CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – Many players who will take part in Super Bowl LX on Sunday have connections to the Carolinas.
Some are from either North Carolina or South Carolina. Others went to colleges in the two states. Then a couple more are former Panthers players.
Both of the starting quarterbacks — the Seahawks’ Sam Darnold and the Patriots’ Drake Maye — have glaring connections. Darnold was the Panthers’ quarterback for two seasons, while Maye grew up in the Charlotte area and starred at UNC.
Plenty more players with connections to the Carolinas, though, will also suit up and deserve to have their names mentioned.
Below are lists of players who are from the Carolinas, played collegiately there, or are former Panthers.
Within the lists, players will either a green or red circle next to their names. Players with green circles play for the Seahawks. Players with red circles play for the Patriots.
Kickoff for this year’s Super Bowl is set for 6:30 p.m. EST from Levi’s Stadium in California. The game will be broadcast on NBC.
From the Carolinas:
🟢S Nick Emmanwori (Irmo, S.C. — Irmo High School)
🟢OLB DeMarcus Lawrence (Aiken, S.C. — Silver Bluff High School)
🟢FB Robbie Ouzts (Rock Hill, S.C. — Rock Hill High School)
🟢DT Jarran Reed (Goldsboro, N.C. — Goldsboro High School)
🟢LB Chazz Surratt (Denver, N.C. — East Lincoln High School)
🟢LB Drake Thomas (Raleigh, N.C. — Heritage High School)
🟢WR Dareke Young (Raleigh, N.C. — Middle Creek High School)
🔴C Garrett Bradbury (Charlotte, N.C. — Charlotte Christian School)
🔴DB Marcellas Dial (Woodruff, S.C. — Woodruff High School)
🔴OLB Harold Landry (Spring Lake, N.C. — Pine Forest High School)
🔴QB Drake Maye (Huntersville, N.C. — Hough, Myers Park high schools)
🔴C Jared Wilson (Winston-Salem, N.C. West Forsyth High School)
Went to college in the Carolinas:
🟢S Nick Emmanwori (University of South Carolina)
🟢LB Ernest Jones IV (University of South Carolina)
🟢LB Chazz Surratt (University of North Carolina)
🟢LB Drake Thomas (NC State)
🟢RB Kenneth Walker III (Wake Forest — transferred)
🟢WR Dareke Young (Lenoir-Rhyne University)
🔴LS Julian Ashby (Furman University — transferred)
🔴C Garrett Bradbury (NC State)
🔴DB Marcellas Dial (University of South Carolina)
🔴DT Cory Durden (NC State)
🔴WR Mack Hollins (University of North Carolina)
🔴QB Drake Maye (University of North Carolina)
Played for the Panthers:
🟢QB Sam Darnold (2021-2022)
🔴OLB K’Lavon Chaisson (2024 preseason)
Quarterbacks Drake Maye (left) and Sam Darnold (right) both have connections to the Carolinas.(AP photos)Click here for more sports coverage
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