C . J . Mosley ( linebacker ) C . J . Mosley ( born June 19 , 1992 ) is an American football linebacker . He played college football at the University of Alabama . As a returning first - team All American in the 2013 season and receiving player of the week honors in eight of Alabama ' s first 10 games in the 2013 season , Mosley is regarded as one of the best linebackers of his class . High school career . A native of Theodore , Alabama , Mosley attended Theodore High School , where he played for the Theodore Bobcats high school football team . He finished his career as the school ' s all - time leading tackler , with over 500 stops in his career . Regarded as a four - star recruit by Rivals . com , Mosley was listed as the No . 6 outside linebacker prospect in his class . Mosley played in the 2010 U . S . Army All - American Bowl , where he committed to Alabama during the game . College career . Freshman Year ( 2010 ) . Mosley was a consensus Freshman All - American in 2010 , selected by the FWAA , Rivals . com , and College Football News after playing in all 13 games as a true freshman . Sophomore Year ( 2011 ) . Mosley dislocated his right elbow in the first quarter of the fourth game of the 2011 season against Arkansas . He missed the following two games against Florida and Vanderbilt and did not record a tackle in the next game versus Mississippi . Mosley shared the starting weak - side inside linebacker ( " Will " ) linebacker spot with Nico Johnson in 2011 and 2012 , with Alabama coaches using Mosley more in pass coverage . Junior Year ( 2012 ) . The AP recognized Mosley as a first team All - American after the 2012 regular season , a year after former teammate linebacker Dont ' a Hightower made the AP All - American first team and other linebacker teammate Courtney Upshaw made the second team . With Mosley ' s selection to the AP All - American team in 2012 , Alabama had a linebacker on that team ( first through third teams ) for four of the previous five years . Mosley led the team in tackles in 2012 with 107 ; sophomore Trey DePriest was second with 59 tackles . Mosley finished third for the 2012 Butkus Award ( goes to the country ' s best linebacker ) behind Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te ' o and Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones . Mosley earned Alabama ' s MVP award in 2012 . Mosley ' s three career interception returns for touchdowns tied an Alabama record . Mosley indicated in December 2012 that he will return to Alabama for his senior season . Senior Year ( 2013 ) . Mosley led the Alabama football team in tackles ( 108 ) for the second consecutive year , averaging the most tackles - per - game in his college career . In November 2013 Mosley was a semifinalist for the Lombardi , Bednarik and Butkus Awards . Alabama coaches chose Mosley as one of the " players of the week " in nine of Alabama ' s first ten games of the 2013 season . Mosley was again a first - team All - Southeastern Conference ( SEC ) selection . Professional career . 2014 NFL Draft . Considered one of the best inside linebackers available in the 2014 NFL Draft , Mosley was projected to be selected in the upper half of the first round as of January 2014 , possibly making him the highest selected Alabama linebacker since Rolando McClain in 2010 .