POPLARVILLE, Miss. — When college football's bowl season kicks off, six familiar names from Pearl River will be right in the thick of it, each stepping into the spotlight with a chance to shine once more.
The five players are Justin Jefferson (Alabama), Quandarius Keyes (UNLV), Bryan Whitehead II (Arkansas State), Kaleb Patterson (Illinois), Amari Butler (Louisiana Tech) and AJ Prim (NC State).
JUSTIN JEFFERSON
A fixture on Alabama's defense, Jefferson helped the unit rank 12th nationally during the regular season. He has recorded 137 career tackles with the Tide — including 73 this season — along with three forced fumbles, 11 tackles for loss and one interception. His efforts earned him SEC Player of the Week in Alabama's 30-14 win over Vanderbilt, where he posted a career-best 14 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble.
Before transferring to Alabama, Jefferson was a standout at Pearl River. As a Wildcat, he totaled 139 tackles, 5.0 sacks, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions. His sophomore season was his most productive, recording 86 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, one interception and two pass breakups. He also earned NJCAA Player of the Week honors in Week 7 after recording 15 tackles, two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss against No. 1 Jones College.
Jefferson and the Tide return to the playoffs after a 10-3 season, finishing as SEC runners-up. In the first round, Alabama will travel to Norman to face Oklahoma on Friday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m.
QUANDARIUS KEYES
Keyes has been a lockdown corner for UNLV this season, recording 14 tackles, one tackle for loss, two interceptions and six pass breakups. With Keyes anchoring the secondary, the Rebels earned a postseason matchup with Ohio in the Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl. UNLV enters the game at 10-3 after finishing as Mountain West runner-up. The Frisco Bowl is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 23, at 8 p.m.
As a Wildcat, Keyes earned first-team All-MACCC honors as a sophomore after finishing the season with 15 tackles, eight pass breakups and one interception. Over his two-year career at Pearl River, he played in all 18 games and totaled 26 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, one interception and 12 pass breakups.
BRYAN WHITEHEAD
Whitehead has appeared in 11 games for Arkansas State this season after earning preseason first-team All-SBC honors. Across two years with the Red Wolves, he has played in 24 games and totaled 43 tackles, including 19.5tackles for loss. He has also been a consistent pass-rushing threat, recording four sacks in each season along with two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Before joining Arkansas State, Whitehead made his mark as a Wildcat. As a sophomore, he recorded 39 tackles, 11.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss in nine games. He also added two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and one interception, earning MACCC South Division Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Arkansas State finished the season 6-6, closing with a 5-2 stretch over the final seven games. This marks the program's third straight bowl appearance as the Red Wolves will face Missouri State in the Xbox Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 8 p.m.
KALEB PATTERSON
Patterson is a three-year member of the Illinois Fighting Illini, where he has established himself as a dependable presence at cornerback. Over 25 career games, he has recorded 45 tackles, three pass breakups, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries.
Before joining Illinois, Patterson starred at Pearl River, posting 12 tackles, two forced fumbles and four pass breakups in nine games. His standout performance earned him first-team All-MACCC honors in his lone season as a Wildcat.
With the help of Patterson, Illinois finished the regular season 8-4, including a 6-1 record at home. The Fighting Illini will face Tennessee in the Music City Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 30, at 4:30 p.m. in Nashville.
AMARI BUTLER
Butler featured in 15 games as a Wildcat, racking up 33 tackles, two forced fumbles and eight pass breakups. He also added a trio of tackles for loss. He was named Honorable Mention All-MACCC as a sophomore.
Butler has had a solid junior season at Louisiana Tech, tallying 21 tackles, two pass deflections and one forced fumble. The Bulldogs finished the season 7-5 and will take on Coastal Carolina Dec. 30 at 1 p.m. in the Independence Bowl.
AJ PRIM
Prim played 15 games as a Wildcat, recording 70 tackles and 5.0 sacks. He also proved to be a disruptive force for the Wildcat defense, adding 14 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one interception and two pass breakups. His exceptional sophomore campaign earned him first-team All-MACCC and first-team All-American honors.
Ranked No. 21 nationally and No. 8 among JUCO defensive linemen, Prim continued his career at NC State. The Wolfpack finished the season 7-5, including a 6-1 record at home, and earned an invitation to face Memphis in the Unihome Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl on Friday, Dec. 19, at 2:30 p.m.
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