South Carolina Gamecocks football 2014 roster preview: No. 1, Rico McWilliams

Rico McWilliams
RS sophomore cornerback
5'11'' / 184 lbs
Hampton, GA

Recruitment:
Rico McWilliams was a consensus three-star recruit and the nation's 51st-ranked cornerback. He chose Carolina over many other offers.

College career:
McWilliams showed a great deal of promise out of the gate by impressing the coaches as a true freshman in 2012, but he suffered a knee injury in practice that fall that has hindered his ability to stay on track. McWilliams rehabbed his knee in spring 2013 and earned regular playing time last fall, but he was unable to show his full potential due to the lingering effects of the injury.

2014 outlook:
The hope was that a rejuvenated McWilliams would soften Carolina's losses at corner, but heading into the opener, he's been beaten out for starting spots by former safety Brison Williams and true freshman Al Harris. McWilliams should see the field regularly as a backup and as a nickelback, although there he'll be competing with highly touted freshmen Chris Lammons and Wesley Green.