Junior defensive end known for his tremendous hustle on every play... has the ability to be an all-conference performer... plays with a big-time motor and has the ability to make the big-time play... very athletic performer who saw some action at tight end in the spring as the coaches looked to get the best players on the field... has logged 58 tackles in his career with 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks... has played in all 25 games over the past two seasons making 22 consecutive starts... given the Weight Room Effort Award for the defense in the spring and was also presented with the Joe Morrison Award as the top defensive player of the spring. 2008: Moved to defensive end after spending most of his freshman season at outside linebacker... logged 32 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks... credited with his first sack of the season at Vanderbilt... also had sacks against Tennessee and Arkansas... recovered a fumble against UAB... started all 13 games... earned the Everyday Effort Award for the defense in the spring. 2007: Named to both the SEC Coaches and the Sporting News Freshman All-SEC team as an outside linebacker... also named to the honorable mention freshman All-America squad by the Sporting News... played in all 12 games, making nine starts at outside linebacker... made his first start at LSU in week four despite suffering a small break in his right hand in practice the week leading up to the game... remained in the starting lineup through the remainder of the season... credited with a partially blocked punt against LSU, the first for the Gamecocks since the 2000 season... recorded 26 tackles, including 20 solo stops... had a pair of tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry... logged a season-high four tackles against South Carolina State and matched that total against North Carolina. HIGH SCHOOL: Graduated from Cheraw (S.C.) High School in 2007... was a two-way starter, playing both tight end and defensive end... led his team to the state championship... earned first-team all-state honors from The State... also was an all-region selection... was the Shrine Bowl Defensive MVP after finishing with four tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery... had three tackles and a pair of sacks in the Offense-Defense All-Star Game... recorded 75 tackles and 120 sacks as a junior... coached by Johnny White... ranked as a five-star prospect and the sixth-best defensive end in the country by Scout.com... considered a four-star prospect, the 32nd-best player in the nation, the second-best player in the state of South Carolina and the No. 3 weak side defensive end in the country by Rivals.com... rated the No. 1 player in the state of South Carolina, the 10th-best defensive lineman in the country and the 47th-best player overall in the nation by SuperPrep... ranked as the 10th-best defensive lineman in the country by PrepStar... was also all-state in basketball and track & field... runs a 4.7 40-yard dash... spurned offers from Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Auburn and others to sign with the Gamecocks. |
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