After a college career that saw him become the winnngest quarterback in Gamecock history, Connor Shaw was not chosen in the 2014 NFL draft.
Although not totally unexpected, some Gamecock fans did not understand why a proven winner in the nation’s toughest football conference was not worthy of a draft pick. However, Shaw’s undrafted free agent deal with the Cleveland Browns might have been best for him, especially when looking at South Carolina’s quarterback history in the NFL.
Although not totally unexpected, some Gamecock fans did not understand why a proven winner in the nation’s toughest football conference was not worthy of a draft pick.
The Gamecocks have only had two quarterbacks drafted in school history: Jeff Grantz, who went to the Miami Dolphins in the 17th round in 1976; and Todd Ellis, who was selected by the Denver Broncos in the ninth round of the 1990 draft. Neither Grantz nor Ellis played a snap in a regular season game.
In fact, the only Gamecock quarterbacks to ever receive playing time in the NFL were all undrafted.
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Bill Troup spent five years in the NFL and started 11 games for the Baltimore Colts in 1978, compiling a 3-8 record as a starter. Mike Fair spent the 1968 season with the San Diego Chargers, although the team moved him to halfback.
In fact, South Carolina’s most successful NFL quarterback was in Columbia during some of the Gamecocks’ worst years.
Anthony Wright started 19 games for four teams in six seasons. Wright replaced Quincy Carter for the Dallas Cowboys in 2001, but a knee injury cost him the rest of the season. Wright’s best year came in 2003 with the Baltimore Ravens. After taking over for an injured Kyle Boller, Wright compiled a 5-2 record as a starter. In just his second start of the year, Wright threw for 319 yards and four touchdowns as the Ravens erased a 17-point fourth quarter deficit in a 44-41 overtime win over the Seahawks. Wright also went on to earn a Super Bowl ring with the New York Giants in 2007.
If Shaw spends six years in the NFL, starts some games and leads him teams to victories, it would be hard to consider his career anything but a success.
Whether he was drafted or not.