2019 Season: Appeared in all 12 games, starting two ... drew starts at McNeese (Nov. 2) and against Stephen F. Austin (Nov. 21) ... had five tackles, including one for loss, in the season finale against Stephen F. Austin ... recorded four tackles, including an assisted tackle for loss, at Incarnate Word on Oct. 26 ... notched a season-high six tackles, including one for loss, at Houston Baptist on Sept. 21 ... recorded a pair of quarterback hurries at UT Martin in the Aug. 29 season opener.Â
2018 Season: Played in all 11 games, starting 10 ... second on the team and tops among linebackers in tackles with 82 ... had 4.5 tackles for loss, as well as 2.5 sacks ... had a season-high 12 tackles in the win at Lamar ... had nine stops in three other games: Nicholls, Houston Baptist, Abilene Christian ... recovered a fumble late against Abilene Christian that put the Demons in position to tie it up ... broke up two passes ... had a quarterback hurry against Nicholls.
Prior to NSU: Second-team all-state pick at Holmes Community College as a sophomore … notched 66 tackles, four pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in his sophomore season … had 48 tackles, five tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one pass breakup as a freshman as Holmes won the Graphic Edge Bowl.
High School: Lettered in football, track and field, baseball and cross country at Gentry High … placed second in the state in the 300 meter hurdles and fourth in the 110 meter hurdles as a senior and was named his team’s MVP … placed seventh in the Class 4A state meet in the 300 meter hurdles as a junior … graduated with a 3.0 grade point average and was a member of the chess club, the robotics club and was part of the National Technical Honor Society.
Personal: Son of Belinda Smith and Wille Whitley … has three sisters, Iecha, Brittany and Shanesha … has three brothers, Vonterius, Jatavis and Jaheim … majoring in psychology … member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity ... plans to pursue a masters in psychology and counsel military members with an eventual path to teaching … life’s ambitions are to never stop learning, spread love and show boys what it looks like to be a man.
Game Highs
Tackles: 12 at Lamar, Sept. 15, 2018
Tackles for Loss: 1.0, 5x (last vs. Stephen F. Austin, Nov. 21, 2019)
Sacks: 1.0, 2x, last vs. McNeese, Nov. 10, 2018
