With football season approaching quickly, current and former Gamecock players are grinding away this month in preparation for the regular season. According to pro-footballreference.com, there are currently 32 players in the NFL that played college football at the University of South Carolina. Here’s my ranking of the top five active Gamecock alumni based on what they have accomplished to date in the NFL.
Honorable Mention: Ryan Succop – K – Tennessee Titans
He may have been taken with the final pick of the draft in 2009 but that didn’t stop Succop from establishing himself as the primary kicker for the Chiefs from 2009-2013. He’s now with the Titans, who signed him to a three year, $7.2 million contract prior to the 2014 season. Succop boasts a career field goal percentage of 81.7 percent, which puts him around the league average among NFL kickers.
Honorable Mention: Jadeveon Clowney – DE – Houston Texans
Now, if this list were based purely on the talent level of Gamecock alumni, Clowney would make the cut. However, this list is more focused on what these players have accomplished to date in their NFL careers. With the injury problems Clowney has dealt with thus far in his NFL career, he hasn’t been able to display much of his undeniable talent that made him the No. 1 overall pick. As such, he lands in the honorable mention section for now.
5. Captain Munnerlyn – CB – Minnesota Vikings
The Carolina Panthers took Munnerlyn in the seventh round of the 2009 draft to little fanfare outside of Columbia. All he has done since then is exceed the expectations of his draft status. He has four years as a starting NFL cornerback under his belt now and will continue to start for the Vikings in 2015 after signing a three-year deal worth $1.25 million prior to the 2014 season. He may not be a star, but he has proven himself to be a productive starter at the NFL level, an impressive outcome for a seventh round pick.
4. Chris Culliver – CB – Washington Redskins
Culliver finally delivered on his potential with a big season for the 49ers in 2014, his fourth year in the league. After missing all of 2013 with an ACL tear, Culliver bounced back in a big way, picking up 45 tackles, 14 pass deflections and four interceptions over 14 games. According to Pro Football Focus, Culliver allowed only 50 percent of the passes thrown his way to be caught and surrendered a passer rating of just 66.5 to opposing quarterbacks. Culliver parlayed last season’s success into a big payday this offseason, signing a four year, $32 million contract with the Redskins.
3. Alshon Jeffery – WR – Chicago Bears
When the Bears selected Jeffery with the second round of the 2012 draft, the talented young wide receiver came to Chicago with high expectations. Jeffery delivered on those expectations in 2013 with an excellent season in which he racked up seven touchdowns, 89 receptions and 1,421 receiving yards, earning his first trip to the Pro Bowl. Jeffery was productive again in 2014, picking up 10 touchdowns, 85 receptions, and 1,133 receiving yards as the Bears No. 2 wideout. Having traded Brandon Marshall to the Jets in the offseason, the Bears are expected to lean on Jeffery as their primary wide receiver this upcoming season. At just 25 years old, there are plenty of productive seasons ahead for the Bears star young receiver.
2. Stephon Gilmore – CB – Buffalo Bills
Since the Bills made him a first round pick in 2012 (10th overall), Gilmore has established himself as the team’s primary cornerback. Gilmore started all 16 games his rookie year in 2012 and routinely matched up with some of the best wide receivers in the game. After injuries limited him to 11 games in 2013, Gilmore bounced back with a strong 2014 season in which he made 46 tackles and picked up a career high three interceptions. With the hiring of renowned Rex Ryan as the Bills head coach, Gilmore could potentially make the leap into the elite group of shutdown corners in 2015.
1. Jonathan Joseph – CB – Houston Texans
Joseph has now been in the NFL nine seasons, eight of which he has been a starting cornerback. He has been named to the Pro Bowl twice (2011, 2012) and has currently a 2 year, $13.5 million deal. While it’s possible that one day we might be talking about Gilmore as the best cornerback to come out of South Carolina, it’s hard to deny Joseph’s productive career to date, making him the top Gamecock alumnus currently active in the NFL.