South Carolina Football: All-Decade Team
By Jacob Elsey
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Jadeveon Clowney was an All-American and Heisman finalist, recording a school best 13 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss as a sophomore. He was selected first overall in the 2014 NFL draft.
Kelcy Quarles earned All-America honors as a junior, tallying 9.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. He finished his three-year career with 105 tackles and 13 sacks.
Javon Kinlaw was another All-America selection that lined up along the Carolina front four. Kinlaw led the team in sacks as a senior before being chosen 14th overall in the 2020 draft.
Melvin Ingram played tackle, end, and even a little linebacker over his four years in Columbia. He provided one of the greatest seasons in Carolina history from a defensive standpoint, recording 48 tackles, 10 sacks, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. Ingram was a first-round pick in 2012.
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Skai Moore led the Gamecock defense in tackles each of his four years on campus, and holds a share of the school-record in interceptions, picking off 14 passes between 2013-2017. He tallied more than 350 tackles throughout his career.
Shaq Wilson twice led the Gamecocks in tackles, and logging nearly 250 takedowns over his career, leading top 15 defenses in 2011 and 2012.
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Stephon Gilmore was a starter the moment he stepped on campus, going on to record 181 tackles and eight interceptions over his three seasons in Columbia. Selected 10th overall in the 2012 draft, he’s the NFL’s reigning defensive player of the year.
DJ Swearinger was the hype man in the back of the Carolina secondary from 2009-2012. Always a fan favorite, the Greenwood native tallied 244 tackles, six interceptions, and three touchdowns.
DeVonte Holloman played both safety and spur on the Gamecock defense, logging over 200 takedowns and seven interceptions. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2013 draft.
Antonio Allen played as a hybrid linebacker/safety for the Gamecocks, breaking out as a junior in 2012. Over his final two seasons in Columbia, Allen recorded 158 tackles, four interceptions, and three touchdowns.
Rashad Fenton picked off five passes between 2015 and 2018, while also returning 26 kickoffs, one of which was returned for a touchdown. He is now a Super Bowl champion as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.