Samford University Athletics

Junior (2022): Appeared in all 13 games for the South Conference Champions… Recorded 41 tackles and 23 solo stops… Tallied 1.5 tackles for loss… Nabbed a season-high six tackles and a half sack against Western Carolina (9/24)… Forced a fumble at The Citadel (10/29)… Recovered a fumble against VMI (11/5)… Broke up a pass at Furman (10/1)… Had a tackle for loss in the season opener against Kennesaw State (9/1).

2021 (Fall): Saw action in all 11 games, including one start . . . tallied 58 tackles, including 31 solo stops . . . had 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack . . . had one interception and three pass break ups . . . had six tackles at UT Martin . . . finished with nine tackles at Mercer . . . had five tackles and an interception against Chattanooga . . . tallied a career-high 11 tackles against The Citadel.

2021 (Spring): Played in all seven games, including one start at linebacker . . . finished the season with 23 tackles, including 13 solo stops . . . also had 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks . . . had three tackles each against Western Carolina, Furman and The Citadel . . . tallied a season-high 10 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack against Mercer.  

High School: Was a three-sport star, playing football, basketball and track and Mount de Sales Academy in Macon, Ga . . . he played both running back and linebacker . . . as a senior he rushed for 982 yards and 16 touchdowns on 110 carries . . . defensively, he had 132 tackles, including 15 tackles for loss, seven sacks and one interception . . . for his career, Cotton rushed for 2,665 yards and 30 touchdowns, and he tallied 236 total tackles and two interceptions . . . he was named All-State and 7A Defensive Player of the Year as a senior . . . he was also named All-Region as both a sophomore and senior, and he earned three Macon Touchdown Club awards.