'This room is special': Xavier Legette, Ahmarean Brown talk depth at wide receiver for Gamecocks
Josh Vann carried the brunt of the load for the South Carolina wide receivers in 2021, but this year he’ll likely have much more help.
This year the talent in the room should be substantial, with Vann returning among the ranks of veterans like Dakereon Joyner, Ahmarean Brown, Xavier Legette and Jalen Brooks.
Transfers like Corey Rucker and Juice Wells as well as freshmen like Landon Samson were brought into the fold this offseason, making an already deep room even deeper.
“This room is special,” Brown said during a media availability Tuesday. “We’re about nine (or) 10 deep. It’s special, man. Everybody in that receiver room can do something; whether that’s freshmen or transfers or newcomers.”
When a position group is that stocked on paper, it can be hard for some players to work their way up the depth chart and find playing time.
Legette, who is entering his senior season, emphasized that the entire position group has bought in going into fall camp. Everyone is aiming to make the most out of their opportunities.
“We can take a big step. We can do a lot of great things with this offense,” Legette said. “They’re giving everybody opportunities and we just try to take ownership to the opportunity.”
Brown and Legette are among the guys who have found more reps so far during camp, though it’s still very early in the preseason. They’ll both likely continue that trajectory as the regular season approaches.
In Brown’s first year with the team in 2021 he saw action in all 13 games, starting one, and had his biggest game during the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. In that win, he caught four passes for 61 yards.
The senior said his performance in the bowl game gave him a confidence boost going into the spring and that it will help in this fall, whatever his role may be.
“I’m here for the team, that’s first and foremost. I just think that wherever I’m at on the field I’m gonna do my best to show everybody, show the coaches what I can do and I’m gonna go hard at it,” Brown said. “Hopefully I get to do some things this year and light up the stadium a little bit.”
Legette will compete right alongside Brown for playing time this fall. Last season he started four of the 11 games he played in, catching his only touchdown of the year in game-winning fashion over Vanderbilt.
Coming into 2022 he said he feels “as healthy as I’ve ever felt,” and is looking to improve on his verbal leadership skills when it comes to helping out the newcomers.
“I try to make sure everybody knows the plays, I try to be very talkative because that’s something that I lack at,” Legette said. “I don’t really talk a lot to most of the players about being efficient on the field, but I try to talk a lot more this year.”
Regardless of who actually ends up playing this year, Brown feels that anyone in the receiver room will be able to make an impact for the Gamecocks.
“Everybody has shown something during the spring and fall and I just think that, you know, that receiver room is going to be a huge, huge surprise for everyone this year,” Brown said.
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