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D.J. Swearinger

Class: Senior Hometown: Greenwood, S.C. High School: Greenwood

Height / Weight: 6-0 / 210 Position: FS Experience: 3 VL

Senior defensive back who should be an awards candidate in 2012... will sit out the spring while rehabbing from a foot injury that hampered him some during the 2011 campaign... has played in all 40 games over the past three seasons, making 21 starts... has recorded 165 career tackles with four interceptions.

2011: Junior safety who ranked second on the team in tackles with 80, including 58 solo stops... tied for second on the team with three interceptions... started all 13 games... played the first two games of the season at strong safety, before moving to play the free safety spot for the rest of the season... had seven tackles against both Georgia and Navy... logged his first interception of the year vs. Kentucky... had the best game of his Gamecock career at Mississippi State... named the SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week after totaling a career-best 12 tackles and intercepting a pass in the waning minutes of the game to preserve the 14-12 win... had his third pick in as many games when he intercepted a Tennessee pass near the goal line... credited with nine tackles against Florida and eight more against The Citadel... logged seven solo tackles and forced a key fumble in the Capital One Bowl win over Nebraska.

2010: Played in all 14 games, starting eight... played both the free and strong safety positions... fourth on the team with 66 tackles, including 2.0 for loss... credited with five pass breakups... also returned four kickoffs for a 21.8 yard average... had four tackles and a forced fumble at Auburn... tied for the team lead with a career-best nine tackles in win over No. 1 Alabama in first career start... posted seven tackles including a tackle for loss at Kentucky... had seven tackles coming off the bench versus Arkansas... made first start at strong safety vs. Florida and had six tackles and a pass breakup... picked off a pass vs. Troy and returned it 22 yards for his first career touchdown... had five tackles in the game.

2009: Solid contributor as a true freshman defensive back... played in all 13 games... logged 19 tackles, including 13 solo stops... had one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry... had three tackles against Alabama and three solo stops at Arkansas.

HIGH SCHOOL: Two-way starter at Greenwood High while playing for Shell Dula... rushed for 904 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior quarterback and caught 20 passes for 210 yards as a receiver... also logged 77 tackles, broke up eight passes and caused two fumbles as a safety... a second-team All-State selection by The State... had an interception in the Shrine Bowl Game of the Carolinas... logged 516 yards rushing and nine TDs with 93 tackles and an interception as a junior... rushed for 400 yards and logged 68 tackles and five interceptions as a sophomore... three-star prospect who was considered the 20th-best safety in the nation and the 14th-best prospect in the state of South Carolina by Rivals.com... a three-star prospect and the nation's 82nd-best safety according to Scout.com... considered the state's ninth-best player by SuperPrep... named to PrepStar's All-Atlantic Region squad... originally committed to Tennessee and also had an offer from North Carolina among others.

PERSONAL: Dayario Jamal Swearinger is pursuing a retailing degree.

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