South Carolina’s Shane Beamer wasted no time in congratulating Nick Emmanwori. The safety was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks early in the second round and was the 35th pick overall. “Congrats @Eman7Nick!!!!! “ the head coach wrote on X, expressing his pride. Emmanwori’s selection highlighted the work Beamer had done in Columbia. A record-setting 11 Gamecocks players were invited to the combine, with five hearing their name being called during the 2025 Draft. However, the bittersweet reality for Beamer is that while the draft success confirms the program’s ability to develop NFL-ready talent, it also highlights the staggering exodus of key players.

Apart from Emmanwori, Kyle Kennard, Tonka Hemingway, TJ Sanders, and Demetrius Knight Jr. were all drafted. This marked the first time in South Carolina history that five players have been drafted in the first four rounds of the NFL draft. In a league dominated by heavyweights like Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and LSU, South Carolina’s ability to place talent among the draft’s top 50 prospects is both impressive and worrying.

South Carolina has talent walking out the door, and the question now is whether the house Shane Beamer has built can withstand the storm. The harsh verdict came from That SEC Podcast’s Mike on Saturday, who didn’t sugarcoat the looming challenges.  “One team that really really had a great NFL draft was probably not a team that many were expecting to have a great draft and that’s a South Carolina Gamecocks,” he began. Of the top 50 picks in the NFL draft, 24 of them came from six schools.” Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Ohio State, Michigan, and South Carolina. That’s not normal company for the Gamecocks—it’s elite company. And that raises the stakes for a program that doesn’t reload talent the way the bluebloods do.

Mike went further, painting a rather grim picture of the Gamecocks’ immediate future. “They lost some high-end talent is the key that I’m trying to point out there. Can they replicate that? Can they just….I know they go to the portal, I know they draft and develop, they do a hell of a job down there, but can they replace all that?” he asked, rhetorically hammering home the central dilemma.

The roster gaps are glaring: a lack of elite receivers, no standout running back, and, apart from Dylan Stewart, the defense is gutted. “Everyone off their defensive line, aside from Dylan Stewart, just got drafted in the NFL as well as a linebacker and a safety that was a high-end pick in the NFL draft. Can South Carolina just snap their fingers and replace those guys?” Mike questioned.

The draft board tells the story of just how much muscle South Carolina lost.

Nick Emmanwori was selected No. 35 overall by the Seattle Seahawks, a high-value second-round pick. TJ Sanders wasn’t far behind, going No. 41 overall to the Buffalo Bills. Demetrius Knight Jr. joined the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 49 overall, offering another second-round triumph. DE Kyle Kennard landed with the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 125, and DT Tonka Hemingway was scooped up by the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 135. These aren’t just depth pieces—they were core pillars of Beamer’s defensive structure.

In 2024, under the strategic leadership of Defensive Coordinator Clayton White, the South Carolina Gamecocks’ defense rose to national prominence. Utilizing a dynamic “Flex-Nickel” scheme, White’s unit dominated across the board, finishing among the top 25 nationally in numerous key categories.

The Gamecocks ranked 14th in scoring defense, 16th in total defense, 16th in rushing defense, and 16th in team passing efficiency defense. Their relentless pressure produced the 3rd-most sacks in the country, while they also placed 21st in tackles for loss, 25th in third-down defense, 5th in fourth-down defense, 16th in turnovers gained, and 20th in fumbles recovered — a testament to their aggressive, opportunistic style.

The Gamecocks ranked 14th nationally in scoring defense, allowing an average of 18.1 points per game. Their total defense was equally impressive, placing 16th nationally by allowing an average of 316.1 yards per game. In pass defense, the Gamecocks allowed an average of 204.4 passing yards per game, ranking 36th nationally. They also demonstrated resilience against the run, allowing an average of 112.2 rushing yards per game.

But now, with some of the key components of that lineup moving on, the question is, can Beamer achieve the same results at South Carolina? It’s not only the players who were drafted that would be concerning for Beamer.

The five stars who were picked up were just part of a larger mass of talent now looking to secure undrafted free agent deals. For a coach like Beamer, it feels like half his defensive war chest got stripped overnight. In Columbia, where every seasoned starter counts double, it’s a gut punch.

Now the task ahead for Shane Beamer is twofold: rebuild a defense that was the backbone of SC’s most competitive moments and find immediate playmakers.

Shane Beamer’s shiny five: why they cashed in for the pros

Beamer knew he had some real diamonds on his hands—but now, those jewels are headed for the NFL.

First up, there’s defensive dynamo Nick Emmanwori. The 6-3, 222-pounder from Irmo, S.C., was an absolute wrecking ball for South Carolina, starting 36 of 37 games over three seasons. In 2024, he led the team with 88 tackles, including 57 solo stops and 3.0 tackles for loss. He snagged four interceptions, tying him for fourth in the SEC, and impressively took two of those picks to the house.

In his explosive 2024 SEC debut, Kyle Kennard dominated with a conference-leading 11.5 sacks and 15.5 TFL, adding 28 tackles and 3 forced fumbles as an every-game starter—a clear sign of his NFL potential. And right behind him, Tonka Hemingway, bringing his own disruptive force with 17.5 career tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, 11 pass breakups, 19 quarterback hurries, and six fumble recoveries, offers a similarly compelling talent ready to make his mark in the pro league.

Then there’s Hemingway’s tag-team partner on the D-line, “Big Man” TJ Sanders. At 6-3 5/8 and 305 pounds, Sanders spent four seasons making noise in Columbia, appearing in 39 games with 16 career starts. In 2024, he played in all 13 games (starting nine), racking up 50 tackles, including 7.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, six QB hurries, and even a pass breakup. Busy man.

Finally, Demetrius Knight Jr., was a force at LB. Standing 6-1 ¾ and weighing 236 pounds, Knight Jr. finished second on the team with 82 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, three forced fumbles, and an interception.