Over the course of this final month leading up to the start of the 2022 South Alabama football season, we will preview all the position groups on the Jaguar roster.

The nine-part series examines each position group ahead of the season opener versus Nicholls State on Sept. 3 at 4 p.m. at Hancock Whitney Stadium. This installment looks at South Alabama's linebackers.

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RETURNING STARTERS (2)
- A.J. DeShazor Jr. (Sr., 6-0, 224) – Led South with 64 total stops and recorded 2½ tackles behind the line of scrimmage highlighted by a sack, while also being credited with a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, one pass break up and two quarterback hurries
- Quentin Wilfawn (Sr., 6-1, 240) – Recorded 45 total tackles, including 18 solo stops during the 2021 campaign

OTHER RETURNING PLAYERS (5)
- Sullivan Altman (R-So., 5-9, 205) – Two-year member of the program who set school records for tackles in a season (159) and a career (449) at Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy
- Ke'Shun Brown (R-Fr., 6-1, 229) – Appeared in all but one of South's 12 games his first year with the program posting 14 tackles — with two of those for loss including a nine-yard sack — and a forced fumble
- Dalton Hughes (R-So., 6-2, 226) – Redshirted the 2021 season, but was a three-star 247Sports.com prospect, ranking among the organization's top 35 recruits in Mississippi coming out of high school
- CJ Rias (Jr., 6-2, 236) – Played in 11 games and was credited with 13 total tackles, including nine solo stops
- Trey Kiser (R-So., 5-9, 205) – Played on both defense and multiple special team units in his first season at South, recording 35 total tackles — including one sack — and a pair of quarterback hurries

NEWCOMERS (7)
- D.K. Bonhomme (Jr., 6-2, 237) – A member of the program at Indiana for three years, appearing in 24 games during that stretch
- Chrystyile Caldwell (Fr., 6-0, 214) – Was a first-team all-state by ASWA as a senior, receiving three stars and considered among the top 60 recruits in the state by both 247Sports.com and ESPN.com
- Shaheim Carroll (Jr., 6-3, 220) – Four of his 14 tackles at Jones College during the 2021 season were for loss
- Khalil Jacobs (Fr., 6-2, 218) – Received three stars from 247Sports.com and posted 60 tackles, highlighted by 17 for loss including seven sacks, his senior year, and was also credited with seven passes defensed, four forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries
- James Miller (Jr., 6-1, 228) – Also a member of the Indiana program before transferring to South, whose best season with the Hoosiers came as a redshirt freshman in 2019, when he totaled 32 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and 1.5 sacks
- Blayne Myrick (Fr., 6-2, 238) – Versatile athlete who played safety, linebacker and wide receiver, while also returning punts at Fairhope; totaled 59 tackles and four tackles for loss with a sack, an interception and three pass breakups
- Jordan Whitely (Fr., 6-0, 227) – Competed at the Under Armour Combine prior to his senior season at Mosely High

2021 LETTERWINNERS/ROSTER MEMBERS LOST (4)
- Christian Bell
- Jamal Brooks
- Chris Henderson
- Shawn Jennings

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
- DeShazor has started 37 of his 43 games as a Jag and ranks 10th all-time on the career total tackles list (208) entering the 2022 season
- DeShazor ranked 25th in the league with an average of 5.3 stops per outing and paced the Jags in tackles on four occasions, which tied for most on the team
- The unit helped South Alabama rank fourth in the Sun Belt against the run during the 2021 season
- Jamall Brooks' 6.0 tackles for loss tied for the team lead last fall
- Both Bonhomme and Miller played under South Alabama head coach Kane Wommack during his tenure as the Hoosier's defensive coordinator

FOLLOW THE JAGS
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