Biography

2020 NFL Combine Participant CAREER: Strong, physical, athletic linebacker … Started six games at WILL linebacker for the nation’s No. 1 defense in 2018 … A local product that reunited with his former defensive teammate Kobe Jones of Starkville High School … Elected to forgo his senior year and has declared for the 2020 NFL draft ... Started six of 31 career games played ... Recorded either an interception, forced fumble or fumble recovery in seven of his last nine games played … Earned a 93.9 PFF coverage grade since 2017, which was first among 2020 draft-eligible linebackers.



2019 JUNIOR SEASON: Played in five games ... Missed eight games due to violation of team rules ... Finished with 28 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss ... Forced a fumble, recovered two fumbles and returned an interception 52 yards for a touchdown … Returned an interception 52 yards for a touchdown in his season debut vs. Kentucky (9/21) on his first play of the season … Recovered a fumble and recorded five tackles, including 0.5 TFL, at Arkansas (11/2) … Recovered a fumble and returned it for 20 yards vs. Ole Miss (11/28) while also recording a PBU … Led the team with a career-high 11 tackles in the Music City Bowl vs. Louisville (12/30) … Added a TFL and forced a fumble.



2018 SOPHOMORE SEASON: Appeared in all 13 games and earned six starts … Set a career high with 48 total tackles, ranking sixth on the team … Added 5.5 tackles for loss and five sacks, setting career highs in both … Collected two interceptions, one fumble recovery and a pass breakup … One of the best linebackers in the conference in coverage, earning a 90.6 grade over his 156 coverage snaps … Allowed a passer rating of 25.8 when targeted … Did not allow a single touchdown over his 20 targets … Tied for fifth among SEC linebackers in total pressure (17) … Only missed five tackles over 455 total snaps played … Earned the first start of his collegiate career at Kansas State (9/8) … Collected three tackles vs. Louisiana (9/15), adding a sack and tackle for loss … Made four stops vs. Florida (9/29), collecting a half-tackle for loss and his lone pass break-up of the season … Earned a season-high 88.5 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus against the Gators … Turned in a four-tackle performance for the second straight week vs. No. 8 Auburn (10/6) … Earning his first start in SEC play, recorded five tackles at No. 5 LSU (10/20) … Turned in a career performance at No. 1 Alabama (11/10), collecting a career-high nine tackles, including six solo stops … Recorded the first interception of his career and set career highs in both tackles for loss (2.0) and sacks (2.0) against the Crimson Tide … His two sacks were the most by any player versus Alabama since Clemson’s Shaq Lawson (2) and Kevin Dodd (3) in the CFP National Championship Game on Jan. 11, 2016 … During an Alabama offensive drive in the third quarter, recorded a sack and immediately followed up with the first interception of his career on back-to-back plays … It was just the second time Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa had been intercepted in 2018 … Earned his second consecutive start vs. Arkansas (11/17) and recorded seven tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks … Recovered the first fumble of his career at Ole Miss (11/22) … Recorded four tackles, including 0.5 for loss, in the Outback Bowl vs. Iowa (1/1) … Recorded his second interception of the season against the Hawkeyes, returning it 46 yards to the Iowa 6-yard line to set up a Bulldog touchdown.



2017 TRUE FRESHMAN SEASON: Appeared in all 13 contests as a true freshman, seeing playing time on special teams and as a back-up linebacker … Recorded 23 total tackles with a sack and two tackles for loss … Also added a fumble recovery and two pass breakups over debut season … Made collegiate debut in MSU’s season opener against Charleston Southern (9/2), recording two tackles … Tallied four stops at No. 11 Georgia (9/23) … Recorded first pass breakup of career against Kentucky (9/21) … Lone tackle at No. 24 Texas A&M (10/28) was his first-career sack for a loss of four yards … Collected three tackles, a pass breakup and forced his first-career fumble against UMass (11/4) … Strong performance against Louisville (12/30) in the TaxSlayer Bowl, matching his season high with four tackles.



HIGH SCHOOL: One of the elite linebacker recruits in America and the top overall defensive player in the state of Mississippi ... A local product out of Starkville High School who helped lead the Yellowjackets to the 2015 Class 6A state title ... Consensus four-star prospect ... In the state of Mississippi, ranked the No. 2 overall player by 247Sports.com and Scout.com and No. 5 by ESPN.com ... Considered the No. 3 ranked outside linebacker in the nation by 247Sports.com and Scout.com ... Tabbed the No. 33 overall player in the country by 247Sports.com and No. 51 by Scout.com ... Member of the ESPN 300 ... 2016 Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen and one of 15 semifinalists for the high school Butkus Award ... Invited and played in the 2017 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, recording one tackle for the East squad ... Collected 83 tackles, including nine tackles for loss as a senior ... As a junior in 2015, earned second-team all-state honors after tallying 84 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, nine pass breakups, six sacks, four interceptions and two forced fumbles ... Also played quarterback at times, including rushing for 325 yards and five scores in a win over Warren Central in October ... Became the first Starkville High player to rush for over 300 yards in a game since 1994 ... Scored nine touchdowns in the final two weeks of the season ... Finished with seven tackles and two pass breakups in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game in December.



PERSONAL: Born Willie Gay Jr. on Feb. 15, 1998 … Son of Bridgett and Willie Gay Sr. … Given the nickname “Chip” by his mother who claims he is as sweet as a chocolate chip … Majored in psychology … Twitter handle is @WillieG___.



GAY JR.’S CAREER HIGHS:

Tackles: 11, vs. Louisville (12-30-19)

Tackles For Loss: 2.0, at Alabama (11-10-18)

Sacks: 2.0, at Alabama (11-10-18)

Pass Breakups: 1, (4x), last vs. Ole Miss (11-28-19)

Interceptions: 1, (3x), last vs. Kentucky (9-21-19)

Fumbles Forced: 1, (twice), vs. Louisville (12-30-19)

Fumbles Recovered: 1, (3x), last vs. Ole Miss (11-28-19)