Wonnum Selected by Minnesota in the Fourth Round of NFL Draft

University of South Carolina senior defensive end Dennis “D.J.” Wonnum was selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the 11th pick in the fourth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday. He was the 117^th player selected overall.
 
Wonnum became the first Gamecock selected by the Vikings since Jasper Brinkley was selected in the fifth round of the 2009 draft. He is the third Gamecock to be selected this season, joining Javon Kinlaw (first round to San Francisco) and Bryan Edwards (third round to Las Vegas).
 
Here is Wonnum’s bio:
 
2019
Senior BUCK who was one of five permanent team captains… also was a captain as a sophomore, just one of three players in school history with that distinction… was a second-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press… named honorable mention all-conference by Pro Football Focus… was on the Mayo Clinic list for Comeback Player of the Year… selected by the Carolina coaches as the Comeback Player of the Year… also was a Nutrition Award, Strength & Conditioning, and Dr. Harris Pastides Outstanding Student-Athlete Award winner… accepted an invitation to play in the Reese’s Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine… finished the season with 37 tackles, including 9.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks… named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Kentucky when he registered a career-high 3.0 sacks among his five tackles and forced a fumble… it was the fourth time he had been recognized by the SEC for a weekly award in his career… also had 3.0 tackles for loss while logging a season-high seven stops in the season opener vs. North Carolina… intercepted a pass at Missouri, setting up a touchdown… blocked a field goal attempt off the foot of All-American Rodrigo Blankenship at Georgia, helping the Gamecocks to an overtime win… named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll… appeared in 43 games with 30 starts over his career… logged 137 career tackles including 29.5 tackles for loss (ninth on the school’s all-time list) and 14.0 sacks.
 
2018
Junior who suffered through an injury-plagued season… limited to five games, all starts… credited with 11 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks… made three tackles against Coastal Carolina, including 1.0 for loss, before leaving the game with a sprained ankle… returned from a five-game hiatus to have a big day in the Tennessee win, with three tackles and 2.0 sacks, including a sack on UT’s final play… named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week for his efforts… with brother, Dylan, earning SEC Freshman of the Week the same week, became the first set of brothers to earn league honors the same week… had a key fumble recovery in the Ole Miss win… missed the final three games due to the ankle injury… a member of the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.
 
2017
Sophomore who was named a permanent team captain… also honored as a Strength & Conditioning Award winner and the Most Productive Player for the defense… started all 13 games… collected 57 tackles, while leading the team with 13.0 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks… ranked eighth in the SEC in tackles for loss… earned his first career start versus NC State and responded with eight tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and a sack… tallied three tackles and a sack in the Missouri win… made seven tackles against Kentucky along with 1.5 tackles for loss… collected four tackles, a tackle for loss, two pass breakups and a quarterback hurry in the win over Arkansas, earning his first SEC weekly honor… earned SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors for the second-straight game after recording six tackles and two sacks in the win over Tennessee… blocked a PAT in the win over Vanderbilt… set a career high with nine tackles against Georgia, which included 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack… recorded a sack on Florida’s final drive of the game to help seal the victory… had 2.0 tackles for loss against Wofford… posted four tackles and two pass breakups against Clemson… had five stops in the Outback Bowl win over Michigan… named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.
 
2016
True freshman defensive lineman who played in every game… named to Athlon’s All-SEC Freshman second team… logged 32 tackles, tops among all Gamecock freshmen… also had 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a pair of quarterback hurries… came up with three tackles at Mississippi State… had his best game in the East Carolina win, with four solo tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and a sack… notched two tackles and was credited with two quarterback hurries against Texas A&M… matched his season high with four tackles at Clemson… named to the 2016-17 First-Year SEC Honor Roll.
 
HIGH SCHOOL
Graduated from Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, Ga. in 2016… named to the All-Region team for Class 6 – AAAAA Division A as a senior… collected 38 tackles with 11 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks… the Jaguars posted a 9-2 record and earned a spot in the state playoffs in 2015 under head coach Ron Gartrell… earned all-state honors at tight end during his junior season… 247Sports rated him the 126th-best player in the state of Georgia and the 87th-best weakside defensive end in the land… ESPN listed him as the 113th-best player in Georgia and the No. 121 defensive end in the nation.
 
PERSONAL
Full name is Dennis O. Wonnum Jr… born Oct. 31, 1997… is a sport and entertainment management major… brother, Dylan, plays offensive tackle for Carolina.