Although the state’s professional American Football team will not be playing in the Super Bowl, there are a number of players with ties to North and South Carolina that will be playing in the showpiece on Sunday 13 February 2022.
The Carolina Panthers may have to sit at home and watch the game like the rest of us by the use of a TV, whilst some will be able to place a sports bet on the game, too. Those in South Carolina are unable to place a legal wager at the moment, but those in North Carolina can look to head to a reputable operator or those that are a little more like these sites in order to enhance the overall viewing.
Of course, there might not be many within the two states that will be cheering on the Cincinnati Bengals or the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, however when you consider that there are a couple of players competing in California on the day that hail from the state, maybe getting behind them is the next best thing that we can do?
There are a total of six players who could hit the gridiron in the Super Bowl on Sunday, with five of them all turning out for Cincinnati. Let’s take a look at each of the players who could appear:
Cincinnati Bengals
Larry Ogunjobi
Defensive Lineman Larry Ogunjobi will represent Greensboro and even played his college football whilst at UNC Charlotte between the years 2012 and 2016. In 2017, he was eventually drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 3rd round as the 65th overall pick.
He will play in the Super Bowl in his first year as a Bengal after having an astounding year.
DJ Reader
Another Defensive Lineman for the Bengals, DJ Reader also hails from Greensboro after attending Grimsley High School before making his way to Clemson in 2012.
In 2016, he was selected by the Houston Texans in the 5th round, being taken as the 166th overall pick, and is in his second year in Ohio.
Germaine Pratt
Linebacker Germaine Pratt heralds from High Point and played his college football at NC State University between 2014 and 2018 before being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals as the 72nd overall pick in the 3rd round of the 2019 draft.
BJ Hill
The Bengals appear to like a defensive lineman from North and South Carolina, as BJ Hill is the third from the region to be on the team’s roster and potentially making an appearance at the upcoming Super Bowl.
Hill was born in Oakboro in North Carolina and played his college football at NC State alongside Germaine Pratt between 2014 and 2017. He was then taken in the 2018 NFL draft by the New York Giants in the 3rd round as the 69th overall pick.
D’Ante Smith
Offensive Tackle, D’Ante Smith played for the East Carolina University between 2016 and 2020 before being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021 in the 4th round as the 139th overall pick.
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams have one player who will represent Carolina, however it is unlikely he will see a snap as he is the backup quarterback.
John Wolford played at Wake Forest University between 2014 and 2017 before being signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2018.