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Devin Taylor

Class: RS Senior Hometown: Beaufort, S.C. High School: Beaufort

Height / Weight: 6-8 / 267 Position: DE Experience: 3 VL

Senior defensive end who is an All-Star candidate for the Gamecocks... has played in 39 games over the past three seasons making 32 starts... credited with 116 tackles, 27.0 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks and 19 quarterback hurries... ranks among the Gamecocks' career top-10 in both sacks (tied for 5th) and tackles for loss (tied for 9th)... earned All-SEC honors in each of the past two seasons.

2011: Talented defensive end who was named honorable mention All-SEC by the Associated Press... started all 13 games, logging 42 tackles, including 31 solo stops... had 8.5 tackles for loss, including 6.0 sacks... credited with an interception, two pass breakups, six hurries and a pair of fumble recoveries... had a season-high nine tackles in the win over Navy... recorded a nine-yard sack against Vanderbilt... added sacks in three consecutive games against Mississippi State, Tennessee and Arkansas... added a sack in the regular season finale against Clemson... had fumble recoveries against Kentucky and Florida... had 2.0 tackles for loss including a sack among his five stops in the Capital One Bowl win over Nebraska... was on the preseason Bednarik, Hendricks, Lombardi and Nagurski watch lists.

2010: Named first-team All-SEC by the Associated Press, Phil Steele and Rivals.com... named second-team All-SEC by the league's coaches...also was an All-Sophomore first-team selection by CollegeFootballNews.com... started all 14 games... had 46 tackles to lead the Gamecocks' defensive linemen... led the team and ranked eighth in the SEC with 13.0 tackles for loss... had 7.5 sacks, second on team and fourth in the SEC... led the team with eight pass breakups and 11 quarterback hurries... had five tackles in season-opener vs. Southern Miss... posted five tackles, including 2.0 sacks and 3.0 tackles for loss, in win over Georgia... had five stops, one sack and 2.5 tackle for loss vs. Kentucky... recorded four tackles, 3.0 for loss, and 2.0 sacks vs. Vanderbilt... scored his first career touchdown vs. Tennessee with a 24-yard interception return... also recovered two UT fumbles and had one tackle and a pass breakup, earning SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week accolades... logged a career-high seven stops in the Chick-fil-A Bowl against Florida State.

2009: Split time at defensive end with Clifton Geathers... earned third-team Freshman All-America honors by CollegeFootballNews.com and was a Freshman All-SEC performer according to the SEC coaches... played in 12 of the 13 games (did not dress against Florida due to a bruised sternum) and started each of the first five games... logged 28 tackles with 5.5 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks... also forced two fumbles... made his first start in Carolina's 7-3 win at NC State... on his first snap from scrimmage, he forced a fumble, which the Gamecocks recovered, leading to the game's only touchdown... blocked a punt on NC State's second possession... later forced another fumble... finished the game with six tackles, including a game-high 3.0 tackles for loss and a sack, earning SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors for his efforts... had four tackles each against SC State and Tennessee.

2008: Redshirted as a true freshman.

HIGH SCHOOL: Graduated from Beaufort (S.C.) High in 2008... totaled 110 tackles with 10 sacks and 19 tackles for loss as a senior earning first-team All-State recognition from the Associated Press and from The State... helped lead Beaufort to the state AAAA Championship game... played in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas... logged 80 tackles and four sacks as a junior... considered a three-star prospect... was the 21st-best player in the state according to Rivals.com... was the 93rd-best defensive end in the country according to Scout.com... also lettered in basketball and track & field... won the Class 4A state triple jump title as a senior with a leap of 48-3... chose South Carolina over offers from Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Furman, Duke and NC State.

PERSONAL: Devin Darnell Taylor is pursuing a degree in integrated information technology.

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