Corner Darius Rush is one of the greatest stories regarding on-field development in recent memory for South Carolina.
He was a prospect who played quarterback in high school and was moved to the wide receiver position as soon as he arrived in Columbia, only to move to defensive back in the middle of his redshirt freshman season.
Rush became a starter in 2021 and, through his persistence and the coaching of Torrian Gray, became one of the best defensive backs on the team, showing flashes of being a dominant man coverage corner.
Rush could have returned but decided he was ready for the next step in his football career. He announced on Thursday morning that he was declaring for the NFL draft.
Rush had alluded to this multiple times leading into the decision, with an Instagram post regarding the emotions of the Gamecocks’ final home game in 2022 and by accepting an invitation to the Reese’s Senior Bowl earlier this week.
In terms of whether or not Rush is playing in the Gator Bowl, Wes Mitchell of GamecockCentral reported that Rush would be opting out to recover from a hamstring injury that plagued him during the 2022 season.
The Gamecocks will now rely on multiple backups to step up at cornerback alongside Marcellas Dial in what many consider a crucial game against a nationally recognized program in Notre Dame.
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