South Carolina Football’s GOAT Series: Top-12 defensive ends/EDGE players of all-time

South Carolina Football’s No. 3 EDGE Player of All-Time:
Melvin Ingram

Melvin Ingram (2007-2011) was a freak. Moved all over during his career, he began as a linebacker, moved to defensive end, then to defensive tackle, then back to end, then back to tackle, and, sometime in there, he also practiced at fullback. Thankfully, the Gamecock coaching staff saw his abilities as a pass rusher and focused his efforts there for most of his career.

Ingram didn’t become a regular contributor until 2010. The redshirt junior brought down 9 quarterbacks and had 11 more tackles for loss as a rotational utility defensive lineman. In 2011, Jadeveon Clowney arrived on campus, and Ingram was poised to not start again, but he was just too good at practice to keep on the bench. Ingram played lots of defensive tackle and defensive end as a senior and put together one of the best defensive line seasons in SEC history.

11 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries for touchdowns, and one ridiculous fake punt (linked above) highlighted his consensus All-American senior season. Despite only starting for one season and being yanked all over the defense, Ingram ranks 4th in career sacks and 7th in career tackles for loss. He was picked in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft, became a Pro Bowler, and is still in the League today.