NFL Draft: South Carolina Gamecocks first-round picks, 2000-present
By Sydney Hunte
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
2000: John Abraham (13th, New York Jets)
Entering his 15th season in the league in 2014, Abraham has had the most durable and successful career out of all the Gamecocks’ first round picks over the past 14 years. With 11.5 sacks in his first season with the Cardinals after signing a two year deal before the 2013 season, he’s the league’s active leader in that category (133.5) and ranks 9th overall. With the six players ahead of him on the list in the Hall of Fame, and a seventh, Jason Taylor (who is eligible in 2017), all but a shoo-in to make it, Abraham is pretty much a sure bet (Sterling Sharpe notwithstanding) to become the first Gamecock to be enshrined in Canton.