South Carolina Football: Ranking the highest-paid NFL Gamecocks of all-time
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina Football’s No. 12 NFL Career Earner:
Safety Darian Stewart
Darian Stewart was a really good safety for Steve Spurrier’s early South Carolina squads, but he was often overlooked because he played alongside more popular safety Emanuel Cook. Stewart went on to have the much better professional career of the two players, and he even made a Pro Bowl later in his career.
A classic story of going from unheralded rookie to star player, Stewart found his spot in the league when he joined the Denver Broncos. Part of one of the best defenses in the entire league, Stewart shined as an elite tackler who could also separate receivers from the football when in coverage. He won the Super Bowl with the Broncos in the 2015 season.
Though he went undrafted in the 2009 NFL Draft, Stewart made plenty of money playing professional football. After fighting his way to being a starter and an eventual Pro Bowler, Stewart worked his way up from a minimum contract to securing about $30 Million of payments in his career.