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Iowa State University Athletics
Nation's Best JUCO Defender in 2013 Signs With ISU
12.17.2014 | Football
AMES, Iowa- Iowa State head football coach Paul Rhoads announced today that defensive lineman Demond Tucker, the 2013 NJCAA Defensive Player of the Year and NJCAA First-Team All-American, signed his letter of intent to begin school at second semester (Spring 2015).
Demond Tucker
Defensive Line
6-1, 285, RJr.
Hazelhurst, Miss. (Hazelhurst/Copiah-Lincoln CC)
Copiah-Lincoln
Chose Iowa State over Kansas State, Arizona State, Louisville, TCU, Texas A&M, Mississippi, Mississippi State … four-star recruit by ESPN.com and a three-star recruit by Rivals and Scout … rated among the top-40 best junior college players in the nation according to ESPN (No. 23), Rivals (No. 31) and 24/7 (No. 38) … named the NJCAA Defensive Player of the Year in 2013, earning NJCAA First Team All-America honors … it was the first time a freshman had ever earned NJCAA Defensive Player of the Year honors … tallied 53 tackles, 14.5 TFL and 13.0 sacks in 2013 … was a Second Team All-MACJC and All-Region 23 selection in 2014 … posted 51 tackles, 10.0 TFL and 9.5 sacks in his final season … named MACJC Defensive Player of the Week after recording nine tackles and 2.5 TFL vs. Itawamba … redshirted in 2012 … teammates with current Iowa State linebacker Jordan Harris in 2013.
High School
One of the state's top defenders, earning Mississippi Class 3A Defensive Player of the Year honors as well as first-team all-state accolades in 2011 … tallied 70 tackles, 6.0 TFL and one interception in his final season … was an all-state and all-conference performer as a junior, recording 42 tackles and an interception.
Rhoads on Tucker:
“Demond comes off a very decorated junior college career where he received national defensive player of the year honors as a freshman. He is very explosive, quick and relentless to the ball. In this league, his ability to move and play in space will be a big asset to our defense.”
Players Mentioned
LB
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DL
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