NEW YORK — It was a busy weekend for the University of South Carolina in the NFL Draft, as seven Gamecocks – the most for the school since 1954 – were chosen. However, both Carolina and in-state rival Clemson had to wait until Sunday to get into the action, as neither the Gamecocks nor the Tigers had a player chosen on the draft’s first day.

South Carolina’s seven draft picks, though, matched Oregon State and Ohio State for the second-highest total for a school – Southern Cal had 11 players selected – and tight end Jared Cook became the first Gamecock off the board when he was chosen in the third round by the Tennessee Titans with the 89th overall pick.

Three more South Carolina players went in the fifth round, as wide receiver Kenny McKinley was selected by the Denver Broncos with 141st overall pick, linebacker Jasper Brinkley went nine picks later to the Minnesota Vikings and offensive tackle Jamon Meredith was chosen 162nd overall by the Green Bay Packers.

The seventh round of the draft saw three more Gamecocks chosen, with cornerback Captain Munnerlyn going to the Carolina Panthers as the 216th overall pick, defensive back Stoney Woodson going 238th to the New York Giants and kicker Ryan Succop being chosen with the 256th and final choice – earning him the not-so-coveted title of ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ for 2009 – in the draft.

The seven selections for the Gamecocks is just one shy of their total for the last four drafts combined, and while the total selected is the second-highest total in school history, the 1954 draft had six of the nine Gamecocks taken after the 10th round.

Clemson, meanwhile, had to wait until the fourth round before the first of its players came off the board, when the St. Louis Rams picked defensive tackle Dorell Scott with the 103rd overall pick. Scott is the third Tiger selected by the Rams in the last four years – joining Tye Hill (first round, 2006) and Dustin Fry (fifth round, 2007). His selection also made four straight years that a Clemson defensive lineman has been chosen – along with Charles Bennett (2006), Gaines Adams (2007) and Phillip Merling (2008).

Two more Tigers were chosen in the fifth round, as safety Chris Clemons got the call with the 165th pick by the Miami Dolphins. Fellow safety Michael Hamlin went one pick later to the Dallas Cowboys, marking the first time Clemson players had been selected with consecutive picks in the draft.

James Davis was the fourth and final Clemson player chosen over the weekend, going in the sixth round (195th overall) to the Cleveland Browns.

Undrafted free agents. A number of Gamecocks and Tigers went undrafted but have reportedly signed deals with NFL teams following the draft, including Clemson wide receivers Aaron Kelly (Falcons) and Tyler Grisham (Steelers) and defensive tackle Rashaad Jackson (Chargers); and South Carolina defensive backs Carlos Thomas (49ers) and Emanuel Cook (Jets).