Alshon Jeffery ranked 1st in 107.5 The Game's Top 30 Gamecocks

In honor of the 30^th South Carolina football season in the SEC, 107.5 The Game had fans vote to rank the Top 30 Gamecocks in program history. Former wide receiver Alshon Jeffery came in as the No. 1 overall player, beating out Jadeveon Clowney for the top spot.

While at Calhoun County High School, Jeffery was a multi-sport athlete. He was a gifted basketball player who helped the Saints to an 84-1 record and four state championship titles. At the same time, he played football for two years and received attention from numerous schools.

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When it came down to it, he verbally committed to the University of Southern California football program. Considering the Trojans were still competing for championships, it looked like a smart move by Jeffery. However, he decided to back out from his commitment and explore his options. This led to him joining an up-and-coming South Carolina squad after being recruited by none other than current head coach Shane Beamer, then an assistant for the Gamecocks.

As a freshman, Jeffery wouldn’t start at the beginning of the season. However, he climbed up the depth chart by week seven after a pair of 100-plus yard games against Kentucky and Vanderbilt. Specifically, against the Wildcats, he made seven catches for 138 yards and three touchdowns and earned the SEC Freshman of the Week. After becoming a starter, he tallied 116 yards and a touchdown against Arkansas on Nov. 7, 2009. By the end of the season, Jeffery found his place on the roster, as he helped the Gamecocks finish with a winning record.

By the time 2010 came around, Jeffery was ready to take on a larger role. In the first two games of the season, he notched at least 100 yards against Southern Miss and Georgia. In a pivotal week four matchup with Auburn, he came within eight yards of reaching the 200 mark for the first time in his career. Jeffery averaged 24 yards per catch and scored two touchdowns in the 35-27 loss. In the following week, he led the way in a massive upset against then-No. 1 Alabama, as he caught seven passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns.

Moving into the final game of the regular season, Jeffery helped the Gamecocks take down Clemson with 141 yards and one touchdown. South Carolina reached the SEC Championship game for the first time in program history, but fell to Auburn once again, losing 56-17. When the season came to an end, Jeffery finished with 88 catches for 1,517 yards and nine touchdowns. He also had eight games with 100-plus yards. Because of these efforts, he received First Team All-American honors and was named a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award.

At this point in his career, Jeffery established himself as one of the best wide receivers in the country. ESPN recognized him as the best overall player in the SEC heading into the 2011 season. However, he wouldn’t put up as good of numbers compared to the year before.

He wouldn’t record his first game with at least 100 yards until the season finale against Nebraska. There, he made four catches for 148 yards and a touchdown to help the Gamecocks win the Capital One Bowl. And despite being ejected for fighting in the third quarter, Jeffery still won the game’s MVP award.

After his junior season, Jeffery declared for the 2012 NFL Draft, where he was selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round. During his time in Chicago, he put together a pair of 1,000-plus yard seasons in 2013 and 2014. He received the first Pro Bowl selection of his professional career in 2013. On Nov. 14, 2016, Jeffery was suspended four games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

Heading into 2017, Jeffery signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. He had a bounce back season with 789 yards and nine touchdowns, and earned himself a four-year extension. He helped the Eagles finish 13-3 and win the NFC East. After advancing through the divisional round, Jeffery played well in the NFC Championship, scoring two touchdowns to help Philadelphia reach its first Super Bowl since 2004. In Super Bowl LII, he caught three passes for 73 yards and scored the first touchdown of the game. The Eagles went on to take down the New England Patriots 41-33 to give the franchise its first Super Bowl championship.

Only a few weeks removed from winning his first title, Jeffery underwent surgery for a torn rotator cuff. When he made his way back from the injury, he couldn’t replicate the success he previously had. With his numbers steadily declining, he was out of the league by 2021.

While his professional career ended with disappointment, it’s hard to discredit how outstanding Jeffery was in college. In three years with South Carolina, he amassed 183 catches for 3,042 yards and 23 touchdowns.

With 107.5 The Game’s Top 30 list complete, the attention shifts to the 2022 college football season. For the Gamecocks, they will take on Georgia State at Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

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