NATCHITOCHES – One of Northwestern State's top linebackers of recent vintage will be honored as the first Exchange Bank and Trust Demon Great of the Game for the 2025 season.

Derek Rose, a two-time All-American from New Orleans, will be honored during the Demons' 7 p.m. season opener against Alcorn State at Turpin Stadium.
 
Rose was named an All-American as a junior in 2011 and as a senior in 2012, becoming the ninth two-time All-American in program history.
 
As a senior, Rose collected 102 tackles (seven for loss), four pass breakups and a fumble recovery, earning first-team All-Southland Conference honors. He entered that season on the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List, earning a spot among the top defensive players in the Football Championship Subdivision.
 
Rose's junior season saw him earn third-team All-American honors from the Associated Press after making 91 tackles in 10 games while leading the Demons with 10 tackles for loss.
 
For his career, Rose collected 338 tackles, earning three All-Southland Conference honors, including first-team acclaim in 2010 and 2012.
 
The Exchange Bank and Trust Demon Great of the Game program is in its second decade of honoring former Northwestern State student-athletes and staff members. Exchange Bank and Trust has been a key supporter of NSU Athletics throughout its long history as the oldest financial institution in Louisiana.