Junior Colson

CAREER GAME-BY-GAME STATISTICS
 

CAREER HIGHS

• Tackles: 15 - vs. Purdue (Dec. 3, 2022)
• Solos: 7 - vs. Ohio State (Nov. 25, 2023)
• Asst: 11 - vs. Purdue (Dec. 3, 2022)
• TFLs: 2.0 - vs. ECU (Sept. 2, 2023)
• Sacks: 1.0, 2x - last vs. Nebraska (Nov. 12, 2022)
• Int: none
• FR: 1 - vs. Rutgers (Sept. 25, 2021)
• PBUs: 2 - vs. Iowa (Dec. 2, 2023)

At Michigan
• Two-time All-Big Ten selection (second team, coaches, 2022-23; second team, media, 2023; third team, media, 2022)
• Recipient of the team's Roger Zatkoff Award (2022)
• Shared team Defensive Rookie of the Year honors (2021)
• Three-time letterman (2021-22-23)
• Appeared in 43 games in his career with 36 starts at linebacker 

Junior (2023)
• Started all 15 games at linebacker; led the team with 95 tackles including 2.0 for loss, two quarterback hurries, and two pass breakups to earn his third varsity letter 
• Lott IMPACT Trophy Finalist
• All-Big Ten selection (second team, coaches; second team, media)
• Five times shared Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against ECU, Indiana, Purdue, at Michigan State, against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship
• Delivered two tackles for loss from his starting spot against ECU (Sept. 2), totaling five stops overall
• Started against UNLV (Sept. 9) and assisted on four tackles
• Led the defense with seven tackles and started against Bowling Green (Sept. 16)
• Led the team with six tackles including two solos against Rutgers (Sept. 23)
• Starting on the road at Nebraska (Sept. 30), recorded three tackles
• Hurried the quarterback once on a four-tackle day at Minnesota (Oct. 7)
• Against Indiana (Oct. 14), led the defense with six stops
• At Michigan State (Oct. 21), led the team with 11 tackles from his linebacker spot
• Assisted on four tackles and hurried the passer once against Purdue (Nov. 4)
• Collected three tackles at Penn State (Nov. 11)
• At Maryland (Nov. 18), totaled eight tackles to lead the team
• Led the team with 11 tackles including seven solo stops against Ohio State (Nov. 25)
• Tied for the team lead with eight stops and broke up two passes against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship (Dec. 2)
• Delivered a team-high 10 tackles against Alabama in the Rose Bowl/CFP Semifinal (Jan. 1)
• Made six total tackles starting at linebacker against Washington in the CFP National Championship Game (Jan. 8)

Sophomore (2022)
• Started all 14 games at linebacker; led the team with 101 tackles including six for loss with two sacks, one pass breakup, and one quarterback hurry to earn his second varsity letter
• All-Big Ten selection (second team, coaches; third team, media)
• Recipient of the team's Roger Zatkoff Award
• Named Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Nebraska
• Three time shared Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against UConn, Penn State, Michigan State
• Led the team with 10 tackles, his first career double-digit tackle performance, in a start against Colorado State (Sept. 3)
• Assisted on two tackles in a start against Hawaii (Sept. 10)
• Made five stops including one for loss against UConn (Sept. 17)
• Set a new career-best with 13 tackles plus a quarterback hurry against Maryland (Sept. 24) 
• Led the team with seven tackles at Iowa (Oct. 1) including three solos
• Made one sack among seven total tackles starting at Indiana (Oct. 8)
• Assisted on five tackles in a start against Penn State (Oct. 15)
• Led the team with 10 tackles including one for loss against Michigan State (Oct. 29)
• Made 1.5 tackles for loss from his linebacker spot at Rutgers (Nov. 5) among two tackles 
• Led the team with six tackles including a sack against Nebraska (Nov. 12)
• Led the team with six tackles (four solo) against Illinois (Nov. 19) 
• Notched seven tackles (two solo) at Ohio State (Nov. 26)
• Racked up 15 tackles against Purdue in the Big Ten Championship (Dec. 3)
• Contributed six tackles and a pass breakup against TCU in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl/CFP Semifinal (Dec. 31)

Freshman (2021)
• Appeared all 14 games with seven starts at linebacker and contributed on special teams; finished fourth among all defenders with 61 tackles including a shared tackle for loss, a shared sack, and three pass break ups; also had one fumble recovery and three quarterback hurries to earn his first varsity letter
• Tabbed as a Freshman All-American by the Maxwell Football Club
• Named a Midseason Freshman All-American by 247Sports
• Shared team Defensive Rookie of the Year honors (2021)
• Named Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Indiana
• Made his U-M debut playing linebacker and on special teams against Western Michigan (Sept. 4), with two tackles (one solo) and a pass breakup
• Made four tackles (two solo) playing snaps at linebacker and contributed on special teams against Washington (Sept. 11)
• Saw action at middle linebacker and was credited with one solo tackle against Northern Illinois (Sept. 18)
• Saw increased action against Rutgers (Sept. 25), totaling five tackles (three solo) and his first career fumble recovery
• Credited with three tackles (one solo) playing linebacker at Wisconsin (Oct. 2)
• Tallied five stops (one solo) playing linebacker and contributing on special teams at Nebraska (Oct. 9)
• Made his first career start at linebacker and made one solo stop against Northwestern (Oct. 23)
• Delivered six tackles from his linebacker spot at Michigan State (Oct. 30) and also played special teams 
• Started against Indiana (Nov. 6) and led the team with eight tackles (one solo)
• For the first time in his career, hit double-digit tackles with 12 (five solo) and registered his first career share of a sack/tackle for loss at Penn State (Nov. 13)
• Started at Maryland (Nov. 20) and made four solo tackles 
• Added two solo tackles with one quarterback hurry starting at linebacker against Ohio State (Nov. 27)
• Broke up a pass among three tackles and added a quarterback hurry against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game (Dec. 4)
• Totaled five stops in a start against Georgia in the Capital One Orange Bowl/CFP Semifinal (Dec. 31)

Prep
• Attended Ravenwood High School (2021) coached by Matt Daniels
• Helped Ravenwood to a 7-5 record as a senior
• Finished as Class 6A state runners-up during his junior season with a 13-2 record

Key Statistics
• Made 59 tackles including 7.5 for loss with 3.5 sacks, two fumble returns as a senior
• Named Gateway Tire Player of the Week after an 11-tackle, 2 TFL and 2 fumble recoveries against Franklin; added a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown
• Also scored a 90-yard kick return touchdown and blocked a punt
• Credited with 175 tackles his junior season including 30 TFLs and 14 sacks

Honors and Rankings
• Earned a 247Sports Composite ranking of four stars; the No. 95 overall player nationally, the No. 5 outside linebacker and the No. 2 player in the state of Tennessee
• Named a four-star prospect by 247Sports; the No. 99 overall player in the nation, the No. 6 outside linebacker and the No. 3 player in the state of Tennessee
• Member of the ESPN300 as the 142nd overall recruit nationally; rated as a four-star prospect, the No. 16 outside linebacker and the No. 3 player in the state of Tennessee
• Rivals.com four-star prospect, the No. 94 prospect nationally, the No. 5 outside linebacker recruit in the country and the No. 3 player in Tennessee
• Named semifinalist for the 2020 Butkus Award presented to the nation’s top high school linebacker
• Selected to participate in the 2020 All-American Bowl

Personal
• Junior Colson was born Dec. 6, 2002
• Born and spent his first 9 years in Haiti before moving to the United States
• Adopted by Steve and Melanie Colson
• Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, majoring in General Studies

2022

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
6.0	1.0	80.0	0.0	0.0	2.0	34.0

2021

fumbles
REC	LOST	FUM
2.0	0.0	0.0

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
0.5	3.0	60.0	0.0	2.0	0.5	28.0