Demon Clowney Embraces Final College Season — and His Famous Last Name — at South Carolina
Demon Clowney is well aware of the question that always comes his way.
Everywhere he goes, the South Carolina defensive end gets asked if he’s related to Jadeveon Clowney, the Gamecock legend whose No. 7 jersey was retired in 2022 after a storied college career and a No. 1 overall NFL Draft selection.
The answer is simple: Yes.
“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 (pronounced DEE-mun) and Jadeveon are cousins, though they grew up far apart — Jadeveon in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and Demon in Baltimore. Still, Demon remembers watching his cousin dominate at USC and later in the NFL.
When it came time to choose a program for his final college season, Demon didn’t overthink it — and he didn’t even tell Jadeveon ahead of time.
“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.”
Clowney transferred to South Carolina this spring after a short stint at Louisville, where he never saw the field. He entered the transfer portal in March and committed to the Gamecocks within weeks.
This wasn’t the first time USC had shown interest. The Gamecocks offered Clowney back in 2018 under then-head coach Will Muschamp while he starred at St. Frances Academy in Maryland — a powerhouse program later featured in HBO’s 2020 documentary The Cost of Winning.
Clowney’s recruitment was highlighted in the series, including the painful setbacks he endured along the way. A week before signing day, LSU pulled his scholarship offer, leaving coaches scrambling to find him a new landing spot while his teammates celebrated their signings.
“I feel like it will be good for me to get out of here soon,” Clowney said in the documentary, recalling how gun violence claimed the lives of several childhood friends and family members.
He eventually signed with Ole Miss, where he spent three seasons before transferring to Charlotte to reunite with former high school coach Biff Poggi. After Poggi was fired in 2024, Clowney was once again searching for a new home — and found it in Columbia.
“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.”
Across 33 career games, Clowney has tallied 69 tackles (13 for loss) and 6.5 sacks. He now joins what Lucas has described as the deepest edge-rushing group USC has had since he arrived, headlined by preseason All-American Dylan Stewart. Clowney will compete with Bryan Thomas Jr., Desmond Umeozulu, Jatius Geer, George Wilson Jr., and freshmen Anthony Addison and Jaquavious Dodd for the other starting spot.
“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.”
At 6-foot-4, 255 pounds, Clowney is eager to prove himself in his last season — and carry on the family legacy at South Carolina.
“We’ve got a lot of guys that can go. Everyone can come and contribute something,” Clowney said. “I’m ready to compete.”
