The Southeastern Conference recognized five South Carolina football players on the preseason All-SEC teams ahead of the upcoming 2024 season.
The recognition is given to players based off of previous success, awarded as a prediction for the season. All of the Gamecocks selected to the three teams are upperclassmen, all of whom will be looked at as leaders on and off the field this season.
Fifth-year long-snapper Hunter Rogers was the only Gamecock to make the first team. Senior running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders and fifth-year linebacker Debo Williams were recognized on the second team. Fifth-year defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway and junior defensive back Nick Emmanwori rounded out the Gamecocks on the third team.
Rogers returns to All-SEC recognition as he was a member of the end-of-season first team last season and the second team in 2022. He has appeared in every game in each of the past two seasons with consistent performance, and much of the same can be expected in the upcoming season as a first team member.
Sanders joins the team after spending his first three seasons with the Arkansas Razorbacks where he performed at a high-caliber level. He ranked first in the SEC in all yards from scrimmage in 2022 with 1,714 yards before tearing his labrum last season, limiting his play to just 62 rushing attempts.
Sanders said he believes that with a fully recovered body, his play will positively affect the way the rest of the team plays. Sanders was named to the 2024 Comeback Player of the Year Award watch list announced by the College Sports Communicators in association with the Fiesta Bowl Organization and The Associated Press on Aug. 7.
“Feeling at my best, I feel like it’s all going to show on the field,” Sanders said. “I came here, not just to up my ranking on things, but to help the team out."
Williams is returning for his fourth year with South Carolina after redshirting in his freshman year at Delaware. He has shown to be a leader for the Gamecocks defense during last season, with nine tackles for loss and 113 total tackles, which ranked third in the SEC.
Williams opted to return to the Gamecocks for his final collegiate season, wanting to “submit (his) legacy in South Carolina forever.” Williams is one of the two team captains returning for the 2024 season, along with redshirt senior defensive tackle Alex “Boogie” Huntley.
“I just told the defense not too long ago, we’re going for donuts,” Williams said. “I want zeros on the scoreboard, I want complete domination.”
Hemingway and Emmanwori join Williams as leaders returning to the South Carolina defense. Hemingway was a starter in all twelve games last season, with 32 tackles while having a skill for pass deflections on the defensive line at seven last season.
Emmanwori will line up at safety alongside junior DQ Smith this season, who will be going into year two as a duo in the secondary. Emmanwori tallied 71 tackles last season in 11 games along with two interceptions.
“We could probably see a historical defense from this team,” Emmanwori said. “We’re coming in with a different mindset and we’ve seen some things ... It’s gonna be a crazy defense this year ... I’ll put my name on it. I’ll stamp that, for sure. We’re gonna be ready this year.”
The preseason All-SEC players will be ready to lead the Gamecocks when they return to the gridiron on Aug. 31 against Old Dominion at Williams-Brice Stadium. The game will be at 4:15 p.m. on the SEC Network.