South Carolina Football: Top-15 Gamecock NFL Draft successes of all-time
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina Football’s No. 2 NFL Draft Success:
CB/KR/PR Bobby Bryant
The first of a long line of excellent Gamecock defensive backs, Bobby Bryant (Round 7, Pick 167, 1967 NFL Draft; Minnesota Vikings) played from 1964-1966 as a Gamecock before beginning a 14-year NFL career with the Vikings. Despite being taken so late in the draft and suffering a knee injury that caused him to miss all of 1967, Bryant went on to become one of the best defensive players in Minnesota Vikings history.
Bryant was a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro for the Purple People Eaters defense and played in four different Super Bowls with the franchise. He is one of just a few Vikings to ever score a touchdown off of a fumble recovery, interception, and blocked field goal in a career. His 51 interceptions were in the top-10 in NFL history at the time of his retirement. Bryant is one of the best 7th-round picks ever, and, therefore, he is one of the most valuable draft picks of all-time.