Nate Adkins gets NFL opportunity
The man responsible for a couple of the most iconic plays in Gamecocks football history will have an opportunity to play at the next level.
Tight end Nate Adkins, who played just one season in Columbia but made a huge impact on the 2023 team, was picked up by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent.
Adkins’ 32-yard, one-handed catch in a win over the Clemson Tigers captured national accolades, including a spotlight on “You Got Mossed” on ESPN and “Catch of the Year” from SEC Network’s Chris Doering.
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In addition to his 4-catch, 62-yard performance against Clemson, Adkins also had a game-changing play on special teams, causing a fumble on a punt return and getting the ball back to the Gamecocks offense.
“The whole body of work of this past season helped me out going forward in the future,” Adkins said after his performance at USC’s Pro Day in March. “Those last three games, I showed I could catch the ball, make plays with the ball. I kind of came into this year with a, this might be my last year of football mentality.”
Adkins won the Gamecocks’ “Above All Else” award at the team banquet following the season. For USC, he tallied 13 catches for 168 yards in addition to playing a key role as a blocker and on special teams.
During his college career, Adkins played in 56 total games with 38 starts. He arrived at South Carolina after a four-year career at East Tennessee State, where he graduated with a degree in sport & entertainment management.
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Adkins played his high school football in Knoxville, Tennessee at Bearden, lettering in football and baseball. At East Tennessee, he was a three-time All-Southern Conference tight end and regular member of the So-Con Honor Roll.
The son of current Gamecocks football staffer Greg Adkins, Nate brings a versatile skillset to the professional ranks.
He can play tight end, line up in the back field, in the slot, block, catch, and play special teams.
“Nate has been a stud. He just does so much. He wasn’t flashy. But we knew when he decided to come what a great football player we were getting just from a toughness standpoint, in the run game,” Shane Beamer said in December. “I think he’s one of these guys that said earlier in the season they loved him because he was like an extra offensive lineman with his mentality in there.”
