Gamecocks in the NFL: Cut Day recap

NFL’s official “cut day” came for multiple former South Carolina players as teams trimmed down their rosters to reach the 53-player maximum. 

When the dust settled at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, 12 Gamecocks were left without a spot on a roster. 

Here is where every Gamecock stands after teams finalized their rosters. 

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AFC West

Kyle Kennard – EDGE/outside linebacker, Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers’ fourth-round pick struggled in the preseason, opening it with a collarbone injury in the Hall of Fame game. However, his production still earned him a spot on the Chargers’ 53-man roster.

Tonka Hemingway – Defensive tackle, Las Vegas Raiders

Hemingway is expected to be a large part of the Raiders’ rotation on the defensive front. The rookie closed the preseason with an impressive six pressures in 24 snaps against Arizona. 

AFC East

TJ Sanders – Defensive tackle, Buffalo Bills

Sanders made the Bills roster after being drafted by the franchise in the second round. He ranked sixth among rookies in win rates on the line during the preseason per PFF (15.4). 

Cam Smith – Cornerback, Miami Dolphins

Cam Smith missed practice but made the roster on Tuesday. Smith ranked as Miami’s highest graded defender in coverage during the 2025 preseason (80.7). 

AFC North

Gage Larvadain – Wide receiver, Cleveland Browns

Larvadain was one of five Browns UDFAs to make the 53-man roster after a strong preseason. The rookie wideout caught nine passes for 94 yards and a touchdown. He also picked up 20 yards rushing across two carries and a rushing touchdown. 

Demetrius Knight II – Linebacker, Cincinnati Bengals

Knight is one of five linebackers to make the Bengals’ 53-man roster. The second-round pick had a strong camp, according to head coach Zac Taylor. 

NFC South

Jovaughn Gwyn – Center, Atlanta Falcons

Gwyn made the Falcons roster after hovering around the bubble of whether he would or not. He put together a strong preseason, ranking highly among Falcons offensive players multiple times in the preseason.  

Jaycee Horn – Cornerback, Carolina Panthers

Horn did not feature in the preseason for the Carolina Panthers. The NFL’s highest-paid cornerback expects to play his first game after signing his new contract in Week 1. 

Xavier Legette – Wide receiver, Carolina Panthers

Legette enters his second season in the NFL, expected to be a top receiver in the Panthers’ offense. The sophomore wideout did not record a stat during the 2025 preseason, but returns to Carolina after a rookie season that finished three short of 500 yards. 

DJ Wonnum – Outside linebacker, Carolina Panthers

Wonnum earned a roster spot for the 2025 season with the Panthers, with whom he signed in March 2024. He played in eight games with the Panthers during the 2024 season. 

Rico Dowdle – Running back, Carolina Panthers

Dowdle struggled during his first preseason with the Panthers, only recording 9 yards on five carries. The sixth-year back looks to improve on his career year in Dallas in 2024. 

Bam Martin-Scott – Inside linebacker, Carolina Panthers

After racking up a dozen tackles in the preseason, Martin-Scott made the 53-man roster for the Panthers. 

Spencer Rattler – Quarterback, New Orleans Saints

New Orleans announced Rattler as the franchise’s starting quarterback heading into the 2025 season on Tuesday. Rattler is coming off a rookie season where he threw for 1,317 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions in seven games.

Torricelli Simpkins III – Guard/Center, New Orleans Saints

Simpkins made the Saints’ 53-man roster after a strong preseason with New Orleans. Simpkins played the most snaps without allowing a sack during the preseason. 

Kai Kroeger – Punter, New Orleans Saints

Kroeger exited the preseason winning the starting punter job for the Saints. New Orleans waived James Purnip on Aug. 25. 

NFC North

Keisean Nixon – Cornerback, Green Bay Packers

Nixon returns to Green Bay as the franchise’s top corner in 2025. The seventh-year corner had limited production during the preseason. 

Kingsley Enagbare – Defensive end, Green Bay Packers

Enagbare returns for his fourth season with Green Bay in 2025. During the preseason, he graded out with a 90.2 per PFF on 54 snaps.

NFC East

Deebo Samuel – Wide receiver, Washington Commanders

Samuel saw limited action as the Commanders prepared for 2025. He only had one rush for 19 yards before being effectively shut down for the preseason. Samuel debuts with his new team on Sept. 7. 

Javon Kinlaw – Defensive tackle, Washington Commanders

Kinlaw reunites with former South Carolina and San Francisco teammate Deebo Samuel for the 2025 season. 

NFC West

Nick Emmanwori – Safety, Seattle Seahawks

Emmanwori is expected to make an impact right away for the Seahawks during his rookie season. The second-round pick made three tackles in two appearances during the 2025 preseason. 

Ernest Jones IV – Inside linebacker, Seattle Seahawks

Jones enters his second year with Seattle in 2025. The fifth-year veteran is expected to continue to start for the Seahawks after starting 10 games for them last season. 

Waived between Aug. 22 and Aug. 26

Raheim Sanders – Running back

Despite a strong preseason by the rookie running back, the Chargers waived Sanders on Tuesday.

Adam Prentice – Fullback

Despite just joining the roster a week ago, Prentice was waived by the Denver Broncos on Aug. 26. 

Alex Huntley – Defensive end

The Dolphins waived Huntley after a preseason that consisted of only two tackles from the rookie, both collected in the final game.  

Darius Rush – Cornerback

After bouncing from the Chiefs to the Browns early in training camp, Rush was waived by Cleveland on Aug 24. The former fifth-round pick spent two seasons with the Steelers in 2023 and 2024. 

Kevin Harris – Running back

Harris was waived by the Jaguars on Tuesday. The 2022 sixth-round draft selection rushed for 117 yards on 35 carries and two touchdowns during the preseason. 

Joshua Simon – Tight end

The Falcons waived Simon on Tuesday following a lackluster preseason. The rookie tight end only caught two passes for 9 yards across the Falcons’ three games. 

Israel Mukuamu – Safety

Despite featuring heavily for the franchise, including four starts, throughout his four years in Dallas, Mukuamu was released by the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday afternoon. 

Jalen Brooks – Wide receiver 

Dallas waived Brooks on Tuesday afternoon, although he is a candidate to return to the team’s practice squad. Brooks appeared in 14 games in 2024 with the Cowboys, making 12 receptions for 177 yards. 

O’Donnell Fortune – Cornerback

Fortune was cut by the New York Giants’ roster on Aug. 22. He had six tackles and three pass deflections in the 2025 preseason. 

Dante Miller – Running back

Miller’s preseason of 80 yards on 26 carries was not enough to land him a spot on the Giants roster in 2025. Tuesday was Miller’s second time being waived by the Giants, being waived this time last year before joining the practice squad and being activated on January 4. 

Nick Muse – Tight end

The Philadelphia Eagles waived Muse on Monday after finishing the preseason with only two receptions. The 2022 draft selection has yet to play during the NFL regular season; however, he spent three years on the Vikings practice squad from 2022-24. 

Zacch Pickens – Defensive tackle

The Chicago Bears waived Pickens ahead of Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline. Pickens was a third-round draft selection by Chicago during the 2023 NFL Draft. 

Chris Lammons – Cornerback

The Indianapolis Colts waived Lammons on Aug. 26. The fifth-year corner joined the franchise in 2023, his sixth franchise of his career.

Vershon Lee – Guard/Center

Lee failed to make the Vikings roster despite strong performances during the preseason. The rookie ranked second for most pass protection snaps without allowing a sack, only trailing former South Carolina teammate Torricelli Simpkins.  

Dalevon Campbell – Wide receiver

Despite an impressive run during the preseason, making eight receptions for 147 yards, the UDFA failed to make the Chargers’ official roster.

Zach Bailey – Offensive lineman

Chris Lammons – Cornerback

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