South Carolina Football: Predicting the Depth Chart Heading into Fall Camp

South Carolina is coming off arguably the best season in the program's history, winning 11 games and falling just short of a SEC Championship berth. Head coach Steve Spurrier is beginning to believe he has found his magic again and can possibly coach the Gamecocks to a national championship sooner than later.

This year's squad returns 13 starters, including seven on offense, and should get a healthy Marcus Lattimore back. The defense should remain one of the best in all of college football, making this an extremely dangerous team heading into the regular season. 

With the 2012 season just weeks away, here is what the South Carolina Gamecocks' depth chart should look like.

Quarterback

Starter: Connor Shaw, Junior

Backup: Dylan Thompson, Sophomore

Despite being thrown into the fire in the middle of the season, Shaw did a solid job leading the Gamecocks. He threw for over 1,400 yards, rushed for 500 and scored 21 total touchdowns. Now with a full offseason to work, Shaw will likely emerge as one of the better quarterbacks in this conference.

Running Back

Starter: Marcus Lattimore, Junior

Backup: Kenny Miles, Senior

Lattimore should be recovered from the injury that cut his season short last year. When healthy, Lattimore is one of the top backs in the game, rushing for over 2,000 yards and scoring 30 total touchdowns in just one-and-a-half seasons. Once he is back on the field, the Gamecocks' offense will be become a lot more respectable.

Receivers

Starter: Ace Sanders, Junior

Backup: Bruce Ellington, Sophomore

Sanders isn't the biggest receiver on the team at 5'7", 175 pounds, but he brings a ton of speed and athleticism to the party. He has caught at least 20 passes the last two seasons and should have an even better junior year.

Starter: D.L. Moore, Senior

Backup: Shaq Roland, Freshman

Roland will certainly push for the starting job, but Moore is the more experienced player, who should see the field quite a bit as well. He has 32 catches for four touchdowns throughout his three-year career.

Starter: DeAngelo Smith, Junior

Backup: Damiere Byrd, Sophomore

Smith played in eight games last season but didn't exactly produce much. With this position lacking, he will earn plenty of opportunities to make a name for himself his junior year. 

Starter: Justice Cunningham, Senior

Backup: Drew Owens, Freshman

Cunningham caught 18 passes last season for 142 yards. At 6'3", he is a big target, who will likely be involved a lot more in this offense his senior season.

Offensive Line

Left Tackle

Starter: Brandon Shell, Freshman

Backup: Corey Robinson, Sophomore

Shell will be counted on to play the most important position on the offensive line. He is a former 5-star recruit who has good footwork and is excellent in pass protection.

Left Guard

Starter: A.J. Cann, Sophomore

Backup: Kenny Davis, Senior

Cann started every game at left guard last season for the Gamecocks and earned first-team freshman All-American honors from CBSsports.com. He is also considered a top 150 player in the SEC by Bleacher Report.

Center

Starter: T.J. Johnson, Senior

Backup: Kyle Harris, Freshman

Johnson has started the last two years at the center position, making him the most experienced player on this offensive line. He was a third-team All-SEC selection last season.

Right Guard

Starter: Ronald Patrick, Junior

Backup: Kaleb Broome, Senior

Patrick is capable of playing multiple positions on the offensive line but had to deal with injuries last season. He is fully healthy heading into the fall and should be considered the starting right guard for this South Carolina team.

Right Tackle

Starter: Mike Matulis, Sophomore

Backup: Cody Gibson, Sophomore

Matulis saw inconsistent minutes last season but still picked up five starts in his true-freshman season. Those starts will come in handy considering he will likely be thrown into the starting lineup. Much like Cann, Matulis is also considered a top 150 player in the SEC by Bleacher Report.

Defensive Line

Starter: Devin Taylor, Senior

Backup: Chaz Sutton, Junior

Taylor has played in 39 games throughout his career, including starting 13 games at defensive end last season, and being an All-SEC honorable mention. The senior will remain in his starting role.

Starter: Byron Jerideau, Senior

Backup: J.T. Surratt, Sophomore

Jerideau brings experience to the table being a fifth-year senior. He has played in most games since 2009 and adds a ton of strength in the middle of this talented defensive line.

Starter: Kelcy Quarles, Sophomore

Backup: Gerald Dixon Jr, Freshman

Quarles played in 12 games as a true freshman, racking up 28 tackles in limited playing time. Expect the role to increase for the athletic big man in the middle.

Starter: Jadeveon Clowney, Sophomore

Backup: Aldrick Fordham, Senior

Not many defensive linemen as talented as Clowney. The former 5-star recruit finished the season with 36 tackles and eight sacks. With a year under his belt, the sky is truly the limit for this young man.

Linebackers

Starter: DeVonte Holloman, Senior

Backup: Sharrod Golightly, Sophomore

Holloman is one of the leaders on this defense, who will switch from the strong safety position to linebacker. He finished fifth on the team last season with 51 tackles.

Starter: Shaq Wilson, Senior

Backup: Reginald Bowens, Senior

Wilson bounced back from injury in the 2010 season, playing in every game last year and finishing fourth on the team with 52 tackles. The fifth-year senior will likely stay at the middle linebacker position.

Starter: Damario Jeffery, Senior

Backup: Quin Smith, Senior

Jefferey will finally have the opportunity to start full-time for the Gamecocks, after playing in 37 games throughout his career. He has been a key contributor on special teams.

Defensive Backs

Cornerback

Starter: Victor Hampton, Sophomore

Backup: Cadarious Sanders, Sophomore

Hampton is a physical player who will give it his all on every single play. He played in 10 games last season and will likely end up in the starting role after recently being reinstated with the team.

Safety

Starter: Brison Williams, Sophomore

Backup: Kadetrix Marcus, Sophomore

Williams’s true-freshman season got off to a slow start after breaking his arm last year. Still, he managed to play in eight games, and the athletic player should see an expanded role in 2012.

Safety

Starter: D.J. Swearinger, Senior

Backup: Sheldon Royster, Freshman 

Swearinger finished second on the team in tackles with 80 and also intercepted three passes. He is one of the main leaders on this football team.

Cornerback

Starter: Akeem Auguste, Senior

Backup: Jimmy Legree, Junior

Auguste had to deal with injuries throughout the 2011 season, but the fifth-year senior should be ready to go in 2012. He has played in 36 games and is considered a top 100 player in the SEC by Bleacher Report.

Specialists

Kicker

Starter: Landon Ard, Freshman

Backup: Adam Yates, Senior

Replacing Jay Wooten will continue to be a battle in South Carolina. Neither kicker has much experience playing for the Gamecocks, which will also open the door for true-freshman Nick St. Germain.

Punter

Starter: Mike Williamson, Junior

Backup: Patrick Fish, Sophomore

Much like the kicking position, punter is a position that remains up in the air as well. Fish could not win the starting job last season, while Williamson hasn't seen much action since punting in 2009.