How NFL careers went for five highest-drafted South Carolina Gamecocks

Since the NFL Draft’s inception 90 years ago, 242 different South Carolina Gamecock football players have been chosen by National Football League teams.

Some of those players were picked at the very top of the draft in its opening round, with general managers extra confident in projecting those players’ pro success.

Like every school, South Carolina’s list of draftees contains hits and misses, but many players who starred in garnet and black have been able to keep that success going in the big leagues.

Here’s how things turned out in the NFL for the five highest-drafted Gamecocks.

George Rogers

• Position: Running back
• Where he was drafted: Round 1, Pick 1
• How long he played in the NFL: 1981-87
• NFL teams he played for: New Orleans Saints and Washington Redskins

How his career went: The Gamecocks’ first No. 1 pick and only Heisman Trophy winner also had of one the program’s most decorated NFL careers.

College Football Hall of Famer Rogers won’t make the professional equivalent, but he did have an elite first-year campaign, earning the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, a Pro Bowl selection and first-team All-Pro honors.

Rogers’ 1,674 rushing yards still rank second-all time for a rookie, behind only Rams legend Eric Dickerson’s 1983 debut (1,808).

Rogers never again reached the individual heights of 1981, but did receive a second Pro Bowl nod in 1982, led the league with 18 rushing touchdowns in 1986 and rushed for over 1,000 yards in four of his seven professional seasons.

His final season ended with a Super Bowl XXII victory in which he rushed for 17 yards as the Redskins demolished John Elway and the Denver Broncos 42-10.

Along with his statue at Williams-Brice Stadium, Rogers was a 1992 inductee into the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame. He was a bright spot in The Big Easy alongside quarterback Archie Manning in an era where many knew the struggling team as the “Aints.”

Rogers set the Saints’ single-game rushing record with 206 yards in 1983, a mark that still stands to this day.

Jadeveon Clowney

• Position: Defensive end/outside linebacker
• Where he was drafted: Round 1, Pick 1
• How long he played in the NFL: 2014-present
• Which NFL teams he played for: Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys

How his career went: Thirty-three years after Rogers had his name called first, SEC defensive juggernaut Jadeveon Clowney was the second Gamecock to be selected with the top pick.

Clowney entered rarified air simply by being a defensive No. 1 pick. Injuries have contributed to not living up to the immense hype that surrounded him when he entered the league, playing just four games in his rookie year after a meniscus tear.

After that unfortunate start, Clowney earned a second-team All Pro spot in 2016 and had three consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2016-18.

After his five-year tenure in Houston ended, Clowney ultimately became a journeyman, spending more than a year with a team just once, the 2021 and 2022 Cleveland Browns.

Clowney also made a 2024 stop in Carolina. While he hasn’t lit up opposing quarterbacks like he did in college, he has carved out a solid NFL career, consistently earning roster spots as a respected veteran edge rusher.

Clowney is currently a free agent. When he does hang up the cleats, the Gamecock legend is a lock for the College Football Hall of Fame and already has had his number retired by USC.

Sterling Sharpe

• Position: Wide receiver
• Where he was drafted: Round 1, Pick 7
• How long he played in the NFL: 1988-1994
• Which NFL teams he played for: Green Bay Packers

How his career went: Sterling Sharpe represents the gold standard of Gamecocks in the NFL.

He was named first-team All-Pro three times and made the Pro Bowl five times across his seven-year career, which was ended early by a neck injury.

While he played for the Packers, Sharpe was among the NFL’s elite pass-catchers, leading the league in receptions three times, receiving yards once and receiving touchdowns twice.

His 1992 season was particularly memorable, when he became one of just 13 players ever to achieve a “Triple Crown,” leading the league in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns while catching passes from Brett Favre.

While he was forced to retire before Green Bay captured its third Super Bowl in 1997, Sharpe ended his career with two consecutive playoff appearances.

Sharpe is the only Gamecock to ever make the Pro Football Hall of Fame, where he joined his younger brother Shannon, and is also a part of the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, standing out for a franchise with a long list of NFL stars.

Sharpe is, of course, part of the College Football Hall of Fame and honored with a retired number at Williams-Brice.

Troy Williamson

• Position: Wide receiver
• Where he was drafted: Round 1, Pick 7
• How long he played in the NFL: 2005-09
• Which NFL teams he played for: The Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars

How his career went: Williamson was a solid speedster at Carolina. He earned a first-team All-SEC selection in 2004 and is still remembered well by many Gamecock fans for an iconic 99-yard touchdown, one of USC’s longest-ever plays.

Williamson didn’t have a standout NFL run, with a career-high season total of 455 yards and four total receiving touchdowns during his five-season run.

While Williamson wasn’t a pro star, he still played in 49 NFL games and made the roster of two different teams.

Today, the father of four lives in Blythewood and works as a motivational speaker, helping to inspire others born into difficult circumstances to lean on their communities and achieve successful lives.

Jaycee Horn

• Position: Cornerback
• Where he was drafted: Round 1, Pick 8
• How long he played in the NFL: 2021-present
• Which NFL teams he played for: Carolina Panthers

How his career went: A 2021 draftee, the 26-year-old Horn has spent his five-season career with the Panthers, and should still have years of high-level football ahead of him.

Horn stood out on Will Muschamp-coached teams from 2018-19, earning his spot as a top 10 draft choice. Since joining the Panthers, both the team and Horn have improved.

Horn earned his first Pro-Bowl selection in 2024 and got a second consecutive nod in 2025 as the Panthers returned to the playoffs after a seven-year drought and nearly knocked off the heavily favored Los Angeles Rams.

Horn’s father, Joe Horn, was a four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver who also made the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame alongside Rogers. His brother Joe Horn Jr. also played college football and made an XFL roster.

Horn’s solid play was rewarded last season with a four-year, $100 million second contract, which places him among the league’s highest-paid defensive backs.

He recorded a career-high five interceptions in 2025, a tie for second in the league.

This story was originally published July 7, 2026 at 7:00 AM with the headline "How NFL careers went for five highest-drafted South Carolina Gamecocks."