South Carolina Football: Forget Clowney, Where's the Love for DE Melvin Ingram?

Last February, the South Carolina Gamecocks landed the No. 1 overall prospect in the country. Jadeveon Clowney is a defensive end from South Carolina, and he picked the Gamecocks over Clemson and Alabama.

The hype is huge around Clowney—not with him just being the overall No. 1 prospect, but some people go as far as to call him the greatest prospect we've ever seen. He's a "can't miss," as some people refer to him as.

He is very athletic and has a ridiculous combination of speed and size. He has great explosion off the ball and long arms to disrupt passing lanes. He is one of those payers that doesn't have many weaknesses. He is a freak of nature.

In one season in high school, his stat sheet consisted of 162 tackles, 29.5 sacks, 29 tackles for loss, 11 forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries and scored he five touchdowns on defense. He also scored nine touchdowns on 32 carries when he played running back.

You've got to be kidding me.

He finished high school with a 38-6 record and won almost every high school award imaginable, including "Mr. Football" in the state of South Carolina. 

But there are other players on this defensive line that are worth mentioning as well.

How about Melvin Ingram?

Ingram led the team with nine sacks, and that was in a backup role and with missing two games. His two sacks and four tackles were huge in the victory over Alabama. His nine sacks last season are the second highest in South Carolina history, and he made the All-Preseason SEC team.

Jadeveon Clowney was asked about Melvin Ingram and went on to say, "I watch everything Melvin does because that's the kind of player I want to be," Clowney said. "The way he practices, the way he goes all out on every drill—that's the way I want to be. I look up to Melvin."

Ingram is a great player as well as Clowney is. The players on the defensive line have the potential to not only have the best line in the SEC, but to have one of the best lines in the country.

You may have forgotten about about Ingram with all of the hype surrounding Clowney during the offseason. Just make sure you don't forget about Devin Taylor, Travian Robertson, Aldrick Fordham and Kelcy Quarles on Saturdays because SEC quarterbacks won't.