Marcellas Rashard Dial Jr. (born December 6, 2000) is an American professional football cornerback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia Military College and for the South Carolina Gamecocks.
 | |
| No. 27 – New England Patriots | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Cornerback |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | December 6, 2000 Woodruff, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight: | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Woodruff (Woodruff, South Carolina) |
| College: | Georgia Military (2019–2020) South Carolina (2021–2023) |
| NFL draft: | 2024 / round: 6 / pick: 180 |
| Career history | |
| |
| Roster status: | Active |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Early life
editDial was born on December 6, 2000, and grew up in Woodruff, South Carolina.[1] He attended Woodruff High School but received little attention to play college football, ultimately signing with Georgia Military College.[2]
College career
editAs a freshman at Georgia Military in 2019, Dial totaled 10 tackles, one fumble recovery and an interception.[3] The 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Dial transferred to the South Carolina Gamecocks for the 2021 season.[4][5][6] He had been ranked by 247Sports as the 51st-best junior college recruit nationally and the seventh-best cornerback.[7]
In his first year at South Carolina, Dial became a starter and appeared in 13 games, starting seven while posting 33 tackles, six pass deflections and a forced fumble.[8] In 2022, he played 13 games, starting 10, and had 45 tackles while leading the team with 12 pass breakups and three interceptions.[9][10] He returned for a final season in 2023 and had 36 tackles and 10 pass breakups.[1] Dial was invited to participate at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.[11]
Professional career
edit| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 11+3⁄4 in (1.82 m) |
190 lb (86 kg) |
32 in (0.81 m) |
8+7⁄8 in (0.23 m) |
4.46 s | 1.55 s | 2.61 s | 4.44 s | 7.29 s | 40.5 in (1.03 m) |
10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) |
16 reps | |
| All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[12][13][14] | ||||||||||||
Dial was selected with the 180th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft by the New England Patriots.[15] Dial signed his rookie contract with the Patriots on May 10, 2024.[16]
References
edit- ^ a b "Marcellas Dial". South Carolina Gamecocks. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ Mitchell, Garrett (January 5, 2021). "Former Woodruff Football Star Fulfills Dream of Playing for Gamecocks". The Woodruff Times. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ Kornblut, Phil (March 25, 2020). "Gamecocks add junior college transfer". The Index-Journal. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Boynton, Eric (April 15, 2021). "Former Woodruff football star Marcellas Dial could start right away for South Carolina". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ Stone, Augusta (August 31, 2021). "South Carolina's retooled secondary taking shape. JUCO transfer could play key role". The State. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ Cloninger, David (August 29, 2021). "Marcellas Dial steps into cornerback void left by Smith injury, Prunty transfer". Post and Courier. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ Barnes, Micah (October 13, 2023). "The rundown: Key players for Mizzou and South Carolina". Columbia Missourian. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ Macheca, Joe (December 25, 2022). "Marcellas Dial embracing the role of primary Cornerback for South Carolina". On3.com. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ Bezjak, Lou (April 4, 2023). "South Carolina without veteran defensive starter at latest spring football practice". The State. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
- ^ Griffin, Joseph (August 15, 2023). "How Marcellas Dial Can Fill The Void At Cornerback". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
- ^ McGranahan, Hale (March 1, 2024). "Dial putting together solid day at NFL Combine". 247Sports. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
- ^ "Marcellas Dial Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
- ^ "2024 NFL Draft Scout Marcellas Dial College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
- ^ "2024 South Carolina Pro Day Results" (PDF). GameCocksOnline.com. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
- ^ Buchmasser, Bernd (April 27, 2024). "Patriots draft Marcellas Dial, CB, South Carolina with the 180th pick in Round 6". Pats Pulpit. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
- ^ "Patriots Sign Three of Their Eight 2024 Draft Picks and Sign Nine Rookie Free Agents". Patriots.com. May 10, 2024. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
