Jaguar Highlights: Enters the season as the backup strong safety, though also has the ability to play cornerback.
As A Junior (2011): Played in all 10 games, earning seven starts ... Collected 34 total tackles, half of which were unassisted ... Only player on the squad to finish with multiple interceptions — he had two that were returned a total of 42 yards — while ranking second with three passes defensed and adding a recovered fumble ... Was tied for second in interceptions per contest among all NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Independent players ... Career-high-tying seven stops led the Jaguar defense in win over Henderson (Ark.) State ... Also made seven stops Homecoming weekend against Tennessee-Martin, returning an interception 27 yards and breaking up another pass as well in three-point victory over the Skyhawks ... Credited with six tackles and a pass breakup in double-overtime win at Texas-San Antonio, and also had six stops to go along with an interception and a pass defensed in season finale against Cal Poly ... Finished with three tackles — two unassisted — in Mississippi Valley State win, recording two stops against both Kent State and Georgia State.
Junior College Highlights (2009-10): Played two seasons at East Central (Miss.) C.C. ... Named second-team all-Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) as a sophomore after posting 39 total tackles (28 solo) and breaking up three passes ... Credited with a career-high 10 tackles against Itawamba (Miss.) C.C. in the opening month of the season ... Made seven unassisted tackles at nationally ranked Northwest Mississippi C.C. the previous week ... Posted six stops in contests against Southwest Mississippi C.C. and Pearl River (Miss.) C.C. ... Served as a defensive captain his final season ... Made 30 tackles overall — including 22 unassisted — to go along with two interceptions his freshman season for the Warriors ... His season-best total in the fall of ’09 was eight stops (seven solo) against Pearl River in the finale ... Collected six tackles against MGCCC as well.
High School Highlights: A three-year letterwinner in football at Newton County HS ... Earned second-team all-state and all-district honors as a wide receiver following his senior year after making 36 catches for 776 yards ... On defense, recorded 49 stops and intercepted four passes to help the Cougars advance to the quarterfinals of the state 4A championships ... NCHS also reached the third round of the playoffs when he was a junior ... Lettered three times in basketball as well, where he was the Cougars’ top rebounder as a junior and senior ... Efforts helped the school advance to the second round of the state tournament his final season ... Helped the school’s track and field team qualify for the state meet each of his final two years also, picking up three letters overall in the sport ... Collected a letter in baseball and tennis too.
Personal: Full name is Gabriel Darnell Loper ... Born March 29, 1990, in Meridian, Miss. ... Son of Willie and Shirley Loper ... The youngest of five children ... Favorite movie is “Bad Boys II” ... Favorite book is the Bible ... Favorite team is the Miami Heat, and favorite player is LeBron James ... Favorite musician is Lil Wayne ... Favorite foods are spaghetti and shepherd’s pie ... Favorite subject is Spanish ... Also recruited by Tennessee, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Northwestern, UAB, North Texas, Arkansas State and Toledo out of junior college ... Enjoys working out with his fiancé and playing basketball in his free time ... Would like to become a personal trainer ... A psychology major.
