COLUMBIA, S.C. — Five Gamecocks earned spots on the preseason All-SEC teams as selected by the league’s 14 head coaches, the conference office announced today.
Redshirt junior defensive back Cam Smith led the way as the Gamecocks’ lone first team selection. The 6-0, 188-pounder from Blythewood, S.C., earned second-team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press a year ago after leading the team with 14 passes defended, including three interceptions and 11 pass breakups. He allowed multiple catches in just two of 11 games played and only 15 catches on 32 targets throughout the season. He has been listed on multiple pre-season All-SEC and All-America teams and numerous watch lists this summer, including A.P. second-team All-America, the Jim Thorpe Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Chuck Bednarik watch lists.
Defensive tackle Zacch Pickens was named to the second-team unit. The 6-4, 305-pound senior from Anderson, S.C., has appeared in 35 games over the past three seasons with 20 starts. He logged 38 tackles including four sacks a year ago. A member of the 2019 SEC Coaches’ All-Freshman team and a regular on the SEC Academic Honor Roll, Pickens shared 2022 Rex Enright Defensive Player of the Spring honors with defensive back Cam Smith.
Wide receiver Josh Vann, tight end Jaheim Bell and defensive lineman Jordan Burch earned spots on the third-team unit.
Vann, a 5-11, 192-pound “Super Senior” from Tucker, Ga., was the Steve Spurrier Award winner as the team’s offensive MVP in 2021. He caught 43 passes for 679 yards with five touchdowns. He enters the 2022 season with 90 career receptions, tying for 25th on the school’s all-time list.
Bell, a 6-3, 232-pound junior from Lake City, Fla., burst onto the national scene with a record-setting Duke’s Mayo bowl performance against North Carolina when he caught five passes for a career-high 159 yards and two touchdowns, earning a spot on the Associated Press’ All-Bowl Team. He finished the 2021 season with 30 receptions for 497 yards and five scores.
Burch, a 6-6, 275-pounder from Columbia, S.C., has appeared in 21 games over the past two seasons. The former five-star prospect logged 26 tackles a season ago and returned an interception 61-yards for a touchdown.
The Gamecocks open the 2022 season at home on Saturday, Sept. 3, when they host Georgia State at 7:30 pm at Williams-Brice Stadium.