Former South Carolina DB Stephon Gilmore wins Defensive Player of the Year honor
By SDS Staff
Published:
Cornerbacks don’t usually win Defensive Player of the Year, but Stephon Gilmore isn’t your average NFL cornerback. The former South Carolina standout took home the AP Defensive Player of the Year during Saturday’s NFL Honors in Miami, part of this weekend’s Super Bowl festivities.
Gilmore, who was named first-team All-Pro and voted to the Pro Bowl, led the NFL with 20 passes defended, including six interceptions, a league-leading total the New England Patriot shared with Minnesota’s Anthony Harris and Buffalo’s Tre’Davious White. Two of Gilmore’s six interceptions were returned for touchdowns, which tied him for second in the NFL. Gilmore allowed a passer rating of just 47.4, third-best among NFL defenders.
Gilmore is the first-ever Patriots player and only sixth cornerback in NFL history to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Green Bay Packers CB Charles Woodson is the only other cornerback to win the award this century (2009). The previous four cornerback wins came before the turn of the century: Deion Sanders (1994), Rod Woodson (1993), Lester Hayes (1980) and Mel Blount (1975).
Gilmore won with 21 of 50 votes, topping Cardinals defensive end Chandler Jones (14 votes), Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt (10 votes), Buccaneers linebacker Shaq Barrett (two votes), Vikings edge Danielle Hunter (one vote), Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White (one vote) and Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald (one vote).
Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.
