James Vaughters Class: Junior Hometown: Stone Mountain, GA High School: Tucker Height / Weight: 6-2 / 245 Position: OLB

Feature Stories: 9/21/11 on Patch.com |

2012 (SOPHOMORE):Valuable second-year defender who transitioned to inside linebacker and started the first four games of the season, playing all 14 games...recorded 26 tackles including 15 solo stops and one sack...made his starting debut vs. San Jose State with a career-high five tackles (three solo)...notched four tackles in overtime win vs. Arizona...recorded an eight-yard sack of Keith Price at Washington...added three tackles (two solo) to the Cardinal defensive effort that limited Cal to three yards rushing...contributed two solo tackles each in wins at Colorado, vs. Oregon State and at UCLA.

2011 (FRESHMAN):Saw action in all 13 games...saw significant time on special teams and as a reserve pass rusher in the outside linebacker rotation...finished the season with 11 tackles, including six solo stops...also had 1.0 sack among his 4.0 tackles-for-loss...had one pass breakup...made three tackles in his collegiate debut against San Jose State...had four stops the following week at Duke...had solo stops against Arizona, UCLA, Washington and Notre Dame...had his only sack of the season at Arizona.

HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Graduated from Tucker (Ga.) High School...played for Dr. Franklin Stephens...PrepStar All-American and member of PrepStars Top 150 Dream Team...four-star recruit by both Rivals and Scout.com...listed as the fourth best prep inside linebacker and 54th overall recruit in the nation by Rivals.com...ranked as the seventh-best middle linebacker in the nation by Scout.com...rated as ninth-best overall recruit in the state of Georgia by Rivals.com...ranked as the eighth-best inside linebacker in the nation by MaxPreps...listed 44th on ESPNU's Top 150 list of high school recruits...three-year varsity letterwinner...recorded 95 tackles and four sacks among his 18 tackles for loss as a senior...also had four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown...totaled 90 tackles as a junior...also played tight end...named Georgia's Class 4A Defensive Player of the Year...All-Region 6 and All-DeKalb County selection as a junior and senior...DeKalb County All-Classification Defensive Player of the Year as a senior...2010 AJC and Georgia Sportswriters Association AAAA all-state linebacker...Touchdown Club of Atlanta Metro Atlanta All-Star team selection as a senior...helped Tucker to a 13-1 record and a Region 6 championship as a senior...participated in the 2010 Under Armour All-America game in St. Petersburg, Fla....led the White team with seven tackles...also lettered in track and field...Team USA selection...Watkins Award finalist which honors the top African-American scholar athlete in the nation...2010 Presidential Scholar...Georgia Merit Scholar in 2009 and '10...four year Beta Club, Principals Honor Roll, AP Honor Roll selection...earned the President's Education Award in 2010...Georgia Certificate of Merit honoree in 2009 and '10...parents are Jonathan and Vanessa Vaughters...has two sisters, Jahnisa Tate and Ryan and one brother, Jonathan...his father played football at College of Wooster from 1977-78...cousin Andre Amos played at Ohio State from 2006-09...cousin Langston Johnson played at Yale from 2004-07...cousin Oliver (Jay) Johnson played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1969-70...born in Chicago, Ill....full name is James A. Vaughters.

CAREER STATISTICS

Career Highs
Tackles: 4 at Duke, 2011
Tackles for Loss: 1.5 at duke, 2011
Sacks: 1.0 at Arizona, 2011
Interceptions: None