South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said Tuesday night that he expects several juniors, including star tailback Mike Davis, to participate in this season's "Senior Day."
While a junior participating in a Senior Day event isn't necessarily a sure sign that the player is turning pro, it generally is a good indicator.
"I think (tailbacks) Mike Davis and Brandon Wilds and, maybe, (offensive tackle) Brandon Shell, I am not sure, maybe a few of the defensive guys," Spurrier told The State newspaper of Columbia after the Gamecocks' practice Tuesday. "We will have several juniors do the senior walk, and then they will make the decision later whether to go or come back. If they want to walk twice, that's fine, too. We've had several guys do that."
South Carolina's "Senior Day" is Nov. 22, against South Alabama.
Spurrier said over the summer and early in the season that he thought Davis (5-foot-9, 223 pounds) might turn pro. NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah has praised Davis' "outstanding vision, balance and toughness." Davis has rushed for 819 yards and eight TDs, and also has 22 receptions this season.
Shell (6-6, 333), who plays right tackle for the Gamecocks, certainly has the size, athleticism and pedigree (his great uncle is Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Shell). But he can be sloppy with his technique and hasn't been as consistent as expected this season, which has been a problem along the entire Gamecocks offensive line.
Wilds (6-2, 230) turning pro would be somewhat of a surprise; if he returned next season, he would be the Gamecocks' feature back. He has had 71 carries for 445 yards and three TDs this season; his best season came as a true freshman in 2011, when he rushed for 486 yards on 107 carries. He redshirted in 2012, then got just 43 carries last season.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
