South Carolina lands in CBS Sports Top 25 poll

With fall camp in full swing and the start of football season mere weeks away, various outlets and pundits have started releasing their official preseason Top 25 rankings. The South Carolina Gamecocks have made at least one such list, checking in at No. 22 in CBS Sports’ poll.

Here’s what Chip Patterson noted about the Gamecocks, who are new to the organization’s Top 25:

Any early movement in the rankings for the Gamecocks will be determined early by a Week 2 meeting with Georgia.

Well, hard to argue with that. CBS currently has Clemson (No. 2), Georgia (No. 3), and Florida (No. 25) as the only ranked opponents the Gamecocks will face. (And yes, I am side-eyeing the inclusion of the Gators.)

Also making a preseason media list is star receiver/kick returner Deebo Samuel, who is the 47th-best player in the country according to ESPN’s 50 Best Players in College Football.

Injuries cut Samuel’s 2017 season short, but according to coach Will Muschamp, he was one of the most explosive players in college football when healthy. A true all-purpose player, he can catch passes, rush the football and make a difference in the return game. In only three games last season, he scored six touchdowns.

Samuel is also rated as the top senior wide receiver prospect by NFL draft expert Mel Kiper.