It was a big day on defense for former South Carolina stars in the NFL in Week 1, as 16 Gamecocks got their first taste of the 2018 season on Sunday.
Of those 16, nine were on the defensive side of the ball, and they had some of the most productive outings of the group, as Stephon Gilmore led a resurgent Patriots secondary, Jadeveon Clowney returned for the Houston Texans and D.J. Swearinger helped to lock down his former team, while honoring an NFL great.
Swearinger is now a safety with the Washington Redskins, but played for the Arizona Cardinals for 20 games before departing for Washington as a free agent.