Tonight could be showcase game for Jevan Snead, Eric Norwood

Tonight against South Carolina begins the quest of Jevan Snead to show that his early season struggles have been an aberration.

Against Memphis to start the season, Snead was clearly trying to hard to make plays. He often over-threw his receivers, even in the face of minimal pressure. His second game was against Southeastern Louisiana, a useless game for talent evaluators.

Tonight, Snead will face a solid pass rush, led by South Carolina’s Eric Norwood. A converted defensive end, Norwood has seemed to always be near the ball so far this season.

A good showing and Snead will re-affirm his lofty NFL stock and maybe quiet those Jake Locker fans who have come out of nowhere. If Snead has a poor game, it should say just as much positively about Norwood.

That might be the top matchup, but those aren’t the only two players to observe tonight. Here are a few more:

South Carolina:

- Jarriel King, OT, 6’5, 312 pounds (No. 76)
He’s an athletic lineman with good reach. He quickly steps out of his stance and redirects blitzers really well.

- Weslye Saunders, TE, 6’5, 280 pounds (No. 88)
A plus-sized receiving target, Saunders has good enough athleticism to get separation from linebackers. He had a great game against Georgia. Solid as a tight end.

Mississippi

- Dexter McCluster, WR, 5’8, 168 pounds (No. 22)
A shifty receiver who runs the Mississippi Wild Rebel formation, McCluster is best in the open field.

- John Jerry, OT/OG, 6’5, 348 pounds (No. 77)
The big man will move to guard as a pro and clearly needs to. He’s a massive player who can engulf defenders.

- Greg Hardy, DE, 6’4, 265 pounds (No. 86)
Arguably the best defensive end in the nation, Hardy has a great burst off the line. He can really close fast, but he’s had issues in the past about his effort.

- Jerrell Powe, DT, 6’2, 330 pounds (No. 57)
Powe was a disruptive force against Memphis and routinely split double teams. The junior has some stamina issues but is good in short bursts. Tonight he can truly prove he’s becoming a top player.

- Patrick Trahan, 6’3, 228 pounds (No. 7)
Trahan has displayed great athleticism for the Rebels. He’s great in space when he can move around and not get caught up in the trash.