Latest group of Gamecocks defenders could entice Panthers in 2026 NFL Draft
South Carolina has been a feeder school of sorts for the Carolina Panthers for quite some time. Dating back to 2004, the Panthers have selected seven prospects in the draft from the Gamecocks’ football program.
But on Tuesday in Columbia, the franchise didn’t have a whole lot of representation during the school’s annual pro day at the Jerri and Steve Spurrier Indoor Practice Facility.
Perhaps, other schools took priority. Oregon and Virginia, for instance, both held their pro days on Tuesday as well. Oregon, in particular, might have been of notable interest to Carolina with projected first-round picks, tight end Kenyon Sadiq and safety Dillon Thieneman, taking part in their final draft tests.
Or, maybe, the lack of attendance was just a bit of gamesmanship for an ascending squad looking to play things close to the vest.
Last year, the Panthers sent several evaluators to South Carolina’s pro day — including a trio of defensive position coaches and general manager Dan Morgan — and ended up passing on some notable Gamecocks in the selection process. However, they did sign undrafted linebacker Bam Martin-Scott, who ended up making the Week 1 roster and playing in all 18 games (including the postseason) as a rookie.
The school’s current draft hopefuls are an interesting bunch, particularly on the defense. The two most notable standouts, cornerback Brandon Cisse and safety Jalon Kilgore, are ranked within the top 130 prospects on Pro Football Focus’s consensus big board.
Given the moving and shaking during the Panthers’ offseason so far, perhaps Cisse or Kilgore, among others, could appeal to the Carolina brass in April.
Brandon Cisse leaning on two notable CBs with Panthers ties
Cisse, who has received first-round buzz over the past few months, is set to join a storied group of defensive backs who have gone from Columbia to the NFL.
From Sheldon Brown to Nick Emmanwori, the fraternity of NFL secondary players with Gamecocks ties is vast. Luckily for Cisse, he has three of the biggest names of the bunch in his corner. And two of them have considerable history with the Panthers organization.
“Stephon Gilmore is like my best friend — that’s like the person I talk to every day,” Cisse said. “Obviously, Jaycee Horn is another great resource. Nick Emmanwori — who I played with in high school a litte bit. So, those are all three great guys that went through the process, so it’s been great to talk to them.”
Cisse, a Sumter, South Carolina, native, transferred from N.C. State to South Carolina this past season. The 20-year-old cornerback went on to produce 19 tackles, an interception and five pass breakups in his lone campaign with the Gamecocks.
During his pro day performance, with Houston Texans GM Nick Caserio watching intently, Cisse took part in defensive back position drills. He also ran a consensus 4.40-second 40-yard dash and bench-pressed 225 pounds 15 times.
Prior to the pro day, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. released a first-round mock draft that had the Kansas City Chiefs selecting Cisse with the 29th overall pick.
Jalon Kilgore has received a lot of interest as a hybrid player
Kilgore, 21, is a versatile defensive back, who is likely to be selected in the middle rounds of the draft in April.
The 6-foot-1 and 218-pound safety has notable length (33-inched arms) and speed (4.40-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in February) at his position.
Given his unique traits, Kilgore has received quite a bit of interest around the NFL.
“I’ve talked to a couple of teams, like the Texans, the Commanders — Seattle — the Chargers, the Colts,” Kilgore said. “I’ve talked to the Bengals, the Falcons. I’ve talked with the Bills and the Patriots.”
Kilgore has been projected as a safety or a nickel cornerback by most national evaluators. Others, though, view him as a bit of a tweener.
“Whatever my team is willing for me to do in that back end, back seven, I’m willing to do that,” Kilgore said.
During his three-year run with the Gamecocks, Kilgore collected 178 total tackles (4.5 for loss), 21 pass breakups and eight interceptions. Seven of those picks came in his final two years with the program.
Kilgore’s tendency for creating turnovers should draw the attention of Panthers coach Dave Canales. His versatility should be intriguing to defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. And his length, speed and size should scratch an evaluation itch for Morgan and his scouting department.
With the Panthers potentially looking for athletic upgrades at safety and nickel corner, it’s hard to rule out someone like Kilgore, who is PFF’s 128th overall prospect as of Wednesday.
“I did everything that I’ve had to do,” Kilgore said. “Training for the Combine, performing well at the Combine, and just coming out here to do drills again today. So, it’s all in God’s hands. So, wherever he sees me best, gotta just focus on that. Just put it in his hands, and he’s going to put me in the right spot.”
Keep on an eye on this big man in the middle rounds
With a pair of Panthers scouts monitoring drills, South Carolina defensive lineman Nick Barrett attempted to impress onlookers with his position work.
According to evaluators from two different AFC teams, the 6-foot-2, 313-pound lineman had a strong workout. He also ran a 7.41-second 3-cone drill, according to the Gamecocks. Plus, he lifted 225 pounds 31 times in the bench press.
“I feel like everything went great,” Barrett said. “Kind of improved on some stuff that I wanted to improve on from the Combine. So, just getting the opportunity to come out here and do it with my guys one last time, it felt good.”
Following his workout, Barrett, 22, acknowledged that he is most comfortable playing nose tackle (0 or 1 technique) and defensive tackle (3 technique). However, he also noted that he is willing to learn other positions, including 3-4 defensive (4 or 5 technique).
Given A’Shawn Robinson’s recent release, perhaps the Panthers could have some interest in his replacing the veteran with a draft pick. Barrett might be a logical choice in that regard.
This story was originally published March 18, 2026 at 5:30 AM.
