF’s Take on Gwyn – Eric Wolford landed a stud in Jovaughn Gwyn. Typically, when it comes to Offensive lineman, you’ve got two types: Road grader/mauler and athletic OL that are typically more finesse. Rarely ever do you see the two types blend together and when they do, you get a pretty special Offensive Lineman. This is the case with Gwyn as he is an athletic mauler. Gwyn is quick footed and has shown a great ability to pull and get outside on blocks. But what makes him really special is his hands. When he puts his hands on a Defender, two (2) things happen: they go backwards, or they get pancaked. Gwyn has ferocious hands and legit power in his punch. Gwyn stood out at the Rivals camp a year ago when he went up against the likes of 5-Star DE KJ Henry and 4-Star DT Rick Sandidge and got the best of both of those guys during the camp. Gwyn is a stud who will push for playing time early. He’s a hardworking, blue collar player who will bring his lunch pail every day.
BDF’s Career Expectations for Gwyn: Multi-year starter. NFL potential. All-SEC potential.
Hank Manos – Center – 6’4 275lbs – Chapin, South Carolina
Rivals Rating – 5.6, 4 Star
BDF’s Take on Manos – The Under Armour All-American comes to Columbia with little fanfare as he committed early in the process and is also at a position that receives little notoriety. But Hank Manos is a stud and could be the first player from this class to break into the starting lineup. How early could he start? He very well could end up starting the first game of the season in his true Freshman campaign. Most Gamecocks fans are aware of his All-State wrestling accolades in which he hasn’t lost a match in sometime. Due to wrestling, Manos has had to stay below the 275lb weight limit of the Heavyweight division. So, I look for this EE, under the guidance of Strength and Conditioning Coach Jeff Dillman, to quickly get up to somewhere between the 295-305lb range. Manos is a road grading Center, with high football IQ and upside. Manos, like Gwyn, has incredible hands and once engaged, he’s hard to get off a defender. I think Manos is going to be a special player for the Gamecocks who could start every game of his four year career, barring injury.
BDF’s Career Expectations for Manos: 4 year Starter. All-SEC potential.
SOLID STARTERS/CONTRIBUTORS:
Maxwell Iyama – OT/OG – 6’6 280lbs – Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Rivals Rating – 5.8, 4 Star
BDF’s Take on Iyama – Iyama is a long, lean, athletic Lineman who will develop into a very nice starter for the Gamecocks. Although some analyst project him as an OG, I like him at the Right Tackle spot. Iyama has the height and long arms you look for when projecting the OT position. Iyama is a smart player who has big time upside. He has some footwork to clean up and needs a year in the weight room to thicken up his body. A redshirt year for Iyama could do wonders. I really liked Iyama’s film, specifically the jump from his Junior to Senior season. In all of his film he shows a good kick slide to block edge defenders, he also gets to the second level of the Defense nicely. The big difference in his Senior film is that he starts pancaking defenders which shows the development of aggression. Under the tutelage of Eric Wolford, I think Maxwell Iyama could be a really good Right Tackle for the Gamecocks.
BDF’s Career Expectations for Iyama: Multi-year starter at RT.
Tyquan Johnson – WR – 6’3 195lbs – Sylvania, Georgia
Rivals Rating – 5.6, 3 Star
BDF’s Take on Johnson – Tyquan Johnson was a guy that was able to come to a camp over the summer and put on a really good performance in front of Will Muschamp and the Gamecocks Coaching Staff. When watching the film of Johnson, a few things jumped out at me. One, his ability to jump and high point balls while being contested. Two, his willingness to block. Johnson’s QB rarely led him open, which caused most of his passes to be contested. He proves in his film he is a WR that isn’t afraid to attack the ball in traffic. With his height and length, he will be a Red Zone target early in his career at SC. Don’t overlook his blocking ability. That’s always a valuable asset of a WR and one that can block well, usually sees the field pretty early. Johnson is a very interesting player to me because it looks as if his HS offense held him back. He is a freak athlete and getting into the SC offense could prove that Johnson is an even better player than what is shown on film. One thing is for certain, Bryan McClendon has flipped the WR room and to get playing time at that position, you are going to have to be good at all facets of the game.
BDF’s Career Expectations for Johnson: Solid Contributor. Could be a late career starter.
DEVELOPMENTAL PLAYERS:
Darius Rush – Athlete – 6’2 170lbs – Greeleyville, South Carolina
Rivals Rating – 5.5, 3 Star
BDF’s Take on Rush – Darius is a tremendous athlete that excels not only on the football field, but also on the track where he is a state level winner in multiple events. Rush is big, fast, and a hardworking kid who will be a great Ambassador to the program. The knock on Darius is where does he play? What position is he? Don’t get me wrong, his athleticism will find a home somewhere on the field and will be a positive impact. But, not being able to clearly define a position for a player can raise some concerns. But the good news is, Darius will work hard to excel wherever he plays. I see him being a solid special teams contributor most of his career but could see some snaps late in his career at the WR position.
BDF’s Career Expectations for Rush: Special Teams contributor.
Wyatt Campbell – OT – 6’6 285lbs – Elgin, South Carolina
Rivals Rating – 5.5, 3 Star
BDF’s Take on Campbell – Wyatt is a young player, just 17 years old, who is still developing both physically and mentally in the game. The good news is, he already has tremendous size. Wyatt has some footwork issues to work on and some strength areas to gain. But you have to imagine that will come. Wyatt plays with a mean streak and if the physical tools can develop, he’s a guy who can see some playing time down the road.
BDF’s Career Expectations for Campbell: Solid backup OT.
THE WILDCARDS/UNKNOWNS:
Dakereon Joyner – QB – 6’1 190lbs – North Charleston, South Carolina
Rivals Rating – 5.8, 4 Star
BDF’s Take on Joyner – “Kereon” is a complete wildcard to me. We’ve all seen the gaudy HS numbers (9,745 yards passing, 3,324 rushing and 157 Total TDs), but there’s times you see Joyner throw the ball and you wonder: Is he a college QB? I think it’s easy to look at the numbers and say ‘Yes’. But, I believe you must look deeper than just stats. I’ve been on hand to watch Joyner play live numerous times and I always leave a bit confused on what I see. On one hand, you see an incredible athlete who I’ve rarely seen tackled one on one, more less in the open field. He’s absolutely incredible as a ball carrier. But his passing, specifically mechanics, leave much to be desired. Every time I watch Joyner, he’s a pretty accurate passer outside the numbers, typically on deep balls. But, his intermediate game and especially across the middle is far from what you would like to see. Now, those technical flaws about Kereon as are completely mad up by the intangibles he brings. Joyner is a charismatic leader who people rally around, they fight for, and they believe in. Joyner has an incredible will to be the best and never let anything drag him down. Most are aware of the upbringing and hardships Kereon suffered growing up. That has molded him in to be a truly special person. I will say this about College Football in today’s time, a mobile QB (whether extremely accurate as a passer or not) is about the most important thing you can have. There is no doubt that Kereon is the type of QB that will be able to extend drives with his legs and give Will Muschamp the type of rest he wants for his Defense. I trust Will Muschamp as a Defensive evaluator and few people I put above him, but Will seems to think Joyner is a special player and I’m willing to accept that. Now, most of that comes from his intangibles. But we all seen how far the Gamecocks got with Connor Shaw, who was physically limited, but had intangibles through the roof. Joyner’s success is ultimately what makes or breaks this class. Not only that, he is also the next generation of QB after the Jake Bentley era. There’s a lot that rides on the success on Dakereon Joyner. And no one will be a bigger fan his, than me.
BDF’s Career Expectation for Joyner: I don’t know at this time.
Lavonte Valentine – RB – 6’1 190lbs – Melbourne, Florida
Rivals Rating – 5.7, 3 Star
BDF’s Take on Valentine – Lightning. That’s how you describe Valentine. He has world-class speed and has been timed as low as 10.4 in the 100. The Gamecocks haven’t had that type of speed since WR Damiere Byrd (who was misused at SC, btw), but even then, never had a RB this fast. Typically, you don’t see this type speed from a RB. Valentine will be a mismatch for anybody because Defenses simply don’t have world class speed all over their Defense so there will be a weakness, as Valentine’s speed will exploit it. Why is Valentine a wildcard? Well, for one, he’s coming off a pretty serious knee injury. By all accounts, his knee is healing up well. But, his speed is the #1 fear factor in Valentine. If this injury takes any amount of speed away from him, it could mean he’s not as dynamic and a different player. Also, he never carried a full starting RB load at the HS level. Now, will he carry a big load at SC? No. But, injuries for a guy who was never the primary ball carrier, can be a question mark. If Valentine gets 100% healthy and returns all of his speed, I think he is a 3rd down option in his career and will be a dynamic Kick Returner. But again, he’s got to regain his pre-knee injury form.
BDF’s Career Expectation for Valentine: I don’t know at this time.
BDF's Overall Take on The Offense - I really like the players the Gamecocks signed during the Early Signing Period on this side of the ball. Will Muschamp and Staff have added a lot of size, speed, athleticism, and power. I am extremely excited to see Deshaun Fenwick, who I've heard the staff had a 5-star grade on. He's going to be a tremendous player. Josh Vann is an absolute stud who is going to make plays all over the field. Eric Wolford did an incredible job bringing in Jovaughn Gwyn, Hank Manos, and Maxwell Iyama who I think will all be long time starters on his unit. But the key to this whole puzzle is Dakereon Joyner. He's an incredible athlete, he's an even more incredible person, let's just all hope he's as good a QB and the Gamecocks will be sitting very well in the national scene in a couple seasons!
Go Cocks!
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