Rico McWilliams

2015 Spring Most Improved Cornerback

2013 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll

Senior cornerback who is one of six returning starters on the defensive side of the ball… listed with the first-team unit entering the fall… has played in 33 games over the past three seasons… owns 18 career starts, second among returning players behind only Skai Moore… is a two-time member of the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.

2015: Played in all 12 games, starting 10… started in every game except Georgia and Texas A&M… credited with 32 tackles including 24 solo stops… had a pair of pass breakups and recovered a fumble… matched his career high with six tackles against UCF and against Florida… had a tackle for loss against Vanderbilt… turned in a solid spring as he was named Most Improved Cornerback on the squad.

2014: Played in 12 games, making six starts… credited with 33 tackles and five pass breakups… made five solo stops in the opener against Texas A&M… started versus East Carolina and was credited with five tackles, including one for a three-yard loss… collected three tackles in a start against Georgia and added four tackles in a start at Vanderbilt… best game came against Tennessee when he was credited with four pass breakups and five solo tackles… suffered a concussion against South Alabama and did not play against Clemson… logged a career-high six tackles, all solo stops, in the Independence Bowl win over Miami… named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.

2013: Redshirt freshman cornerback who played in nine games making a pair of starts… made the start at Arkansas and recorded his only tackle in that contest… also made the start in the Capital One Bowl win against Wisconsin… named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll… sat out the spring as he continued to rehab from a knee injury suffered early in fall camp 2012.

2012: Suffered a season-ending left knee injury during the second practice of the preseason… underwent surgery in mid-August.

HIGH SCHOOL:Earned AAAA first-team all-state honors at Lovejoy High in Hampton, Ga. as a senior, graduating in 2012… coached by Al Hughes… helped his team to a 14-1 record as a senior and a spot in the state title game and was 24-2 over his last two seasons… named to the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl… named to the AJC All-Area team… logged 40 tackles and two interceptions, along with 12 receptions for 301 yards as a senior… had 35 tackles and two picks as a junior… named one of Clayton Country’s “Fantastic Four” prior to his senior season… played wide receiver early in his career before moving to cornerback… a three-star prospect, the state’s 30th-best player and the nation’s 26th-best cornerback according to Rivals… rated a three-star prospect and the nation’s 28th-best cornerback by Scout… a three-star recruit, the country’s 89th-best cornerback and the state’s 91st-best player according to ESPN.com… a three-star recruit, the nation’s 62nd-best cornerback and the 71st-best player in the state by 247Sports.

PERSONAL: Rico M. McWilliams was born July 31, 1993… is an African American Studies major.