NoteCARDS:
- The Cardinals first selection of the sixth round (177th overall) of the 2012 draft, became the ninth player ever drafted out of Presbyterian and the first since DB Dan Eckstein was selected in the 15th round (376th overall) of the 1969 NFL Draft by the Packers.
- Totaled nine blocked kicks in college, establishing a Big South career record.
- Became a YouTube sensation when he displayed a 60-inch vertical jump from the flat-footed position. The video has nearly a million views on the video sharing site since it was uploaded in February, 2012.
- Became the first Presbyterian player ever invited to the NFL Combine.
College Career:
Started 43 of 44 games played at Presbyterian and was a three-time All-Big South selection … recorded 279 tackles, seven INTs, 16 passes defensed, 2.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery … scored three career TDs, returning an INT and two blocked punts for scores … established a conference career record with nine blocked kicks … school’s all-time leader in tackles (279) and INTs (7).
2011: Became the first Presbyterian player to win Big South Defensive Player of the Year accolades and was just the second DB in conference history to win the award … started all 11 games and led the team with 87 tackles and four INTs, adding six passes defensed, a sack and a forced fumble … finished fourth in the conference in tackles, third in passes defensed and second in INTs … recorded double-digit tackles in four games, including a career-high 15 against Furman … blocked three kicks on the season, becoming the conference all-time career leader … scored three TDs on the season, returning an INT and two blocked punts for TDs … had a career game against the University of California, returning an INT 29 yards for a TD and also returning a blocked punt 41 yards for a TD.
2010: A second-team All-Conference selection, started 10 games, missing one with an injury ... posted a team-best 47 unassisted tackles ... ranked 15th in the Big South in tackles per game with 5.9 ... finished the year averaging 6.6 tackles per game in league play, which ranked as the third-best total in the Big South ... recorded an INT with just over a minute remaining in a victory over Gardner-Webb, sealing the win and snapping a 20-game losing streak.
2009: Started all 11 games and earned second-team All-Conference accolades after recording a team-best 79 tackles, 55 of which were solo ... posted double figures in tackles against Liberty (11) and at Coastal Carolina (11) ... added 4.5 tackles for loss, forced a fumble and blocked three kicks, two of which came against Gardner-Webb ... also recorded a 26-yard run on a fake punt against the Bulldogs.
2008: Saw action in 12 games and totaled 54 tackles as a freshman ... totaled two INTs and four passes defensed ... blocked two kicks, with the first coming against Western Carolina and the second at Charleston Southern.
Personal:
Attended Blythewood (SC) High School, where he earned all-region accolades and was named the team’s Defensive Player of the Year as a senior in 2007 … served as a key member of the Bengals state championship team in 2006 as a junior … father, Chris, is a professional gospel singer and Justin is a drummer in his band … member of the Presbyterian pep band … majored in Business Administration with a minor in Music.
