Dallas Cowboys' Stephon Gilmore Recruited To Sign with Carolina Panthers By Jadeveon Clowney

Dallas Cowboys free agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore could reunite with former high school and college teammate Jadeveon Clowney.

Oct 31, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Carolina Panthers cornerback Stephon Gilmore (9) celebrates / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore remains a free agent, but one team has been showing significant interest in him over the past few days.

Earlier this week, numerous reports stated that the Carolina Panthers have interest in bringing back Gilmore. The Rock Hill, South Carolina native briefly played for the Panthers during the 2021 season, but perhaps more importantly, they're his hometown team.

Now, those reports have even more layers to them. On Wednesday, the Panthers signed edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney, who played alongside Gilmore at South Pointe High School and at South Carolina in the college ranks.

Oct 31, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Carolina Panthers cornerback Stephon Gilmore (9) celebrates / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

To little surprise, Clowney confirmed that he has indeed been recruiting Gilmore for a Carolina reunion.

“Yeah, I’m trying to get him to pull up,” Clowney said, per the Charlotte Observer. “I was like, ‘We gotta do the Rock Hill thing over, the South Carolina thing over. Trying to get him to come home with me again and have some fun.”

Adding even more fuel to the fire, Clowney claimed that Gilmore reciprocated that interest in private conversations.

“Before I signed, I did talk to Stephon, and he was like, ‘I’m trying to get them to sign me back too,’” Clowney said. “And I was like, ‘Now I’m gonna sign this contract now, and you’re telling me when I sign, you’re gonna come.’ And he was like, ‘We gonna see man.’”

In his first season with the Cowboys, Gilmore started all 17 games and recorded 68 tackles, 13 passes defended and two interceptions. He played quite well for Dallas and even took on a larger role than expected following Trevon Diggs' injury, but it could be his only season in Big D at this rate.

Joining a rebuilding team like the Panthers, who finished at a league-worst 2-15 last season, may seem like a strange choice for a veteran like Gilmore, but Clowney believes the former Gamecocks stars could lead a turnaround for their hometown team.

“I think we can turn this thing around and have a good time here,” Clowney said. “And you know, look for something great for this upcoming season. The division was tight last year, regardless of what people think, and there’s no reason the Panthers can’t come out on top for the division this year and make the playoffs. 

“And then once you’re in the playoffs, anything can happen.”