South Carolina Football’s GOAT Series: Top-10 Greatest Offensive Linemen of All-Time
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina Football’s No. 3 Offensive Lineman of All-Time:
G/T Del Wilkes
The late Del Wilkes, aka "The Patriot" is one of eight Gamecock inductees headed into South Carolina's Athletics Hall of Fame pic.twitter.com/EjwSlg365B
— Mike Uva (@Mike_Uva) May 6, 2022
Del Wilkes (1980-1984) led an unusual career at South Carolina. After bouncing in and out of the starting lineup for two seasons as a guard and tackle, Wilkes quit the team. When Head Coach Joe Morrison joined the Gamecocks, Wilkes returned to the team. He became a captain and team MVP in the famous “Black Magic” season of 1984.
That season, he became the only Gamecock offensive lineman (and the first of four players regardless of position) to be a consensus All-American at USC. After his playing career, he was a professional wrestler in the WWF, WWE, and WCW, where he wrestled as “The Trooper” and “The Patriot.” He was posthumously inducted into the South Carolina Gamecocks Athletics Hall of Fame.