Jadeveon Clowney Selected With First Pick in NFL Draft

May 8, 2014

University of South Carolina junior defensive end Jadeveon Clowney was selected by the Houston Texans with the first pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, held tonight at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Clowney, a 6-5, 266-pound defensive end from Rock Hill, S.C., becomes the 12th first-round draft pick in school history and the seventh since 2000. He is just the second Gamecock taken with the first pick in the draft, joining 1980 Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers, who was selected by the New Orleans Saints with the first pick in the 1981 draft.

In three seasons in the Garnet & Black, Clowney recorded 47.0 tackles for loss and 24.0 sacks, ranking second and third respectively in school history. A two-time first-team All-American, Clowney finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy balloting following the 2012 campaign. He was named the All-America Player of the Year, presented by AT&T, as selected by the fans on ESPN.com and was the Hendricks Award winner as the nation’s top defensive end. During his sophomore season, he set school single-season records for sacks (13.0) and tackles for loss (23.5) while earning University of South Carolina Male Athlete of the Year accolades.

Gamecocks selected in the first round include:

Jadeveon Clowney – Houston Texans, 2014 (1st)

Stephon Gilmore – Buffalo Bills, 2012 (10th)

Melvin Ingram – San Diego Chargers, 2012 (18th)

Johnathan Joseph – Cincinnati Bengals, 2006 (24th)

Troy Williamson – Minnesota Vikings, 2005 (7th)

Dunta Robinson, Houston Texans, 2004 (10th)

John Abraham, New York Jets, 2000 (13th)

Ernest Dye, Phoenix Cardinals, 1993 (18th)

Sterling Sharpe, Green Bay Packers, 1988 (7th)

George Rogers, New Orleans Saints, 1981 (1st)

Willie Scott, Kansas City Chiefs, 1981 (14th)

Rick Sanford, New England Patriots, 1979 (25th)

At least one Gamecock has been selected in each of the past 13 NFL drafts. The second and third rounds of the 2014 NFL Draft will be held Friday, while rounds 4-7 will be conducted on Saturday.