Jadeveon Clowney Jadeveon Clowney ( pronounced ; born February 14 , 1993 ) is an American football defensive end . He graduated from South Pointe High School in Rock Hill , South Carolina and played college football at the University of South Carolina . A unanimous College All - American as a sophomore in 2012 , Clowney set South Carolina school records in quarterback sack s ( 13 . 0 ) and tackles for a loss ( 23 . 5 ) per season while also earning Defensive Player of the Year honors in the Southeastern Conference . Described by " ESPN " as " one of those rare game - changers on defense " , Clowney is projected to be a top - 5 selection in the 2014 NFL Draft . High school career . A native of Rock Hill , South Carolina , Clowney attended South Pointe High School , where he played for the South Pointe Stallions high school football team . Already 6 - 3 and 200 lbs as a freshman in 2007 , he played running back and defensive end for the school ' s junior varsity team . For his sophomore year he joined rising seniors Stephon Gilmore and DeVonte Holloman ( both four - star recruits ) on a South Pointe varsity that came off a 9 – 4 season . By spring practice , Clowney became a permanent fixture at defensive end . " We knew we had something special . He was 13 years old in that big athletic body . He was wreaking havoc on our offense that spring and fall , " said Bobby Carroll , his coach at South Pointe . South Pointe went 15 – 0 for the season , including a 35 – 14 win over town - rival Northwestern High at Memorial Stadium , Clemson , for the 2008 South Carolina AAAA Division II title and a No . 3 spot in the annual " MaxPreps " high school ranking . Despite playing nearly the entire season with a bone spur in his foot , Clowney finished with 17 sacks . He elected to have surgery on the bone spur in January 2009 . South Pointe lost 31 seniors after the 2008 season , including Gilmore and Holloman . Still , Clowney helped the team to a 10 – 4 record for the season , and a state semifinal berth , where the Stallions lost to Northwestern . Clowney finished the season with 144 tackles and 23 sacks . For his senior season , Clowney tallied 162 tackles , 29 . 5 sacks , 29 tackles for loss , 11 forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries , and scored five touchdowns on defense while leading his team to a 13 – 2 record . South Pointe made the state finals for the second time in three years , but lost 23 – 27 to Myrtle Beach at USC ' s Williams - Brice Stadium . Still , Clowney was named South Carolina ' s 2010 Mr . Football . South Pointe was 38 – 6 during his three varsity seasons . Immediately following his senior season , Clowney went to Spartanburg for the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas , where he registered 5 tackles ( 2 solo , 3 assists ) , 3 sacks for a loss of 15 yards , 2 tackles for a loss of 17 yards and 2 quarterback hurries . Clowney was lined up against the North Carolina left tackle on every snap he played and drew five holding calls . After the Shrine Bowl , Clowney headed to Orlando , Florida , for a week of Under Armour All - America Game practices and then the all - star game itself . He was the leading tackler for the Red with seven and had 1 . 5 sacks . Recruiting analysts were particularly interested in his matchup with Cyrus Kouandjio . Afterwards , Clowney headed to New York City , for a photo shoot for an " ESPN the Magazine " feature story that appeared in the journal ' s February 7 , 2011 issue . Recruiting . During his high school career , Clowney was often regarded as the best player in his class . " ESPN " described him as " a special talent who could have vied for the top spot in several previous classes . " Both major recruiting services , Rivals . com and Scout . com , as well as " ESPNU " , considered Clowney not only a five - star recruit , but also the No . 1 overall prospect of the 2011 class , basically throughout his senior year . Unsurprisingly , he received scholarship offers from nearly every perennial BCS powerhouse . However , Clowney left his decision open until after National Signing Day of 2011 . In a live broadcast on " ESPN " on his eighteenth birthday — February 14 , 2011 — Clowney announced his commitment to South Carolina , selecting the Gamecocks over Clemson , Alabama , Louisiana State , and Florida State . He was the third - straight South Carolina " Mr . Football " to sign with the Gamecocks , following in the footsteps of his South Pointe teammate Gilmore , and Duncan Byrnes ' Marcus Lattimore . " I wanted to play in the SEC . It was easy , " Clowney said . " I knew a week ago . I just tried not to tell anybody . " Just days earlier , a story in the " New York Times " questioned Clowney ' s academic eligibility , but Clowney told reporters he had " no concerns and would be fine " . College career . 2011 season . As a true freshman at South Carolina , Clowney played in all 12 games of the season . He started the season opener against East Carolina , becoming the first freshman to start on the defensive line since Travian Robertson in 2007 . In his debut , Clowney had seven tackles , a pass breakup and a QB hurry . A week later in the SEC season opener against Georgia , Clowney recorded his first career quarterback sack in the second quarter , tackling Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray for a 7 - yard loss . With just over three minutes remaining and USC clinging to a 38 – 35 lead , Clowney sacked Murray at the 10 - yard line , causing him to fumble . Fellow defensive lineman Melvin Ingram recovered the football and returned it for a touchdown to put South Carolina up by 10 . Against Vanderbilt , Clowney forced two fumbles , including one that again was recovered by Ingram and returned for a touchdown . In mid - October against Mississippi State , Clowney picked up a sack , forced fumble , and two quarterback hurries . In South Carolina ' s 30 – 13 win over Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl , Clowney recorded four tackles and two sacks of quarterback Taylor Martinez . For the season , Clowney was credited with 36 tackles , including 12 for a loss of yardage . He ranked eighth in the SEC with 8 . 0 sacks , the only freshman in the top 10 , and logged five forced fumbles . He earned SEC Freshman of the Year and All - SEC 2nd Team honors from the league ' s coaches , and was also named to multiple Freshman All - American 1st Team lists , including The Sporting News , FWAA , Rivals . com , and CBSSports . com . 2012 season . In his sophomore season , Clowney emerged as the best defensive player in college football . While helping South Carolina to a 11 – 2 ( 6 – 2 SEC ) record , he set the school single - season record for sacks ( 13 . 0 ) and tackles for loss ( 23 . 5 ) . He also amassed 54 tackles ( 40 solo ) and 3 forced fumbles . Against Alabama – Birmingham , Clowney was credited with seven tackles with 3 . 5 tackles for loss and 2 . 0 sacks , for which he was named the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week . In the 27 – 17 win over Clemson , he sacked Tigers quarterback Tajh Boyd for a single - game school record 4 . 5 times , earning SEC Defensive Player and Defensive Lineman of the Week honors again . It was also a Clemson Memorial Stadium record , topping the previous mark jointly held by Notre Dame ' s Ross Browner ( 1977 ) and Virginia Tech ' s Bruce Smith ( 1984 ) , both College Football Hall of Fame rs . Along with being a Unanimous All - American , Clowney won the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation ' s best defensive end . Additionally , he was a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award , the Bronko Nagurski Trophy , the Lombardi Award , and finished 6th overall in the 2012 Heisman Trophy voting . Following Clowney ' s incredible sophomore season , he was voted by the fans as the 2012 AT & T All - America Player of the Year on January 7 . In the Outback Bowl on January 1 , 2013 , Clowney helped the Gamecocks to a 33 – 28 victory over the Michigan Wolverines . He gained instant fame for a hit on Michigan running back Vincent Smith that came with 8 minutes left in the fourth quarter , after a controversial call in Michigan ' s favor . The hit forced a fumble that Clowney himself recovered , which then set up a touchdown on the next play . On July 17 , 2013 , Clowney won the 2013 ESPY Award for best play for that hit . 2013 season . Following much off - season hype , Clowney began his junior season as a frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy . In the season - opener against North Carolina , weakened by gastroenteritis , appeared “ tired ” and only registered three tackles . After a slow start into the season , while being plagued by minor injuries , Clowney ' s Heisman chances began to fade . His decision to sit out the Kentucky game with a muscle strain near his rib area caused media controversy . In a much anticipated rematch with Tennessee offensive tackle Antonio Richardson , Clowney recorded a season - high five tackles , including four solo , in an overall performance that was widely praised . He sat out another game , against Coastal Carolina , ailing with bone spurs in his right foot on November 23 . Clowney finished his junior season with 35 tackles , 10 . 5 for a loss of yardage , and three quarterback sacks — considerably lower in each category compared to his sophomore year . Nonetheless , he was again a first - team All - Southeastern Conference ( SEC ) selection . However , after receiving unanimous All - American honors in 2012 , Clowney was only selected to one 2013 All - America team — by the American Football Coaches Association . After South Carolina ' s 34 – 24 win over Wisconsin , in which Clowney had five tackles including one for a loss , he announced that he was going to skip his senior year . Professional career . 2014 NFL Draft . As early as January 2013 , Clowney was projected as a top - 3 selection in the 2014 NFL Draft . " Clowney ' s a rare talent , basically to the defensive end spot what Andrew Luck and RG3 were to the quarterback position , " said " ESPN " analyst Mel Kiper , Jr . " These type of prospects just don ' t come along very often . " NFL media analyst Bucky Brooks described Clowney as a “ meaner , nastier version of Julius Peppers . ” Clowney ' s injuries , as well as his mediocre performance early in his junior season reportedly do not scare NFL executives . Late September 2013 mock drafts still ranked Clowney among the top - 2 picks . After the college season concluded , Clowney was projected No . 4 by " Sports Illustrated " . In a postgame interview after the Capital One Bowl , Clowney confirmed he was going to enter the 2014 NFL Draft . At the NFL Combine in February 2014 , Clowney excelled in the 40 - yard dash , posting an official time of 4 . 53 seconds , the fastest among defensive linemen , which caused " USA Today " calling him " by far the most freakish physical specimen in this draft . " Personal . Clowney ' s mother , Josenna Clowney , has been a processing technician at the Frito - Lay plant in Charlotte , North Carolina , since 1994 . His father , David Morgan , was released from prison in 2006 after serving nearly 12 years for robbing a Rock Hill check - cashing business in 1995 . With his father incarcerated for much of his childhood , Clowney was raised by his mother and his maternal grandparents , John and Josephine Clowney , as well as his mother ’ s longtime boyfriend , Christopher Jones .