South Carolina Football’s GOAT Series: Top-15 greatest safeties of all-time

Safeties are some of the most versatile players on a team’s defense, and South Carolina football has had some studs on the back end. Some Gamecock safeties excelled in defending against the pass, some were hard hitters in the run game, and some could do it all. At various times in South Carolina’s history, positions like spur, apache, and rover were used as hybrid linebackers/safeties, but they most closely resembled safeties and will be treated as such for this list.

Honorable Mentions

Brison Williams: A solid player on some of the most successful Carolina teams of all-time, Brison Williams (2011-2014) was in the shadow of fellow safeties DJ Swearinger, Devonte Holloman, and Antonio Allen early in his career but went on to a very solid career. His most famous moment in garnet and black came against Clemson in 2013 when he was the only player on the defense who properly diagnosed a double-pass and picked off said double-pass in the endzone to stop the Tigers from scoring on their opening drive, setting the tone for the Carolina victory.

Willie Offord: Willie Offord (1997-2001) bounced around between both safety spots, outside linebacker, and spur during his career. No matter where he lined up, he was a threat to knock his opponents’ teeth loose. A big hitter who played in some stacked secondaries with the Gamecocks, Offord finished his career with an All-SEC campaign in 2001 before beginning a four-year NFL career. He is now in coaching.

DJ Smith: If a kamikaze plane could be a safety, it would be DJ Smith (2014-2017). Smith was known for throwing his body around to make plays. He wasn’t big (5’11”, 195 pounds), but he was a fierce hitter and seemed to have no regard for human life—his own or his opponents’. A consummate teammate, Smith was a valued special teams contributor throughout his career, especially on the kick coverage units.

Bill Currier: A three-year starter at safety, Bill Currier (1973-1976) was a big safety who was a sure tackler. With two seasons of 100+ tackles as a junior and senior, it comes as no surprise that Currier was voted as a team captain and the team’s MVP in 1976. He went on to the NFL where he had a nine-year career.

Chris Culliver: Chris Culliver (2007-2010) was one of the highest-rated recruits to ever play at South Carolina. He was a good player, but injuries and positional changes held him back. Culliver played games at wide receiver, cornerback, nickel, and safety during his Gamecock career and was the primary kick returner anytime he was healthy. His senior season of 2010 saw Culliver selected as an All-SEC performer for his efforts at both safety and corner, despite missing some time with injury. He had a seven-year NFL career that included a start at corner in the Super Bowl.

Ron Rabune: A secondary mate of his brother Rick for part of his career, Ron Rabune (1984-1988) was the better player of the siblings. Ran Rabune didn’t see the field much outside of rotational duty until his senior year, but he was utterly dominant that season. In 1988, Rabune racked up 115 tackles and recovered three fumbles on his way to All-South Independent honors.

Joe Brooks: Joe Brooks (1983-1985) was one of two Gamecock safeties selected to the All-South Independent team in 1984 as part of the “Fire Ant” defense. Matching the year, Brooks had 84 tackles that season and also pulled down three interceptions, including a crucial pick that may have saved the game against #11 Florida State, keeping the Gamecocks’ record perfect.

Antione Nesmith: An underappreciated player, Antione Nesmith (1998-2001) began his career as a running back/fullback hybrid but moved to defense as he was behind some very talented backs on the depth chart. The move paid off for him and for the Gamecocks as Nesmith became the starter at the safety spot next to Rashad Faison. His most memorable moment as a Gamecock came in the 2001 victory over Alabama in which he blew up a Crimson Tide option play in the fourth quarter that stopped ‘Bama and gave the ball back to USC for the winning score.

Rod Wilson: Rod Wilson (2000-2004) was a quarterback turned receiver turned safety. It took several years at Carolina before he and the coaching staff both came to the realization he belonged on defense, but in 2003, Wilson became the starter. Injuries derailed that season, but he was a stud in 2004. The All-SEC safety was drafted by the Chicago Bears and had a six-year NFL career. He has since gotten into coaching (including one year on staff with the Gamecocks) and has won two Super Bowl rings with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Wally Orrell: Wally Orrell (1966-1968) was the safety counterpart to cornerback legends Bobby Bryant and Pat Watson. A smart player who was known for always being where he was supposed to be, Orrell was also incredibly consistent as evidenced by his 72 tackles in both his healthy seasons of 1966 and 1968. His 13 tackles against Tennessee in 1966 are the most ever in a Gamecock’s first start. After his senior season of 1968, the team captain was selected as an All-ACC performer.

Pat Bowen: A four-year starter and fan favorite, Pat Bowen (1978-1982) was one of the most consistent safeties to play at South Carolina. His 12 interceptions rank in the top-5 for all Gamecocks, and his 228 tackles were pretty evenly distributed across his four seasons. Bowen was also the owner of one of the best mustaches in the history of the program.

Tyler Hellams: Tyler Hellams (1967-1971) was one of the best coverage safeties to play at Carolina. His 13 interceptions are third all-time only behind Skai Moore and Bo Davies. Hellams also recorded all of his interceptions in three seasons as his 1969 campaign was cut short due to injury. He began his career as a corner but shifted over to safety as Wally Orrell graduated, and the Gamecocks were better for it as he earned All-ACC honors at his new position.

DeAndre Eiland: A three-year starter at safety before moving to corner as a senior, DeAndre Eiland (2000-2003) was a Freshman All-American in 2000. He had a very productive four-year career in garnet and black before being drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2004. He went on to a three-year NFL career as a safety.

South Carolina Football’s No. 15 Safety of All-Time:
Bo Davies

Bo Davies (1969-1971) was one of the best pass coverage safeties to play at South Carolina. His 14 career interceptions are tied for the most in school history, and his 8 picks as a junior led the ACC. After being recruited as a quarterback, he switched over to the defensive side of the football and became an important member of South Carolina’s only conference championship in 1969 when Carolina won the ACC.

After an All-ACC Gamecock career, he was drafted in the fifth round of the 1972 NFL Draft. Davies is also the father-in-law of South Carolina baseball catching legend Landon Powell, and both Davies and Powell are members of the South Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame.

South Carolina Football’s No. 14 Safety of All-Time:
Ben Washington

A model of consistency at South Carolina, Ben Washington (1994-1997) was one of the best blitzing defensive backs in Gamecock history. As a versatile freshman, he tabbed six sacks, the most ever by a defensive back in a season at Carolina. Despite struggling in coverage that season, he picked up freshman All-SEC honors and made his biggest play of the year in the passing game. Against West Virginia in the Carquest Bowl, Washington picked off Chad Johnston to set up what would be the winning score.

As he developed into a more complete safety, Washington averaged 91 tackles a season during his final three years in Columbia, including leading the team twice. He also knocked away 11 passes, picked off two more, and was rewarded with an All-SEC selection.

South Carolina Football’s No. 13 Safety of All-Time:
Tony Watkins

Tony Watkins (1990-1994) was mostly recruited as a running back out of high school, but the South Carolina coaching staff saw more in him as a defensive back. The move to defense paid off as Watkins became one of the hardest hitters in Gamecock history. After missing 1990 with an injury, Watkins started as a redshirt freshman in 1991 and kept his job for four seasons.

Watkins had a penchant for making big plays, and the hard-hitting safety averaged almost 90 tackles per season during his four years as the starter, including leading the team in stops during his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons. He made two All-SEC teams in his career before spending a few seasons in NFL Europe.

South Carolina Football’s No. 12 Safety of All-Time:
Jaylan Foster

An underdog story fit for a movie, Jaylan Foster (2017-2021) wasn’t recruited much out of Byrnes High School. As the 46th-ranked player in the state, he ended up at Gardner-Webb University where he was the Big South Freshman of the Year at corner. He had an opportunity to fulfill a dream by walking on to the South Carolina football team the following year. After sitting out the 2017 season as a transfer, the redshirt sophomore moved to safety in 2018 but didn’t see the field. He was named the Scout Team Player of the Year and put on scholarship in 2019.

A rotational DB in 2020, Foster became the starter toward the end of the season as Covid-related opt-outs created a spot in the secondary. Foster utilized his “Covid redshirt” to return as a sixth-year player in 2021 and had a tremendous season. He led the Gamecocks and the SEC in interceptions and ranked in the top-5 in tackles for the conference. The former walk-on and FCS player was honored as an All-American for his exceptional season and had a brief NFL career before returning to South Carolina football in an analyst role.

South Carolina Football’s No. 11 Safety of All-Time:
Darian Stewart

Darian Stewart (2006-2009) was part of a two-headed monster at safety and spur along with Emanuel Cook. The duo was known for their hard-hitting style of play and striking fear into the hearts of opponents who dared venture into the middle of the field. Stewart was one of the best diagnosers of run plays to ever play safety for South Carolina football, and he racked up 19 tackles for loss to prove it. That number puts him in the top-3 ever for Gamecock defensive backs.

Stewart was also known for making big plays in garnet and black. He is one of just a handful of players to both force 5 fumbles and recover 5 fumbles in his career, he had 2 sacks early to set the tone in a win over Arkansas (his only two sacks of his career), and he recorded a massive tackle for loss and a pass breakup to secure the win over #4 Ole Miss in 2009 (linked above). Stewart went on to a Pro Bowl NFL career that included a Super Bowl win with the Denver Broncos.

South Carolina Football’s No. 10 Safety of All-Time:
Devonte Holloman

A highly-touted cornerback prospect out of high school, Devonte Holloman (2009-2012) quickly moved to safety when he got to Carolina. A solid tackler who came up biggest in the biggest moments, Holloman had three of his seven career interceptions over rival Clemson during South Carolina’s 5-game win streak over the Tigers. The high school teammate of Stephon Gilmore and Jadeveon Clowney never lost to that team from the Upstate.

Holloman transitioned to the spur hybrid safety/linebacker role in his final two years in Columbia. He used his versatility to join an exclusive club at South Carolina. Holloman became the first Gamecock to ever rack up 200 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 7 interceptions in his career. Only Skai Moore has matched those numbers. After his college playing days, Holloman bulked up and became an NFL linebacker before a neck injury cut his career short.

South Carolina Football’s No. 9 Safety of All-Time:
Emanuel Cook

Emanuel Cook (2006-2008) was the more decorated of the strong safety/spur partnership that he shared with Darian Stewart. Like Stewart, Cook was a big hitter who was among the Gamecocks’ leading tacklers annually; in fact, he led the team in both 2007 and 2008, both of which were All-SEC campaigns. #21 had one of the best safety seasons in recent years when, as a sophomore, he tallied 92 tackles, including 4 sacks, and 8 more tackles for a loss while also knocking away 5 passes and picking off 3 more.

After being academically ineligible for the Outback Bowl his junior season, Cook skipped his senior year for the NFL Draft but was not selected. He had a four-year career in the League after being picked up as an undrafted free agent. After his NFL stint, Cook went on to become one of the best safeties in the Arena Football League.

South Carolina Football’s No. 8 Safety of All-Time:
Arturo Freeman

An immediate contributor to the Gamecock defense, Arturo Freeman (1995-1999) was a Freshman All-SEC player who logged over 80 tackles and a pick for Head Coach Brad Scott. He followed up his first-year success with an All-SEC sophomore season in which he led the team in tackles. Another All-SEC season followed as Freeman had a great junior year in which he led the SEC in interceptions (6) and added 92 tackles to lead the Gamecocks. He is one of just 5 players to lead the team in both categories in a season.

Unfortunately, Freeman tore his ACL during fall practice before his senior season. The injury cost #12 the whole year, and he wasn’t quite the same when he returned so quickly for 1999 after redshirting ’98. He was still a good player, but he was slow to return to form and bounced around the secondary his final year. As his health improved during the next offseason, he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the 2000 NFL Draft and had a six-year career in the league. Freeman surely would have been even higher on this list had he remained healthy.

South Carolina Football’s No. 7 Safety of All-Time:
Bryant Gilliard

Bryant Gilliard (1980-1984) began his career with three years without playing before being inserted into the starting lineup as a redshirt junior. Gilliard took advantage of his opportunities and made the All-South Independent team that season, and he was even better as a senior. As a captain on the “Black Magic” team of 1984, Gilliard was an All-American after logging a ridiculous 125 tackles and 9 interceptions, both of which led the team.

Gilliard finished his career in the top-5 in career interceptions despite only playing for two seasons. After he graduated from South Carolina, he went on to a brief career in the short-lived USFL.

South Carolina Football’s No. 6 Safety of All-Time:
Greg Philpot

Greg Philpot (1983-1987) started his career slowly because of injury and a crowded safety room, but he did take a punt to the house in 1983. After some older defensive backs moved on, Philpot had an amazing redshirt sophomore campaign in 1985 in which he led the team in total tackles (115) and interceptions (6) and was honored with his first of three first-team All-South Independent selections.

His junior and senior seasons were just as impressive as he maintained his high level of play despite playing alongside another all-time great at safety in Brad Edwards. Easily the best duo to play together at the position, Philpot and Edwards both made at least one All-American team in 1987 as the leaders of one of the best secondaries in school history. He was one of five different Gamecocks to be named an All-American that season along with Edwards, Roy Hart, Sterling Sharpe, and Woody Myers.

South Carolina Football’s No. 5 Safety of All-Time:
Antonio Allen

A severely underrated player, Antonio Allen (2007-2011) shared a defense with Gamecock legends like Stephon Gilmore, Melvin Ingram, Eric Norwood, Devin Taylor, Jasper Brinkley, and Cliff Matthews. Allen began his career as a rotational safety before becoming the starter at the spur hybrid linebacker/strong safety spot. After the move, something unlocked within Allen’s game, and he became one of the best defensive players in school history.

Allen made two All-SEC teams in 2010 and 2011, but his 2011 season was unique as he is one of the only Gamecocks to put together a season with 3 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries, and 3 forced fumbles (he had 4). He also made history along with Melvin Ingram as the teammates became the first pair of SEC teammates ever to score defensive touchdowns in both of the first two games of the season. The big year earned him All-America honors. He had a five-year NFL career in which he started games at strong safety, free safety, nickel, and corner.

South Carolina Football’s No. 4 Safety of All-Time:
Brad Edwards

Brad Edwards (1984-1987) didn’t see the field much as a freshman because of the logjam ahead of him at safety. As Bryant Gilliard, Joe Brooks, Ron Rabune, and Rick Rabune all graduated, Edwards got his chance and didn’t disappoint. After a part-time role in ’84 and ’85, 1986 saw Edwards break out with 76 tackles, 2 picks, and several clutch moments en route to All-South Independent honors.

His senior season, though, was the stuff of legends. One of multiple All-Americans on the “Black Death” defense and one-half of the best single-season Gamecock safety combination ever with Greg Philpot, Edwards led the team with 130 tackles, 8 interceptions, and 13 pass breakups. His 21 tackles against Georgia that season are the most ever by a defensive back in Carolina history. After graduation, Edwards put together one of the best NFL careers of any South Carolina football alum, including the best Gamecock Super Bowl performance ever in a Super Bowl XXVI win.

South Carolina Football’s No. 3 Safety of All-Time:
DJ Swearinger

A truly one-of-a-kind player, DJ Swearinger (2009-2012) came to South Carolina from Greenwood High School and didn’t play at first because he was “too small” and “not fast enough.” After a freshman year as a backup, Swearinger took over the starting safety position and proved that he could play even without elite measurables as he established himself as one of the premier hitters in the SEC.

#36 quickly became one of the most beloved Gamecocks to ever play as he infused the Carolina defense with an infectious swagger that made his teammates better. He called his defense “the goon squad,” and the 2011 and 2012 versions of the goon squad were some of the best defenses to play in Columbia. Despite being a very good player after taking over the starting role, Swearinger was not honored with an All-SEC selection until after his senior year.

He was known as much for his antics as his strong play, but even when his “extracurriculars” would sometimes hurt the team, they also served to fire up the Gamecocks. Swearinger once accumulated a horse collar penalty, a big hit that resulted in a helmet-to-helmet penalty, an interception, a defensive touchdown, and an unsportsmanlike penalty in less than forty seconds of game time against Arkansas. His big hit on Clemson’s Andre Ellington in the 2012 win is one of the most iconic tackles in Carolina history.

South Carolina Football’s No. 2 Safety of All-Time:
Ko Simpson

Ko Simpson (2003-2005) is the most underappreciated defensive back to ever play football at the University of South Carolina. After redshirting in 2003, Simpson played just two years in garnet and black before moving on to the NFL. During those two seasons, he put together the best two-year run of any defensive back in Carolina history as he was honored as an All-American in both 2004 and 2005.

As a redshirt freshman in ’04, Simpson was needed to play a free safety role over the top for Defensive Coordinator Chris Cosh. He played the role to perfection, as the SEC’s Freshman of the Year hauled in six interceptions to lead the conference. He returned a pick and a fumble for touchdowns that season, both for exactly 57 yards. The following season, #10 moved to strong safety and became the team’s leading tackler. He still did well in coverage, knocking away an SEC-leading 9 passes and catching one interception.

Simpson’s 7 interceptions, 15 pass breakups, and 5 fumble recoveries all rank among the best two-year stretches of any Gamecock defender, and his two-time All-American status has never been matched by another Gamecock defensive back. Had he played longer in Columbia, he surely would have been at the top of this list. After leaving South Carolina, Simpson had a four-year NFL career that was cut short by injury.

South Carolina Football’s Greatest Safety of All-Time:
Rashad Faison

As intimidating a player as any safety to don a Block C on his helmet, Rashad Faison (1998-2002) played much larger than his 5’9″ frame. A fierce competitor, Faison arrived at Carolina as a corner but spent most of his time dominating as a safety. #11 finished his career in the top-10 for career tackles by a Gamecock and holds the Carolina record for most solo stops. A special teams weapon early in his career, Faison blocked a kick, returned another block for a touchdown, converted a fake punt first down, and was one of the team’s leading coverage players in the kicking game.

Because of his tackling ability, Faison was often moved close to the line of scrimmage on run downs. Because of this and his elite instincts, he racked up 27.5 tackles for loss, the most ever for a secondary player in Columbia. Faison was also an adept blitzer from his safety spot, as he brought down 10 quarterbacks, including tallying two sacks in Carolina’s win over New Mexico State in 2000 that broke their long losing streak. Whether coming up against the run or separating receivers from the football, Faison was known around the SEC as the hardest hitter in the game.

Faison’s 25 pass breakups are the best-ever Gamecock number from a non-corner, and his six forced fumbles are the most among Gamecock DBs. After a Freshman All-American campaign in 1999, he was named to two All-SEC teams, and an All-American squad in 2001, and he was a finalist for both the Jim Thorpe Award and the Bronco Nagurski Award. He had a brief NFL career and a stop in the Candian Football League before getting into coaching.