Biography
2015 (Senior): Appeared in all 12 games for the Panthers, starting in 11...A First-Team All-C-USA selection on the defensive line...Named game captain, six times (at UCF - 9/3; at Indiana - 9/12; N.C. Central - 9/19; at LA Tech - 9/26; at UMass - 10/3; WKU - 11/21)...Finished the year with 43 total tackles (24 solo) with 15.0 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks...His 15.0 tackles for loss were the fourth-most among all C-USA players and ranks No. 36 nationally, while his 7.5 sacks were the fourth-most in C-USA, ranking 42 in the nation...His 15.0 tackles for loss are tied for the fifth-most in FIU history in a single season...His single-season total of 7.5 sacks are also tied for fourth-most in school history...Also forced four fumbles good for No. 8 in the nation...Ranked No. 3 all-time at FIU in career sacks (17.5), career tackles for loss (35.5), career tackles for loss yardage (149) and career sack yardage (105)...FIU’s all-time leader in career fumbles forced (8)...Named C-USA Defensive Player of the Week for week eight...Tied a career-high in tackles (7) versus Charlotte (11/7) while tying the school record for tackles for loss (5.5) and sacks (4.0)...Recorded six tackles, including a sack with a forced fumble versus Old Dominion (10/24)...Had 1.5 tackles for loss including 0.5 sacks, registering four tackles and one forced fumble versus UTEP (10/10)...Recorded second sack of the season at UMass (10/3), tallying four tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss...Had six tackles and a forced fumble at Indiana (9/12)...Recorded four tackles, including first sack of the season versus the Knights...Also forced one UCF fumble...Named to the Preseason Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List...Named First-Team All-C-USA (Phil Steele) for the2015 season...A Preseason All-C-USA selection...A Preseason First-Team, All-C-USA honoree (Phil Steele and Athlon).
2014 (Junior): Appeared and started in all 12 games for the Panthers on the defensive line...Earned Second-Team All-Conference USA honors...Also earned Second-Team All-C-USA recognition by Phil Steele...Recorded 38 tackles (26 solo) and led the team in tackles for loss (14.5) and sacks (8.0)...Ranked No. 3 in C-USA in sacks and No. 3 in tackles-for-loss and was No. 34 in the nation in sacks-per-game (0.67)...His 14.5 tackles for loss ranked No. 6 all-time at FIU in a season and his 8.0 sacks ranked No. 2...Forced three fumbles and recovered four on the year...The three fumble recoveries ranked tied for No. 8 in the nation and No. 2 in C-USA...Registered three pass breakups and blocked an extra point at UTSA...Was a game captain in all 12 games...Had four-or-more tackles four times...Tallied at least 0.5 tackles-for-loss in all but one game...Recorded five tackles (four solo) with one tackle-for-loss at North Texas (11/22)...Registered five solo tackles with 2.0 sacks, one forced fumble and two quarterback hurries at Old Dominion (11/8)... Notched a season-high six tackles at UTSA (10/11)...Had four tackles, including a career-best 3.0 tackles-for-loss and 2.0 sacks versus Louisville (9/20)...Also forced a fumble and had a quarterback hurry versus the Cardinals...Notched back-to-back games with a sack (9/6 vs. Wagner and 9/13 vs. Pittsburgh)...Opened the season with three tackles, 1.5 tackles-for-loss and a half sack versus Bethune-Cookman (8/30)...Was a two-time Defensive Lineman Performer of the Week (CFPA).
2013 (Sophomore): Started all 12 games during the 2013 season…made 34 total tackles, 23 of them unassisted…tallied six tackles and two sacks…in his first career start at Maryland (8/31), made three tackles for a loss with one sack and a fumble recovery…had four tackles, including one for a loss vs. Louisiana Tech (10/26)…made four tackles and a sack vs. Marshall (11/23)…closed the season recording three tackles, a tackle for loss and recovering a fumble at Florida Atlantic (11/29).
2012 (Freshman): Appeared in 10 games...played on special teams…totaled three tackles (2-1)…had one tackle at Troy (10/20), at Florida Atlantic (11/16) and vs. ULM (11/24).
Valdosta: 2011 Georgia Sportswriters Association Class 5A All-State Football Team Second Team...was a two-time Valdosta Daily Times South Georgia Player of the Week in 2011...2010 Valdosta Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year...received Valdosta’s top defensive lineman award at 2011 team banquet...three-year varsity starter at defensive end...rated as one of the top 100 defensive ends in the country by recruiting analyst Tom Lemming...committed to FIU on Jan. 16, 2012...played for Coach Rance Gillispie...team won the Region 5-A title in 2011...also competed in track and field, throwing the discus.
Personal: Parents - James and Alfrenett Wakefield...siblings - Lakeshia, Akeem, Jamie and Jeremy...born Jan. 12, 1994...majoring in business administration...began playing football at age four.
Career Highs (at FIU)
Tackles: 7, twice (last vs. Charlotte - Nov. 7, 2015)
TFL: 5.5 vs. Charlotte (Nov. 7, 2015)
Sacks: 4.0 vs. Charlotte (Nov. 7, 2015)
Forced Fumbles: 1, eight times (last vs. Old Dominion - Oct. 24, 2015)
Fumble Recoveries: 2 vs. Wagner (Sept. 6, 2014)
Pass Breakups: 2 vs. Wagner (Sept. 6, 2014)
Quarterback Hurries: 2 at Old Dominion (Nov. 8, 2014)
