South Carolina Football: Ranking the top-20 NFL Gamecocks of all-time

Former South Carolina football cornerback Stephon Gilmore intercepts a pass in Super Bowl LIII. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Former South Carolina football cornerback Stephon Gilmore intercepts a pass in Super Bowl LIII. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
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South Carolina Football
South Carolina football’s Jared Cook. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

South Carolina Football’s No. 10 Greatest NFL Player of All-Time:
Tight End Jared Cook

One of the most talented pass-catchers to ever play for the Gamecocks, Jared Cook (2005-2007) was criminally under-targeted in college. Thankfully for his career, that changed when Cook arrived in the NFL as a 3rd-round pick of the Tennessee Titans. After several productive years in Tennessee, Cook began bouncing around the league a bit but remained one of the best tight ends in the game.

Cook would go on to a 13-year career with the Titans, St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers, Oakland Raiders, New Orleans Saints, and Los Angeles Chargers in which he would rack up enough production to finish his career 13th all-time in receiving yardage among tight ends and 19th all-time in tight end touchdowns.

Cook made two Pro Bowls but likely would have been selected to several more had he not shared the tight end spotlight with all-time greats at the position such as Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates, Jason Witten, Rob Gronkowski, and Travis Kelce.