South Carolina Football: Top-15 Gamecock NFL Draft successes of all-time

South Carolina Football’s Greatest NFL Draft Success:
LB Tom Addison

Tom Addison (Round 12, Pick 141, 1958 NFL Draft; Baltimore Colts) is the most valuable draft pick to hail from the University of South Carolina. The standout linebacker played in Columbia from 1954-1957 before being drafted by the Colts. Not wishing to play in Baltimore, Addison elected to sit out of football until offered a contract by the Boston Patriots in 1960. Addison joined the team that season and became an All-Pro in his first year.

Four more AFL All-Star seasons followed his breakout rookie campaign, and Addison was considered by many to be the best linebacker in pro football until Dick Butkus became a Chicago Bear. Incredibly durable for most of his career, Addison didn’t miss a game until suffering a career-ending knee injury that cut his eight-year career short while he still was playing at a high level. He is still considered one of the top linebackers in the history of the storied Patriots franchise. The greatest 12th-round pick of all-time is the best value of any drafted Gamecock in NFL history.