C. J. Mosley (linebacker)

C. J. Mosley (born June 19, 1992) is an American football linebacker. He currently attends the University of Alabama in his junior year. Mosley is regarded as one of the best inside linebackers of his class.

High school career
A native of Theodore, Alabama, Mosley attended Theodore High School, where he was an All-American linebacker and finished 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.

College career
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. 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. 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, Alabama has now had a linebacker on that team (first through third teams) for four of the last 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 ties an Alabama record. Mosley indicated in December 2012 that he will return to Alabama for his senior season.