The Final Cockdown: #7, Shon Carson

Shon Carson

RS Senior
Tailback
5-8 / 206
Scranton, SC (Lake City High School)

Recruitment
A three-star recruit, Carson received interest from South Carolina, North Carolina, Clemson and Miami and decided to head for the SEC, enrolling as a Gamecock in 2011.

College Career
Carson battled a slew of injuries in his first two seasons in Columbia, suffering from a torn ACL early in the 2011 season, a wrist injury in 2012 that saw him miss action for the entire regular season, and another knee injury that forced him to miss spring drills. 2013 brought better fortune as he was able to contribute to the Gamecocks running game the entire season, finishing the season third on the team with 256 rushing yards on 61 carries. While Carson's back field production took a dip in 2014 with the arrival of David Williams and a healthy Brandon Wilds, he did handle kick-off return duties for the entire season.

2015 Outlook
Carson seems to be the likely favorite to handle kick-off returns for the special teams in 2015 and will probably earn an increased role in the running game behind Williams and Wilds as the third back. The Gamecocks have been known to use a rotating force of backs to sustain production on the ground, so don't be surprised if Carson has a career year for the Gamecocks in the back field, even as the third guy up.

Fun Fact
Carson's speed and athleticism allowed him to excel in more than just football as a prep star. As a high school senior he was selected in the 44th round of the MLB draft by the Reds. Any guess as to what position he might've played?