Cornerback has been one of the best positions in South Carolina football history as the Gamecocks have a bit of an underrated argument as “DBU.” There have been long cover corners, quick nickels, and physical tacklers on the outside that have come through Columbia. For the purpose of this list, nickel/slot corners will also be included.
Honorable Mentions
Rick Sanford: Rick Sanford (1975-1978) was a very good corner for the Gamecocks but is also one of the most popular defensive players in school history. He battled injuries for much of his career but still pulled down 8 interceptions. Sanford was strangely chosen as an All-American in 1978 despite missing part of the season. He went on to a 7-year career in the NFL with the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.
Chris Lammons: A solid player for four seasons in Columbia, Chris Lammons (2014-2017) was moved to safety by Will Muschamp’s staff out of necessity but still found his way back to corner often. He had one of his best moments in 2017 against Tennessee when he moved down from safety to corner for the last play and knocked away a pass in man coverage to preserve the Carolina win.
Harry Skipper: Harry Skipper (1978-1982) started for three years at cornerback and snagged ten career interceptions, with five of them coming in his All-South Independent 1981 junior season. Skipper had a brief NFL career before becoming one of the best defensive backs in the Canadian Football League.
Rashad Fenton: A talented man coverage corner on some subpar defenses, Rashad Fenton (2015-2018) had moments where he was so dominant in coverage that “Fenton Island” became a national taking point. Unfortunately, Fenton was not a very willing tackler and had some inconsistencies in Will Muschamp’s complicated defense, so his potential was never fully realized. He is still in the NFL.
Israel Mukuamu: Maybe the biggest corner to ever wear a Gamecock uniform, Israel Mukuamu (2018-2020) should have been a safety but still had a good career at corner. Mukuamu was excellent in limited zone coverage opportunities, including a 3-pick performance against Georgia in the 2019 Gamecock upset of the ‘Dawgs. Izzy was a good tackler, as well, at one point being voted as the best tackling corner in the SEC. He is now a safety in the NFL.
Victor Hampton: An undersized but fierce competitor, Victor Hampton (2010-2013) played both outside at corner and inside at nickel during his Gamecocks tenure. A “sticky” player in man coverage, Hampton could not be shaken in most man coverage situations but lacked the size and top-end speed to be an elite player. He made an All-SEC team in 2013 but forewent his final year of eligibility to enter the NFL Draft. As he went undrafted, the 2014 version of the Gamecocks desperately needed a cornerback, so fans have a complicated relationship with #27.
Lee Wiggins: Lee Wiggins (1992-1996) was a big-play machine in garnet and black. Wiggins played most of his career at corner but did spend some time at safety, primarily in 1995. In his career, the Hartsville native blocked 8 kicks (a Gamecock record) and had two different game-sealing interceptions. He was selected as the Steve Wadiak Team MVP in 1997 and had a brief NFL career before moving across the pond for a stint in NFL Europe.
Jimmy Legree: The most physical corner on teams known for their physical secondaries, Jimmy Legree (2009-2013) began his career as a utility backup all over the secondary but became a starter at corner as a redshirt Junior alongside Victor Hampton. In his two years at corner, Legree racked up over 110 tackles and 6 interceptions as five of his six picks came in big moments during one-possession games.
Frank Adams: Frank Adams (1989-1993) came to South Carolina to play wide receiver but moved to running back and back to wide receiver and back to running back before landing at corner. During the positional shuffling, he was a good kick returner who took a kickoff back for a touchdown. When he finally became the starter at corner, Adams immediately made an All-SEC team, causing Carolina fans to imagine what could have been had he played defense his whole career.
Stoney Woodson: Stoney Woodson (2004-2008) was a solid player for four seasons. Woodson started double-digit games at both corner and safety in his career, but he spent more time at cornerback. Two of his biggest plays came against the Tennessee Vols. As a redshirt freshman, he forced and recovered a fumble in the 2005 upset, and had a big pick-6 as a senior to squash the Vols’ momentum in the Gamecocks’ 2008 victory.
South Carolina Football’s No. 15 Cornerback of All-Time:
Darius Rush
Darius Rush (2018-2022) is one of the most Gamecock-y Gamecocks to ever play for the South Carolina football program. An underdog story that could inspire a movie, Rush was lightly recruited out of high school, immediately buried on the depth chart when he arrived on campus, and moved from position to position. Through three seasons of hard work on and off the field, Rush cracked the starting lineup at corner as a redshirt junior.
A very good junior season led to an elite senior season in which he was an Honorable Mention All-SEC player. Rush posted some of the best coverage numbers of any corners in the SEC during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, and his elite athletic testing put him in a good position to be picked highly in the 2023 NFL Draft alongside his secondary mate Cam Smith.
South Carolina Football’s No. 14 Cornerback of All-Time:
Dunta Robinson
One of a long line of dominant cover corners, Dunta Robinson (2000-2004) followed Sheldon Brown and Andre Goodman in the Gamecock secondary. When Brown and Goodman went to the NFL, Robinson stepped up as the starter for two more seasons. In both his junior and senior seasons, he defended double-digit passes and was one of the best tackling corners in the SEC.
Robinson had one of the most impressive interceptions in school history when, against Kentucky in a one-score game, he picked off a pass with one hand, pinning the ball against his helmet. He also had two interceptions to help seal a victory over Mississippi State in 2002. After his Carolina playing career was over, Robinson went on to a very successful decade-long NFL career. He was the 2004 Rookie of the Year and is one of the top-3 corners in Houston Texans history in terms of passes defended.
South Carolina Football’s No. 13 Cornerback of All-Time:
Fred Bennett
Fred Bennett (2003-2006) immediately followed Dunta Robinson at cornerback and continued the strong play of #32. Bennett picked off 4 passes in his first year as the starter in 2004. As a junior in 2005, Bennett was selected to the All-SEC team off the strength of his 10 pass breakups and 3 picks. He made another All-SEC team the following year as a senior.
A few months before being picked in the 2007 NFL Draft, Bennett matched up with fellow NFL player Donnie Avery of Houston in the Liberty Bowl. The Gamecocks came out on top thanks in large part to Bennett keeping Avery out of the end zone. Bennett spent five seasons in the National Football League before becoming one of the best defensive backs in the Canadian Football League.
South Carolina Football’s No. 11 Cornerback of All-Time:
Robert Robinson
Robert Robinson (1985-1988) had an interesting South Carolina career. The 1988 All-South Independent selection had stretches of his career where he struggled in man coverage and periods where he was in every receiver’s hip pocket. He was a solid tackler his entire career and was part of one of the best-tackling secondaries in school history for the 1987 “Black Death” defense. Robinson’s 11 career interceptions put him tied for sixth all-time, and his 6 pass breakups in one game against Clemson are a Gamecock record.
Had Robinson been more consistent, he certainly would have been higher on this list. Ultimately his below-average footspeed for the position held him back from being able to play against faster receivers, but his toughness and smarts made him a very good cornerback for the Gamecocks who had more pass breakups than all but two South Carolina players ever.
South Carolina Football’s No. 11 Cornerback of All-Time:
Chris Major
A four-year starter, Chris Major (1983-1986) was one of the leaders of the 1984 “Fire Ant” defense, even as a sophomore. Major was undersized but played tough as he was a sure tackler who wasn’t afraid to stick his nose in the fray in the run game. He developed into a good coverage corner, as well, and he eventually set the record for the most passes defended in Gamecock history. Major made an All-South Independent team in 1985 when he logged 71 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 17 pass breakups. He went on to a lengthy CFL career after his Gamecock playing days.
South Carolina Football’s No. 10 Cornerback of All-Time:
Cam Smith
Cam Smith (2019-2022) is one of the most confident Gamecocks to ever play football. The Maryland native moved to the Columbia area while in high school and never left, eventually committing to South Carolina and staying for four seasons. He played sparingly in 2019 before becoming a regular contributor in 2020 in a secondary loaded with NFL talents like Jaycee Horn, Israel Mukuamu, Jammie Robinson, Darius Rush, and Jaylan Foster.
He became a shutdown corner in 2021 and was named to the first of his two All-SEC teams. Smith played with a lot of swagger that made his teammates play better, but it also made him reckless at times. He was a bit of a gambler in coverage: sometimes it would pay off with interceptions or big hits, but other times he would give up unnecessary completions. His fluid movement ability is among the best to ever come through Carolina, and it is a primary reason he will be selected in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft.
South Carolina Football’s No. 9 Cornerback of All-Time:
Andre Goodman
Andre Goodman (1997-2001) was a really good corner for the Gamecocks of the late ’90s and early 2000s, but if not for a devastating knee injury, he might have become one of the best few to ever don a block C on his helmet. After redshirting in ’97, Goodman earned the starting cornerback job in ’98 but was injured against Georgia and missed almost two seasons of play. Upon his return to the field, Goodman picked up right where he left off two seasons prior.
Goodman had a superb 2000 season as his Gamecocks put together the biggest single-season turnaround in college football history up to that point. Playing alongside All-American Sheldon Brown at corner (and with All-American Rashad Faison and Freshman All-American DeAndre Eiland at safety), Goodman was an integral part of one of the best two-year secondary runs in Gamecock history from 2000-2001. He made the All-SEC team in ’01 before being drafted in the 2002 NFL Draft and starting a ten-year NFL career that included several years as a starter.
South Carolina Football’s No. 8 Cornerback of All-Time:
Terry Cousin
A corner who could tackle, Terry Cousin (1993-1996) made an instant impact by earning Freshman All-American honors in ’93 as he ended the year as the starter. He was rarely targeted in the passing game early in his career as the opposite corner spot was a struggle at times for the Gamecocks. He is one of just a handful of South Carolina football players to ever make more than 25 starts at cornerback.
Cousin was also a good return man during his career, having taken a kickoff back for a touchdown. He scored two other touchdowns (one on a blocked punt and another on an interception return), making him one of just two defensive Gamecocks, along with Melvin Ingram, to score touchdowns in three different ways. Cousin had a 12-year NFL career after graduation. Cousin came back to Carolina to work as the sideline reporter.
South Carolina Football’s No. 7 Cornerback of All-Time:
Johnathan Joseph
A bit of a “what if” story as he only played for one season in Columbia, Johnathan Joseph (2004-2005) was dominant after coming over from Coffeyville Community College. He immediately earned the starting job across from Fred Bennett in 2004, but a broken foot ended his season almost as soon as it began. Joseph spent the year rehabbing and came back better and faster than he was before his injury.
In 2005, #9 was incredible as he shut down virtually every receiver he faced off against. The only pass catcher that gave him trouble that season was UCF’s Brandon Marshall who, like Joseph, went on to become a borderline NFL Hall of Famer. Joseph was an obvious All-SEC performer in his one season playing at Carolina, and he went in the first round of the NFL Draft. An All-Pro career followed, and Joseph went on to have deflected more passes than any other NFL player since the year 2000. Had he played longer in garnet and black, he would certainly be toward the top of this list.
South Carolina Football’s No. 6 Cornerback of All-Time:
Captain Munnerlyn
Captain Munnerlyn (2006-2008) was one of the smallest full-time Gamecock corners, but he didn’t let his small stature keep him from having a large impact. Born three months premature, #1 was listed at just 5’9″ and 180 pounds in college (so he was probably smaller), but just as he had done his whole life, he overcame his size and became a contributor in his first season on campus. In year 2, Munnerlyn became a full-time starter at corner (sometimes at nickel) and was a very good kick returner and gunner on special teams.
Munnerlyn was selected to two All-SEC teams in his three seasons in Columbia and was picked by the Carolina Panthers in the 2009 NFL Draft. He spent 11 years in the NFL, the majority of which he was a starter for the Panthers and Minnesota Vikings.
South Carolina Football’s No. 5 Cornerback of All-Time:
Bobby Bryant
The original dominant Gamecock defensive back, Bobby Bryant (1964-1966) was a two-sport star at South Carolina, shining for both the football team and the baseball team. A running back and wingback out of high school, he was not switched over to the defensive side of the ball until 1965. The switch came with an immediate payoff as Bryant was an All-ACC performer that season.
The next year was even better as the team captain was voted to the All-American team and was named ACC Athlete of the Year. After graduating from Carolina, Bryant became one of the best players on one of the best NFL defenses of all-time. A member of the Purple People Eaters for the Minnesota Vikings, Bryant was one of just 11 players to play in four Super Bowls for the franchise. He is considered the best corner in the franchise’s history and retired in the top-10 in career interceptions among all NFL players.
South Carolina Football’s No. 4 Cornerback of All-Time:
Dickie Harris
Dickie Harris (1969-1971) was very similar to his collegiate mascot. Like a Gamecock, Harris was undersized (just 160 pounds), tough as nails, and a fighter to the end. Harris took up the cornerback mantle left behind by legend Bobby Bryant and became a two-time All-American and two-time All-ACC performer in garnet and black. His 12 interceptions rank Harris inside the top-5 in Carolina program history.
After a brief stop in the NFL, Harris went on to become the best cornerback in Canadian Football League history. He made 8 All-Star games in 10 seasons and won two championships. His 38 interceptions were a league record at the time, and so was his 118-yard interception return (the CFL field is bigger than the American football version). He was also an accomplished return man during both his collegiate and professional careers.
South Carolina Football’s No. 3 Cornerback of All-Time:
Jaycee Horn
Arguably the best man-coverage corner in team history, Jaycee Horn (2018-2020) had no trouble stepping out of the shadow of his NFL Pro Bowl father, Joe Horn. Jaycee quickly made a name for himself at Carolina as he started from day 1. His freshman season saw the lanky corner play primarily inside at nickel, and his domination led to Freshman All-American honors.
His sophomore and junior campaigns were even better, but it’s almost impossible to tell based on looking at his statistics. Horn was so good in coverage that he was very rarely targeted, sometimes going entire games with no passes thrown toward him. Horn’s only two career interceptions came in the same game, a win against Auburn that would not have been possible without his created turnovers. After his junior season, Horn was drafted in the top-10 of the 2021 NFL Draft and is poised to become one of the best corners in the League in short order.
South Carolina Football’s No. 2 Cornerback of All-Time:
Stephon Gilmore
Stephon Gilmore (2009-2011) is, without a doubt, the most talented corner to ever play for the Carolina defense. A freshman All-American, Gilmore started for three seasons in Columbia and instantly was a game-changer. He locked down one side of the field for most of his Gamecock career, and he is one of just five players to ever lead the Gamecocks in both interceptions and tackles in the same season.
Gilmore was an All-American as a junior in 2011, and he made All-SEC teams all three of his years in Columbia. His commitment in the 2009 recruiting class also paved the way for other big names like Marcus Lattimore and Jadeveon Clowney to consider staying home to build something special at South Carolina. Since graduating, Gilmore has had a Hall of Fame NFL career in which he won a Defensive Player of the Year Award, a Super Bowl ring, and made it to five Pro Bowls.
South Carolina Football’s Greatest Cornerback of All-Time:
Sheldon Brown
The best cornerback in South Carolina football history is Sheldon Brown (1998-2001). Brown didn’t play much at all in 1998, but he started every game of his career after that. A good sophomore campaign was followed by the finest two-year stretch of any South Carolina defensive back. Brown made an All-American squad in both 2000 and 2001 as #24 blanketed receivers in the passing game and was a ferocious tackler against the run.
Also a member of the Carolina baseball team, Brown went on to be drafted in the 2002 NFL Draft alongside his fellow corner Andre Goodman. He enjoyed a successful 11-year career in the League and was the first of three Gamecock corners (Captain Munnerlyn, Johnathan Joseph) to win the NFL’s “Good Guy” Award.