South Carolina defender labeled as name to watch for 2026 NFL Draft

When thinking of the South Carolina Gamecocks and the NFL Draft, most (understandably) have their minds rush to quarterback LaNorris Sellers and EDGE rusher Dylan Stewart, projected first round picks in the 2026 and 2027 drafts, respectively.

However, other Gamecocks are high on NFL Draft boards, too.

One of the most intriguing prospects of the bunch is defensive back Jalon Kilgore.

Recently, Pro Football Focus (PFF) released its list of cornerback prospects to watch for the 2026 NFL Draft. Kilgore made the cut. In fact, he was the first player listed under the “nickel cornerbacks” section of the story.

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PFF analyst Trevor Sikkema likes a lot about Kilgore as a prospect.

That starts with his versatility. Kilgore has primarily been a nickel corner at South Carolina, but that has come with man-to-man and zone responsibilities and plenty of in-the-box tackling opportunities. He has also operated as a deep safety and was a four-star recruit at the position out of high school. NFL scouts seem torn on where they’d like to play him at the next level. However, with interest at corner, safety, and nickel, it is safe to say Kilgore has a lot of professional eyes on him.

Sikkema called Kilgore a “superb downhill athlete” and highlighted how that athleticism and his size (6-1, 211 pounds) help make him a strong tackler. According to PFF’s data, he has a 90% run game tackle success rate, an elite number for a secondary player.

Kilgore has good ball skills, too, having led the SEC in interceptions in 2024. Pairing his tackling, playmaking ability, and plus-length and athleticism, he has the physical makeup to be a good professional player.

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