NFL Network’s Ben Fennell once described Georgia State offensive lineman Shamarious Gilmore as potentially the most experienced college player he’s ever studied, and that shows on Gilmore’s tape.
Starting along the Panthers’ offensive line as a redshirt freshman at left guard in 2017, Gilmore amassed a whopping 4,165 snaps at the collegiate level. A two-time first-team All-Sun Belt lineman and a team captain in his final two seasons with the program, he proved himself to be one of the most reliable linemen at the Group of 5 level.
Draft Wire had the chance to speak exclusively with Gilmore about his role as a team leader, his relationship with his head coach, growing up with 13 siblings, and much more.
JI: You have an impressive resume, with two first-team All-Sun Belt appearances and five seasons as a starter. What do those accomplishments mean to you?
SG: When I first received those awards, I thanked my coaches and my teammates, because it wouldn’t be possible without them. I thanked my support staff of my family, friends and loved ones that they just supported me throughout this, my whole collegiate journey. I was just very thankful.
JI: You have two seasons as a team captain under your belt. How do you feel you’ve grown as a leader from last year to this year?
SG: I feel like it was a complete step [up] from last year to this year. I feel like my freshman year, I was starting early in college. I was more of a doer, like, “Follow my lead, I’m gonna show you how to do it.” I had to come out of that closed shell and become more of a vocal leader. I felt like I was responding well to the challenge of becoming more of a vocal leader, and I feel like my team needed that, to become more vocal. I felt like I took on the challenge well and responded well.
JI: How has your experience as a starter helped your game?
SG: I feel like it’s been the major point of my development. The best way to practice football and get better at it is actually playing, so just being on the field and actually being able to do that with all those groups of guys and all those guys beside me was not just getting better: it was just having fun, you know, remembering that this is a game.
JI: You grew up with 13 siblings. How did that environment help mold you as a person?
SG: I’m from Atlanta; there’s a lot of things to do in Atlanta. I think my siblings, every time I talked to them, they kept me out of trouble. Even though it’s 13 of us, there’s some time between me and my sister right in front of me and the sister right behind me. I kind of grew up with a lot of friends. It was just that, keeping me out of trouble.
JI: I wanna revisit you bear hugging head coach Shawn Elliott for that Powerade bath after you guys won the Camellia Bowl. What was going through your mind leading up to that, and how did Elliott react to it?
SG: He loved it (laughs). Those guys, those are my brothers. The o-linemen, we’re all brothers. He was sitting right there, and they were like, “You know you’re gonna get it, right?” around the third quarter. I was like, “Yeah, I know.” They were like, “We have to get Elliott’. And I was like, “Oh, for sure. I’m gonna get him, imma get him. Let me go out on top,” because they had gotten me last year in the bowl game. So I was like, “Okay, I’m gonna get him,” and then I was like, “You know what, hang on, let him run. I’m going to thank him,” because my first year started was his first year at Georgia State, so it was more than just the [Powerade] bath to me, man. It was just a testimony to what we’ve done together, how we’ve grown together, and know the love that’s just there between player and coach.
JI: How would you say your relationship with Coach Elliott has developed over the years?
SG: Our relationship is great. My first weekend training, I was in the College Gridiron Showcase, I had to go down there and get my pads and sat his office. We talked for like 30 minutes to an hour, just on the old times, how we had moved facilities and things like that. That’s how we used to be, and then we came to having no bowl rings to having three bowl trophies now.
JI: Which offensive linemen have you grown up idolizing?
SG: When I was in high school, you know, I was getting more honed into in-depth watching NFL football because I was like, “Okay, that’s what my coach is telling me about,” so a player that I always used to watch – and he’s still playing today – Tyron Smith. I was a left tackle, so I used to try to, you know, do some things like him. That man, he’s an amazing athlete as an offensive lineman. Right now, I’ve been looking at a lot of Jason Kelce film, some Alex Mack. I am a guard, so I get biased with Quenton Nelson, too.
JI: How do you like to spend your free time outside of football?
SG: I’m really a chill guy. Everybody thinks I’m just you know, the party [guy], but no, I just be chillin’. I’ll be chilling with my friends, my family, my friends when I get some free time. I like cars, so I got a [Dodge] Challenger. My first car is a Challenger and my second car is a Challenger, so I’m living that coupe life. I wanted the two door, so I’m playing the game, I ain’t gonna lie. I do like to cook now. I feel like offensive linemen are the best chefs; you throw me on that grill, it’ll get hectic now.
JI: Every offensive linemen I know is a great chef. What kind of stuff do you like to grill?
SG: I think I’m gonna get me a steak on the grill today. [I grill] anything, all types of steaks. My friend had bought a smoker, so he’s been chicken, roasts, things like that. He’s just been going at it.
JI: Let’s say I’m an NFL general manager. What would I be getting if I drafted you to my team?
SG: I feel like you’ll be getting all-around guy, from on the field to no off-the-field issues to a great personality, man. I feel like I light up every room I walk into. You get a feel for the room and then start lighting it up. I feel like I’m a great player on the field. I feel like I’m a durable player. Physical, nasty. I finish. Pass game, lockouts. I feel like I’m just a great overall, all-around player. You’re not bringing a bad seed into your organization. I feel like you’re bringing in a great player and a great person.
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