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