FMR GAMECOCK DEFENSIVE STAR GETS NFL DEAL

One of the University of South Carolina’s biggest defensive stars has inked an NFL contract with the Minnesota Vikings.

Brinkley, a 6-foot-2-inch tall linebacker, was chosen in the fifth round of April’s NFL Draft and is the second Gamecock to sign an NFL deal.

Brinkley recorded 65 career tackles at South Carolina with three interceptions. Last season, he earned Second-Team All-SEC honors.

According to The State, the Gamecocks had seven players picked in this year’s draft, the second-most in program history and the most since the draft was shortened to seven rounds in 1994.