His cousin is a Gamecock legend. Now, Demon Clowney eyes own big season with USC
Demon Clowney knows it. The question is coming every time he meets somebody new.
The South Carolina defensive end is asked if he is related to Jadeveon Clowney, the Gamecock great and No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Jadeveon’s No. 7 jersey was retired by South Carolina in 2022.
The answer: Yes. Yes, they are related.
“All the time. They are like, ‘Are you related?’ ” Clowney said. “I tell them yeah. It is all fun. I really don’t mind it all.”
Demon and Jadeveon are cousins but didn’t grow up near each other. Jadeveon grew up in Rock Hill with Demon raised in Baltimore. Still, Demon — pronounced DEE-mun — remembers watching his cousin play at USC and then later in the NFL.
And when it came time to look for a place to play in his final college season, Demon didn’t consult with too many people. And he didn’t tell his cousin he was headed to play for the Gamecocks.
Demon Clowney was at Louisville in the spring but never played there. He entered the transfer portal in March and committed to South Carolina less than a month later.
“I didn’t talk to anyone about coming here. I made it on my own because it is my last year. I don’t think anyone knew,” Clowney said. “I talked to them one day and was here the next. It was a quick thing. When I got here, it felt right.”
The Gamecocks offered Clowney back in 2018 when Will Muschamp was the coach and he was playing high school football at powerhouse St. Frances Academy (Maryland), which was featured in HBO’s 2020 four-part documentary series called “The Cost of Winning.”
Clowney’s football life and recruitment were talked about in the final episode of the documentary. Several of his childhood friends and family were killed due to gun violence.
“People I grew up with, I see just dying,” Clowney said during the episode. “... I feel like it will be good for me to get out of here soon.”
That’s what Clowney focused on doing.
He committed to play at LSU, but the Tigers pulled his offer a week before signing day. The episode showed Clowney’s teammates signing with their schools while St. Frances coaches were busy on the phone talking with LSU coach Ed Ogereon about their decision and trying to find a new home for the four-star prospect.
He eventually committed to Ole Miss and spent three seasons there before transferring to Charlotte, where he was reunited with Biff Poggi, his head coach at St. Frances. Poggi was fired after the 2024 season, so that left the defender again looking for a new spot.
The Gamecocks were the perfect spot to finish his college career, he said.
“Just the culture here. Coach Sterling Lucas (USC defensive ends coach) I think is the best in the country,” Clowney said. “That is why I came here. We’ve got a great room, so I want to compete and make everybody better. It is a great place to be.”
Clowney has played in 33 games in his college career and has 69 tackles (13 for loss) and 6.5 sacks.
He’s part of a room of edge rushers that Lucas called the deepest since he’s been at USC. With preseason All-American Dylan Stewart occupying one end spot, the other is wide open with Clowney competing with Bryan Thomas Jr., Desmond Umeozulu, Jatius Geer, George Wilson Jr. and freshmen Anthony Addison and Jaquavious Dodd.
“He has a physical presence and can be productive in the SEC,” Lucas said of Clowney. “I think it will translate to how we play football here.”
The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Clowney said his physical nature is one of his strengths and hopes he can showcase it with the Gamecocks and continue the tradition at the school that his cousin started.
“We’ve got a lot of guys that can go. Everyone can come and contribute something,” Clowney said. “I’m ready to compete.”
