TRANSACTION
The Falcons selected LB Yawin Smallwood with the 253rd pick in the 7th Round of the 2014 NFL Draft on May 10, 2014.
COLLEGE CAREER HIGHS
Most Tackles, Game: 16, vs. Towson, 8/29/13
Most Sacks, Game: 2.0, vs. Memphis, 12/7/13
Most TFL, Game: 3.5, 2x, last at Maryland, 9/15/12
Longest Fumble Return: 64, at Vanderbilt, 9/10/11
Longest Interception Return: 59, at Temple, 11/23/13
2013 SEASON
Started all 12 games at linebacker… All-American Athletic Conference First Team…ECAC FBS All-Star…Butkus Award Semifinalist… led UConn with 118 tackles, was second with 9.5 TFL and first with four sacks… recorded double-digit tackles six times, and at least seven in 10 games… had a career-high 16 stops vs. Towson (Aug. 29)… recorded 14 tackles vs. Maryland (Sept. 14)… notched 13 tackles, 2.0 TFL, a sack and a forced fumble vs. No. 14 Michigan (Sept. 21) earning CBSSports.com Defensive Player Of The Week honors…had 12 tackles at Buffalo (Sept. 28)… posted 13 tackles at Cincinnati (Oct. 19)…had 10 tackles vs. No. 18 Louisville (Nov. 8)…recorded eight tackles, 2.0 TFL, a sack, a forced fumble and a game-sealing 59-yard interception return for a touchdown at Temple (Nov. 23), winning Defensive Player Of The Week laurels from The American… had nine tackles, including one for loss, vs. Rutgers (Nov. 30)… capped his UConn career with seven tackles and two sacks vs. Memphis (Dec. 7) before declaring for the NFL Draft.
2012 SEASON
Was a first team All-BIG EAST selection in 2012 and led the Huskies in tackles with 120 and was second in tackles for a loss with 15 and also had four sacks and two forced fumbles…Was tied for 20th in the country in tackles per game (10.0) and was third in the BIG EAST… Was also third in the BIG EAST in tackles for a loss…had six double-digit tackle games in 2012…Had a monster game in win vs. Maryland (Sept. 15) with 14 tackles, 3.5 for a loss and 2.5 sacks… Also had 14 tackles the week before against North Carolina State (Sept. 8) with two tackles for a loss… In opener vs. UMass (Aug. 30) had seven tackles with 3.5 for a loss… Was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week following both the UMass and Maryland games… Following the Maryland game, was also named the Football Writers Association of America/Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week, the Chuck Bednarik Defensive Player of the Week from the Maxwell Football Club and the ECAC Defensive Player of the Week…Also had double-digit tackle games with 11 vs. Buffalo (Sept. 29), 13 vs. Temple (Oct. 13), ten vs. Syracuse (Oct. 19) and 11 in win vs. Louisville (Nov. 24).
2011 SEASON
Enjoyed a terrific first year of playing collegiate football by starting all 12 games at middle linebacker… was the second-leading tackler on the team with 94 stops, just three off the team lead… also had 2.5 tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks… had double-figure tackles in two games with a career-high 12 in win vs. Syracuse (Nov. 5) and also had ten vs. Western Michigan (Oct. 1)… returned a fumble 64-yards for a touchdown against Vanderbilt (Sept. 10) and an interception 28-yards for a TD vs. Buffalo (Sept. 24)… was among the top 100 tacklers in the country.
2010 SEASON
Redshirted… Named the Defensive Scout Player of the Week before the Michigan game (Sept. 4).
HIGH SCHOOL
Named to the Central Massachusetts All-Stars for Division 1C… Had 71 tackles as a senior in 2009 with five sacks… rushed for 769 yards and 10 touchdowns and also passed for 126 yards… as a junior, passed for 726 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for 724 yards and six TDs… two-time pick to Worcester Telegram & Gazette Super Team… Three-time Division I all-star and two-time Division I Defensive MVP… Also played basketball… Attended same high school as former Husky center Keith Gray… Two-year captain.
PERSONAL
Yawin Alexander Smallwood… Born on December 25, 1991… A sociology major.