The Final Cockdown: #9 Sharrod Golightly

Sharrod Golightly
Redshirt Junior
5'10", 195 lbs.
Decatur, GA

Recruitment:
3 stars, #82 S in the 2010 class
Other offers: Vanderbilt

College Career:
After originally committing to Vanderbilt, Golightly flipped to the Gamecocks and would go on to redshirt his first season on campus. He played in 2011 and 2012, his contributions mostly having come in the special teams realm. In two seasons of field time, he's got 10 career tackles including one tackle for loss.

2013 Outlook:
Golightly is projecting to be the starting SPUR, a position Devonte Holloman admirably filled for the past few seasons. Holloman played at about 240 pounds, so Gamecock fans will have to get used to a decidedly smaller frame manning the position. For a time it looked like redshirt freshman Jordan Diggs would push for the starting role, but linebackers Coach Kirk Botkin has recently suggested that Golightly has separated himself.

Trivia:
Named to Mississippi State SBNation affiliate For Whom The Cowbell Tolls' 2013 SEC All-Name Team. Jadeveon Clowney is the only other South Carolina representative.

Possible Todd Ellis play-by-play call:
"Murray takes the snap, South Carolina coming on a blitz, Murray's flushed from the pocket, escapes a tackler, and BOOM! Sacked! That's Sharrod Golightly, the redshirt junior, bringing Mr. Murray to the turf! Folks, that was pure poetry—and that's why I'll paraphrase the great Dylan Thomas as a warning to all SEC signal callers: 'Do not Golightly into that good night!'"