Two former South Carolina defenders are continuing their professional careers in the CFL. DE Cliff Matthews and DB Vic Hampton signed with the Ottawa Redblacks this past week.

Both huge personalities with very different pasts. Cliff Matthews was a 7th round pick in the 2011 NFL draft and didn’t have much of an impact in the league. His last stint in the league ended when he was cut from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in February of 2016.

Victor Hampton was a guy who always battled character issues. After he went undrafted in 2014, he had short stints with the Bengals, Giants, and Ravens from 201-2015. Hampton was another guy who probably got some bad advice and left a year before he was ready to compete at the highest level and manage the money and fame that comes with being in the league.

Overall, really happy for these guys. Cliff was an absolute beast at South Carolina that I always remember for wearing this ridiculous club on his hand while he terrorized QB’s. Hampton, aka “The Bandit”, was an underrated DB on the Gamecocks roster in my opinion because of the other talent he was always surrounded by.

The CFL just became a must watch for me. Two former Gamecocks signing AND Johnny Football is eligible to play as well? Sign me up.

All we need now is for DJ Swearinger to join Ottawa and give us the #GOONSQUAD defense from the early part of this decade.

Re-live some of their best moments as Gamecocks: