South Carolina Football’s GOAT Series: Top-12 greatest defensive tackles of all-time
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina Football’s No. 7 Defensive Tackle of All-Time:
Travian Robertson
Seemingly as strong as an ox, Travian Robertson (2007-2011) was an important piece on some of the best defensive line units in school history. He was a master of body leverage, able to get himself up under the pads of opposing offensive linemen to clog running lanes. Robertson was adept at “getting a paw on” a runner. After standing up his blocker and causing a ball carrier to try to run around him, Robertson would reach out with his big paw and just latch onto the man with the football and yank him down to the ground.
Robertson was a Freshman All-American in 2007 and had a good 2008 before a medical redshirt was needed in ’09. He bounced back in a big way in 2010 as he anchored the middle of a defensive line that caused havoc for opposing offenses. 2011 was his finest season, and he was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons because of it. During his Gamecock career, Robertson opened up pass rush lanes for teammates so effectively that 5 of the top-8 career sack leaders in Gamecock history played next to him (Eric Norwood, Jadeveon Clowney, Melvin Ingram, Devin Taylor, Cliff Matthews.)