It was exactly 10 years ago today, Class of 2011, No. 1 in general recruitment and defensive edge five stars Jadeveon Clowney he chose South Carolina over names like Alabama, Clemson and all the other college football programs in the country that coveted him.
Rock Hill, SC (South Pointe) chose his home state school a week after National Signature Day so he could celebrate it on his birthday. Was a current Gamecocks recruiting trainer Shane Beamer he remembers fondly, since he participated in Carolina’s search for the best player in the country as the program’s recruiting coordinator.
“A phenomenal player and that was a battle from start to finish,” said Beamer. “The fact Marcus Lattimore, Stephon Gilmore and Alshon Jeffery and those guys took part in those classes before him, I don’t mean it was easier, but they gave you credibility to stay home and do something here for the University of South Carolina.
“I enjoyed visiting Jadeveon. The only thing that stands out during this process, and you can say the same thing about Stephon, Alshon and Marcus; I don’t mean that they were easy to recruit because it was a challenge and a battle and there was extreme competition, but they were not caught up in the recruitment aspect. That was before Twitter and you weren’t allowed to text guys, but these guys were, I don’t know if little maintenance is the keyword, but they didn’t get caught up in all the commotion. They just loved football. Jadeveon was part of that, too. It was a high-level recruitment, but it wasn’t a guy you had to manage. He made a big decision to come to Carolina like those guys before him did too. “
The monstrous defensive end remains the highest ranked recruit of the modern era 247Sports Composite (Class of 2020 and beyond). Your perfect 1.0000 rating is shared with just four other potential customers: Robert Nkemdiche (2013 / Ole Miss), Rashan Gary (2016 / Michigan), Vince Young (2002 / Texas) and Ernie Sims (2003 / State of Florida).
247Sports All-Time Football Recruits | South Carolina football recruits of all time
Clowney’s connection to South Carolina still resonates in recruiting today, even 10 years after he chose Gamecocks and seven years since he last wore the uniform.
“There is a quarterback that we are recruiting with who I was texting about how I was here before and the first thing he mentioned was Clowney,” said Beamer. “He said, ‘My earliest memories of South Carolina football are Jadeveon Clowney and that race in South Carolina.’ It probably makes Alshon and those guys feel old. When we’re doing virtual tours and talking about the players who passed through South Carolina before them, it certainly makes an impact.
“(In 2011) we were leaving that SEC championship game. Jadeveon was able to look and see what we did. I give a lot of credit to the guys who came before him and it’s the same case now. We are telling these potential customers that they have all the resources available at the University of South Carolina to win at the highest level. Alshon and those guys who came before Jadeveon saw this and came here and you saw what happened. “
?? Draft choice # 1
?? SEC defensive player of the year
?? 2x First All-American Team
?? Record for single season program for bags (13)@clownejd. That is all. pic.twitter.com/gdMcdUztN7– SEC Network (@SECNetwork) July 1, 2020
Clowney went from being the No. 1 general recruit in the country to being the No. 1 overall choice in the 2014 NFL Draft. As a freshman at Columbia, he was the SEC’s freshman of the year, the second All-SEC team and the first Freshman All-American team and selection. In the second year, he was All-America’s Player of the Year, finished sixth in the Heisman vote, was elected the Hendricks Prize winner as the nation’s best defender (first sophomore to win the award), was a All-American of the main team, the choice of coaches as the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year and an All-SEC selection of the first team. 5) and was tied for third in the country in sacks and tied for second in tackles by defeat.
In his final year, his junior season in 2013, he won the honors of America’s first team for the AFCA and the second team of America for Walter Camp. He became the third player in the school’s history, joining Warren Muir and George Rogers as an All-American twice. He also received praise from the All-SEC’s first team. In 11 games played, he recorded 40 tackles, including 11.5 tackles for defeat. He is the second in the school’s history with 47.0 loss tackles and the third with 24.0 career sacks and holds the school record with nine forced fumbles.
In 83 career NFL games played (74 games) with Houston, Seattle and Tennessee, Clowney has 255 tackles, 75 tackles for defeat, 86 hits for quarterback, 32 sacks, nine forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries, one interception and four defensive touchdowns scored. His three fumble recoveries returned for a touchdown are the highest among active NFL players. He was a 2016-18 Pro Bowler and entered the NFL 100 best four times: No. 49 in 2017, No. 32 in 2018, No. 63 in 2019 and No. 41 in 2020.
Clowney is an unrestricted free agent in 2021, leaving a 2020 season of 8 games interrupted due to a knee (left meniscus) surgery. According to spotrac.com, throughout his 7-year career in the NFL, Clowney has earned $ 63.3 million from his football contracts.