Javon Kinlaw has grown pretty used to proving people wrong.

The junior defensive lineman hasn’t had the easiest path to South Carolina’s starting defensive tackle, dealing with homelessness, a year at junior college and having to cut weight rapidly.

But every challenge he’s encountered so far over his life, he’s conquered, and that likely won’t stop this season.

“It’s an unbelievable story. He’s a guy that ended up on the dean’s list, got here in May, showing up at 340 pounds and totally dedicated himself to do the things he needed to do to get his body right. He’s down to 300 pounds and playing at a high level,” head coach Will Muschamp said. “I think it’s one of the great stories in college football.”

Also see: Is Jaydon Hill's mind made up?

Kinlaw grew up outside of Washington D.C., growing up with his mother and siblings. His mom worked taking odd jobs across the town. Kinlaw admitted growing up almost homeless, bouncing around to friends’ houses and sleeping on couches growing up.

Early in his teenage years, he moved down to the Charleston, S.C. area with his dad and went to Goose Creek High School where he blossomed into a three-star defensive lineman. Muschamp and the Gamecocks helped set him up at Jones Junior College, where he spent a year before transferring to South Carolina.

He quickly transitioned to a starter four games into the season last year, and through all of it hasn’t forgotten where he came from and is motivated to make sure his mom never has to worry about finding a place to sleep at night.

“I’m just trying to get her her own place,” Kinlaw said, softly smiling.

Also see: Insider scoop on the Gamecocks' getting ready to host a big 2020 lineman

Kinlaw had a up-and-down start to his college career, having to cut almost 40 pounds in a month to get to a satisfactory playing weight under Muschamp and defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson.

Once he did that, he became a mainstay in the lineup and 20 tackles, two for a loss, and forced a fumble.

He played alongside some of the Gamecocks’ playmakers like D.J. Wonnum and TJ Brunson and doesn’t see a reason why he can’t be like those players.

“People don’t realize I want to play like those guys,” Kinlaw said. “I see them making a lot of plays and I want to play like those guys. Those are the guys making plays. At the end of the day, that’s what I want to do. I want to make plays.”

Also see: How can the Gamecocks get more explosive this year?

And Kinlaw could develop into that guy. At 6-foot-6, 305 pounds he’s the tallest and was the biggest lineman on the roster before the addition of Josh Belk.

He’ll be penciled in as the Gamecocks’ starting defensive tackle, likely by Keir Thomas, and the coaching staff thinks he’s poised to take another step forward in his long journey.

“He definitely has the talent to do that. And when the opportunity presents itself in the scheme of the defense he can do that," defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson said. "Sometimes we need him to take on a double team and stay there so those guys can’t get to TJ Brunson and TJ Brunson can make the play. That’s part of our deal.”