Shaq Wilson lands NFL job
Former South Carolina linebacker Shaq Wilson, who had been serving as a defensive analyst in the program, has been hired as the New York Jets assistant defensive line coach, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
Wilson, who has been at South Carolina in various capacities for over a decade, has been in his analyst role for each of Shane Beamer’s two seasons in Columbia.
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In the three years prior to that, Wilson was an assistant director of football sports performance at Tennessee.
Wilson had previously held off-field roles for five seasons with the Gamecocks, according to his GamecocksOnline bio.
Following his playing career, he worked as a graduate assistant in 2013 before moving into a full-time role as the quality control coordinator for the defense in 2014.
He later held the titles of assistant director for recruiting (2016) and then assistant director of football player personnel (2017).
Originally from Jacksonville, Fla., Wilson signed with the Gamecocks in the 2008 class out of First Coast High School.
Wilson was considered a four-star prospect by ESPN and a high three-star by Rivals with the On3 Industry Ranking, which averages the two, considering him the No. 27 linebacker in his class.
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The 2012 South Carolina graduate earned a degree in African-American/Black Studies and was a four-year letterwinner as a linebacker (2008-09, 2011-12), serving as a team captain as a senior.
Wilson finished his Carolina career with 246 total tackles, including 15.0 tackles-for-loss and 4.0 sacks as well as four interceptions.
Wilson talked about his decision to commit to South Carolina during an episode of the BLEAV podcast last year.
“I came up here and got that offer my 11th grade year,” Wilson said. “A guy from my high school got offered and signed with South Carolina, Jamir Williams. He was big time. Had (offers from) Ohio State, Florida, Florida State… Once you get around your guys and you come on those unofficial visits and then those official visits you’re like, ‘okay, I can work with these dudes’… Everybody from Florida, they were top guys, everybody was winning in high school. I’m like we got dudes and I want to win. I wanna go do it with them.”
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