The Gamecocks are used to seeing top-tier defensive linemen at South Carolina with plenty going on to greener pastures in the NFL as well.

From Melvin Ingram to John Abraham and Javon Kinlaw, a lot of those guys have stuck around for four years and been elite as seniors.

Now Aaron Sterling, Keir Thomas and Jabari Ellis are hoping to be the next in a long line of standout seniors up front.

Before that, though, a look at some of the most elite senior seasons from receivers at South Carolina to see the type of years some Gamecocks could potentially have.

Javon Kinlaw (2019)

Stats: 35 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries

Kinlaw is the most recent of the really good defensive seasons for linemen, going from a middle-of-the-draft NFL prospect to a surefire first rounder and ultimately going No. 14 overall to the 49ers.

His stats may not be record-setting numbers, but Kinlaw did all of that while drawing double or triple teams almost all season, which is insanely impressive. He was one of the driving forces behind the Gamecocks' upset over Georgia this year.

His story and senior season are things that probably won't be forgotten for a while at South Carolina.

Melvin Ingram (2011)

Stats: 48 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 2 interceptions

Ingram's senior year may go down as one of the best years ever for a defensive lineman at South Carolina, finishing tied for fourth all-time in tackles for loss in a season and second for sacks in a season and had his fake punt touchdown the same year, one of the more memorable plays of the Steve Spurrier era.

Ingram parlayed that into a first-round pick by the Chargers and is still considered one of the best to ever play on the line at South Carolina.

Langston Moore (2002)

Stats: 60 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 3 forced fumbles

Moore's stats are pretty eye-popping for a defensive lineman, putting up 60 tackles and getting nine tackles for loss while forcing three fumbles. He was one of the steadier defensive linemen for South Carolina during his time in Columbia and his senior season proved it.

Moore was drafted after his senior season and did the same thing in the pros, turning into a five-year veteran who played in 51 games.

John Abraham (1999)

Stats: 61 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 5 fumble recoveries

Abraham didn't have much to show for success in terms of the win column his senior year (the team didn't win a game) but Abraham put together the final year of a legendary college career.

He was third on the team in tackles for loss, led the team in sacks and also recovered five fumbles before playing 15 seasons in the pros, totaling 560 tackles, 148 tackles for loss and 133.5 sacks.

Andrew Provence (1982)

Stats: 133 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 2 forced fumbles

Provence is arguably a top five defensive lineman to come through South Carolina and pieced together an absolutely monster final year on campus.

His 133 tackles are still top 10 all-time at South Carolina for a single season and he's tied with Ingram for fourth all-time for single-season tackles for loss and second in sacks.

The Gamecocks only won four games that year but Provence turned his performance into a third-round draft pick and lasted six years in the NFL.