Some college football programs are known for producing NFL stars. The University of South Carolina sports program has produced its fair share of standout players at the next level.
We have alums picked out from various points in the South Carolina and NFL timeline, who older and younger fans will remember for their significant NFL impact.
Sterling Sharpe
Sharpe was in the news in 2025, as his long-awaited enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame finally occurred. Long before the days of a mainstream NFL Redzone, Sharpe was a dynamic tight end for the Green Bay Packers. Although he only played in the NFL for seven seasons, Sharpe’s impact was akin to that of a Rob Gronkowski or a Travis Kelce. He was a force to be reckoned with in the red zone and the middle of the field.
Sharpe caught 13, 11, and 18 touchdown passes in his final three years in the league. He led the entire league in receiving yards in 1992. He was at the peak of his powers in 1994, but was forced to retire before 30 due to a neck injury. Sharpe was on a trajectory to become one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history.
Sharpe left the University of South Carolina for the NFL in 1988.
Stephon Gilmore
Younger fans might not be old enough to remember Sharpe’s brilliance, but they undoubtedly may recall how difficult Gilmore was to throw against in his heyday; the kind of guy who made a mockery of NFL moneyline favourites. The cornerback was named 2019 Defensive Player of the Year, a two-time All-Pro. The Buffalo Bills took him with the 10th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.
His peers certainly took note of his accomplishments when he was at the apex of his game. Darelle Revis called Gilmore far and away the best corner in the NFL in 2019, which was high praise from one of the best corners of the era. When Gilmore was with the New England Patriots, coaches lauded him for his patience and timing. Gilmore always seemed to have a great sense of when to break on a ball or play aggressively.
John Abraham
Sharpe and Gilmore split time in the NFL. Abraham left South Carolina in 2000 to leap to the next level. The New York Jets made Abraham the 13th overall selection in the 2000 draft, which started an underrated but formidable 15-year NFL career.
Abraham posted double-digit sack seasons across eight years with three different franchises. His ability to impact games as a young player with the Jets or as a seasoned veteran with the Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals was something to behold. He had the athletic ability and the knowledge to find his way to the quarterback and disrupt games. He made two All-Pro teams throughout his career and was named to five Pro Bowls.