April 29, 2003

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina will see 11 of its former football players begin their pursuit of a National Football League career in 2003. Three Gamecocks were drafted over the weekend while eight additional players signed with teams as rookie free agents.

Defensive tackle Langston Moore was the first USC player to have his name called in the NFL Draft. The Cincinnati Bengals selected the Charleston, S.C., native in the sixth-round with the 174th pick overall. Moore started all 12 games in 2002, leading the Gamecocks with 9.5 tackles for loss while registering 60 total stops and three sacks in his senior campaign.

Corey Jenkins was also chosen in the sixth round as the Miami Dolphins selected the Columbia native with the 181st pick of the draft. Jenkins, who began the 2002 season as USC’s starting quarterback for the first ten games, finished his senior season at free safety, making 10 tackles and recording two forced fumbles in two starts.

Running back Andrew Pinnock rounded out the trio of Carolina draftees as the San Diego Chargers selected him in the seventh round, 229th overall. The Bloomfield, Conn., native totaled 563 rushing yards and five touchdowns last season for the Gamecocks.

Eight former USC players signed as free agents, including a pair of players with both the Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys. Defensive end Dennis Quinn (Washington, Ga.) and offensive lineman Watts Sanderson (Tampa, Fla.) will head to the Cardinals camp while safety Jonathan Martin (Columbia) and defensive lineman Shaun Smith (Brooklyn, N.Y.) are on their way to Dallas.

Rounding out those inked as free agents are wide receiver James Adkisson (St. Louis, Mo.) with the Bengals, running back/wide receiver Ryan Brewer (Troy, Ohio) with the Ravens, safety Rashad Faison with the Steelers and offensive lineman Shane Hall with the Seahawks.

The group of former Gamecocks will begin work in the NFL at their respective teams spring mini-camps over the next few weeks.