University of South Alabama Athletics

Jaguar Highlights: Enters fall camp listed as the starter on the depth chart at the ‘Bandit’ defensive end position ... A preseason third-team all-Sun Belt Conference selection on the defensive line by Athlon Sports ... Named the most improved defensive end in the program at the end of spring practice ... In the spring game, was credited with a sack and recovered a fumble that gave the Red a 6-0 lead in the opening minutes of the contest ... Posted a sack and broke up two passes in the team’s first spring scrimmage.

As A Junior (2016): Appeared in all 13 contests his first season with the program, earning starts in the Jaguars’ victories over Nicholls and New Mexico State ... Recorded 20 total tackles, highlighted by 8½ stops behind the line of scrimmage including 4½ sacks ... Ranked second on the squad in sacks and quarterback hurries (six), and was third in tackles for loss ... Finished the year ninth in the Sun Belt with 0.35 sacks per outing ... Collected a season-best four stops in the NMSU win that helped the Jags become eligible to participate in a postseason bowl game; two of those were behind the line, including a sack for a loss of eight yards ... Posted three solo tackles — all for loss — with one sack in defeat of Presbyterian, earning the coaches’ defensive line award for the performance ... Also ended up with three total stops against rival Troy ... Made two stops in win over 19th-ranked San Diego State as well as against Air Force at the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl ... Lone tackle was a sack 11 yards behind the line of scrimmage in Homecoming victory over Georgia State ... Credited with an assisted stop and two quarterback hurries in season-opening win at Mississippi State.

Louisville Highlights (2013-15): Was part of the Cardinal program for three years ... Played in one game during the 2015 season — making a solo tackles in a 45-3 victory over Samford — as the Cards finished 8-5 after a win in the Music City Bowl ... Appeared in seven contests as a redshirt freshman in 2014, collecting three tackles ... Posted two stops in a defeat of Murray State and collected another at Virginia ... U of L was 9-4 — including a 5-3 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference — that fall after participating in the Belk Bowl ... Cardinals were 12-1 overall and 7-1 in the American Athletic Conference, earning a 36-9 win over Miami (Fla.) in the Russell Athletic Bowl, his first year at the collegiate level, which he sat out as a redshirt.

High School Highlights: Was a three-star recruit according to Scout.com, ranked as the 77th-best defensive tackle by the organization ... Considered the 68th-best strong-side defensive end and the 50th-best player in Alabama by 247Sports.com ... Selected to participate in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic at the end of his senior season ... Lettered all four years in football at Gadsden City HS ... Was an all-state and all-county selection as a senior after posting 75 total tackles, with 35 for loss including 12 sacks to help the Titans advance to the state 6A playoffs ... Intercepted two passes, returning the second one 49 yards for a touchdown in the GCHS’s postseason contest ... Also credited with 11 stops with five sacks in that game against Bob Jones HS ... Also recorded 10 stops — including six behind the line — that fall against Huntsville High ... Despite missing a large portion of his junior season with a foot injury, was credited with 45 tackles and 10 sacks as GCHS qualified for the state playoffs ... Part of a Titan team that went 9-4 after reaching the quarterfinals of the state playoffs when he was a sophomore, while GCHS reached the semifinals his first year on the varsity en route to an 11-3 record ... Also earned one letter in basketball and two in baseball.

Personal: Full name is Finessé Middleton ... Born Jan. 18, 1995, in Gadsden, Ala. ... Son of Carlos Middleton and Johnjalene Woods ... Is the fourth of seven children ... Favorite movie is “Project X” ... Favorite book is “The 48 Laws of Power” ... Favorite athlete is Muhammad Ali ... Favorite musical artist is YFN Lucci ... Favorite food is pancakes ... Favrote subject is art ... Likes to hunt, fish, draw and listen to music in his free time ... Would like own a business in the future ... Originally committed to Mississippi in high school, and also had scholarship offers from Alabama-Birmingham, Southern Mississippi and Middle Tennessee ... Working toward a master’s degree in sport management.