Eric Norwood, South Carolina     Ht: 6’ 1” 255 lbs.  Instincts,
Closing Speed, Burst, Tackling, Intensity, Leadership
Weaknesses: Pass Defense, Straight-line Speed, Position,
Athletic Ability  By Daryl Breault  Gamecock OLB Eric Norwood
might be the SEC’s most dangerous pass rusher but has arguably
been the least talked about and the most underrated. Given a
late round grade before the 2009 draft, Norwood returned to
South Carolina and has racked up some outstanding stats and big
performances.  Incredibly productive since his 2006 freshman
year, Norwood racked up 22 sacks and 43.5 TFL in his first three
years and has 8.5 TFL and 6 sacks so far this year (8 games).
He’s garnered more and more attention as the year has gone on.
After posting 6 sacks in the first 4 games, he’s gone 4 straight
without a sack. His piece de resistance came during the
September 24 win over Ole Miss when he posted 10 tackles, 2.5
TFL and 2 sacks. Norwood has also notched 2 INT, returning 1 for
a TD, this year.  His size likely will