Djay Braswell impressed early, next step is performing in South Carolina camp
South Carolina’s staff had high hopes for Djay Braswell once he got to campus, and the Gamecocks have certainly seen some of that through summer workouts.
Now the real challenge for the freshman running back begins in preseason camp.
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“Djay, for a true freshman we’re excited about him. He’s fast, and he’s probably faster than I realized when we recruited him,” Shane Beamer said. “He’s had a good summer but hasn’t practiced yet. So it’s going to be learning the offense. But he works at it and has a good skill set.”
Braswell is a blue-chipper in the Gamecocks’ 2023 class, checking in at No. 248 in the On3 Industry Rankings. He’ll have a chance to play in large part because of talent but also he plays at a position of need for South Carolina.
And he’s done what’s necessary at least over the summer to get there.
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“The biggest thing is he came through, put his head down and worked. During summer workouts, I’ve been at a lot watching those guys run and move. The biggest thing is he’s staying with the guys and doesn’t look out of place,” Montario Hardesty said.
“He has really good movement and shows speed and a running back skill set. Then his knowledge of the playbook…He’s put some work in.”
Braswell flashed over the summer months, but the next four weeks are going to be integral in getting him up to speed and seeing what he can do with the pads on.
South Carolina started camp Friday and it’s easy to be good in shorts and a T-shirt, it’s another to do it when a guy is getting hit and tackled play after play.
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“Now I’ve seen you learn and seen the skill set. Now I have to see you with the pads on. I have to see you respond to getting tackled,” Hardesty said. “So far it’s been the skill set I’ve thought. Now we have to continue to have him grow and apply it with the pads coming on.”
Braswell has some good leadership in the room to learn from, headlined by Dakereon Joyner, and is still trying to learn some of the nuances around the position.
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“Since high school, it’s sped up a lot trying to learn the plays and the movement. All that is a sped-up change,” Braswell said. “I would say the pass protection. You have to learn a lot of different pass pros and people blitzing. So you have to learn how to block.”
