South Carolina football's top 10 all-time defensive end/EDGEs

With spring practice over for South Carolina, Gamecock fans have less than three months before their favorite team takes the field again for a game. To help bridge the gap (along with all of the recruiting coverage and summer updates you can read on GamecockCentral.com), GamecockCentral will be running a top-10 players by position series.

First, we took a look at the all-time great USC running backs.

Then, we voted on the best Carolina wide receivers in program history.

Following that up, we examined the top Gamecock tight ends.

Then, it was all about determining the top offensive linemen ever to block in Columbia.

Two weeks ago, quarterbacks were the focus.

Last week, we moved on to the defensive side of the ball, specifically the best defensive tackles in team history.

Now, this week, pass rushers are at the forefront as we voted on South Carolina’s best defensive ends/EDGEs. Pass-rushing outside linebackers were included.

Chris Clark, Wes Mitchell, and I have put together our own top 10 lists. Many of the Gamecock Faithful on The Insiders Forum also have taken part in a two-part voting run this week.

Not every good defensive tackle could make these lists. Players like Clifton Geathers, Corey Miller, Casper Brinkley, and Kingsley “JJ” Enagbare were part of the conversations, despite not making the top 10s.

The results of all the voting are below, including a note on each player mentioned:

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Chris Clark

1. Jadeveon Clowney
2. Eric Norwood
3. Melvin Ingram
4. John Abraham
5. Kyle Kennard
6. Kalimba Edwards
7. Stacy Evans
8. Devin Taylor
9. Cliff Matthews
10. Dylan Stewart

Why Jadeveon Clowney is No. 1: “How can you not pick Clowney? His physical gifts were something to behold in Columbia, and he was also part of some of the most meaningful and iconic defensive plays in program history.”

Wes Mitchell

1. Jadeveon Clowney
2. John Abraham
3. Melvin Ingram
4. Eric Norwood
5. Kalimba Edwards
6. Stacy Evans
7. Dylan Stewart
8. Kyle Kennard
9. Devin Taylor
10. Cliff Matthews

Why Jadeveon Clowney is No. 1: “Jadeveon Clowney. The most feared defender in University of South Carolina history. The No. 1 recruit and the No. 1 overall pick. Could there have been anyone else?”

Kevin Miller

1. Jadeveon Clowney
2. Eric Norwood
3. Melvin Ingram
4. John Abraham
5. Kalimba Edwards
6. Kyle Kennard
7. Stacy Evans
8. Devin Taylor
9. Cliff Matthews
10. Dylan Stewart

Why Jadeveon Clowney is No. 1: “The most talented EDGE player in South Carolina football history also was the greatest. His sophomore season is the best ever, and had he not battled through minor injuries and triple teams, his junior year could have challenged it. He was so much more than “The Hit,” but that play, his game-saving strip sack against Tennessee, his owning of the Georgia Bulldogs, and his dominant performance against Clemson certainly don’t hurt his case.”

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The Insiders Forum

Votes in parentheses

1. Jadeveon Clowney (65)
2. Melvin Ingram (45)
3. John Abraham (43)
4. Eric Norwood (37)
5. Cliff Matthews (27)
T-6. Kyle Kennard (22)
T-6. Devin Taylor (22)
8. Dylan Stewart (19)
9. DJ Wonnum (18)
10. Kalimba Edwards (16)

Notes on the Gamecock Greats

Jadeveon Clowney: What else can be said about Jadeveon Clowney? The best combination of freaky ability and overall production in team history is No. 7. The nation’s No. 1 high school prospect became the top defensive end in college football (Ted Hendricks Award winner), then the No. 1 NFL Draft pick, and an All-Pro. Despite playing just three years in garnet and black, Clowney ranks at the top or near the top in program history in sacks, tackles for loss, and forced fumbles. His best game came in a 4.5-sack performance against Clemson, and he followed that up with “The Hit” against Michigan in his very next game. Clowney was a two-time All-American, once earning the mark in consensus fashion.

Eric Norwood: Though not nearly as physically gifted as some of the other players on this list, Eric Norwood was incredible in garnet and black. He is the Gamecocks’ all-time leader in sacks and tackles for loss. Considering some of the incredible players who have come through Columbia, that is quite the accomplishment. Norwood played off the ball some as his defensive end role became a hybrid outside linebacker role during his junior and senior seasons. Impressively, he was a three-time All-SEC performer at just six feet tall. His two fumble recovery touchdowns against Kentucky in 2007 is likely a mark that will never be topped.

John Abraham: John Abraham is the best NFL pass-rusher ever to come from the South Carolina football program. Frankly, it’s a farce that he isn’t in the Pro Football Hall of Fame already. What makes his story even more remarkable was that he took up football late, starting off as a track star at Lamar High School. Abraham is one of just two Gamecocks (along with Eric Norwood) to post four years in a row with at least four quarterback sacks. He made a pair of All-SEC squads despite playing on some bad Carolina teams that weren’t well-represented on postseason award lists.

Kalimba Edwards: Probably the most underrated two-time All-American defender in South Carolina history is Kalimba Edwards. The hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker was an excellent player, both against the pass and against the run. He was one of several stars on the 2000 and 2001 defenses that helped propel Lou Holtz’s Gamecocks to a massive turnaround, going from 0-11 in 1999 to then 8-4 and 9-3 in 2000 and 2001, respectively. Edwards also could chip in as a coverage player when needed, too, logging an 81-yard pick-six as a junior.

Melvin Ingram: As versatile as he was impactful, Melvin Ingram was a monster at South Carolina. He played linebacker, defensive end, and defensive tackle for Steve Spurrier’s teams (and also made two huge special teams plays, one on a 68-yard fake punt, and one as the recovery man on the USC hands team). He was an undervalued impact player as a redshirt sophomore and redshirt junior but exploded onto the scene during his final year. As a senior, Ingram was a consensus All-American, one of just five in program history. He ranks fifth all-time in sacks and is one of just three players to register a 10-sack season for the Gamecocks.

Stacy Evans: Stacy Evans played just two years in Columbia following a stint in junior college, but he was a two-time All-SEC performer. He played both inside and outside on the Gamecock defensive line, but he was at his best as a defensive end. Evans led USC in sacks during both of his seasons on campus. He also was a really good athlete, as evidenced by his 16-yard tackle for loss against Mississippi State wide receiver Eric Moulds.

Kyle Kennard: Kyle Kennard spent just one year as a Gamecock, but he made it count. Playing on one of the top defenses ever to play inside Williams-Brice Stadium, it was Kennard who lit up the box score the most. He led the SEC in overall sacks and tackles for loss en route to consensus All-American honors and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. The redshirt senior Kennard and true freshman Dylan Stewart made up one of the most ferocious pass-rush duos in recent SEC history. He earned fifth-round selection by the Los Angeles Chargers in this year’s NFL Draft.

Devin Taylor: A basketball power forward playing defensive end, the 6-8 Devin Taylor was as steady as they come. Quietly, he is third amongst all Gamecocks in career tackles for loss, and he is sixth in total sacks. He was also one of the very best at utilizing his length to knock down passes at the line of scrimmage. Taylor made a pair of All-SEC teams and is one of just a handful of players ever to block multiple kicks.

Cliff Matthews: Cliff Matthews started for most of his four years as a Gamecock, even playing through a broken hand. The Cheraw, South Carolina native ranks inside the top 15 in career sacks and tackles for loss. Matthews made two All-SEC teams while with the Gamecocks, helping anchor a defense that won the 2010 SEC East and paved the way for three 11-win seasons. He was also known as a good leader and tremendous teammate.

Dylan Stewart: Including Stewart in this discussion is all about projection. He showed enough as a true freshman in 2024 that it seems like a foregone conclusion that he will be challenging for one of the top spots before becoming a first-round NFL Draft pick in 2027. Stewart didn’t have as many counting stats as running mate Kyle Kennard, but he was top 15 nationally in quarterback hurries, even with Kennard (and several other really good defensive linemen) hogging some of the box score. There’s a reason why he is viewed universally as a top 10 player in football heading into the fall.

DJ Wonnum: DJ Wonnum was an unheralded tight end prospect out of high school but became a two-time SEC EDGE player at South Carolina. Splitting his time between defensive end, the “Buck” in Will Muschamp’s defense, and outside linebacker, Wonnum dealt with some injuries but still finished his career in USC’s top 10 in tackles for loss. He also was the eldest of a strong brotherly duo, along with offensive tackle Dylan Wonnum. The siblings became the first brothers ever to be SEC Player of the Week at their respective positions during the same week.

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