A Spring 2024 transfer from Tennessee, where the speedy defensive back played in 24 games with two starts, starring on special teams.
2024: Started in the 11 games he saw action in on the season, missing Tulane and UAB due to injury...seventh on the team with 42 tackles (36 solo) and added 2.0 tackles for loss, seven quarterback hurries and a forced fumble...set career-high in tackles with 10 (all solo) at Alabama (9/7)…recorded a forced fumble and four tackles at Southern Miss (9/14)…had five stops vs. Miami (9/21)...recorded a career-high two pass break-ups vs. Memphis (10/12) and equaled that at Rice (11/30)...had four stops at FAU (11/1) and vs. Navy (11/9).
2023 (TENNESSEE): Played on multiple special teams units in win over Texas A&M (10/14)...missed three weeks due to injury and returned to action vs. South Carolina (9/30), making one solo tackle in the win...saw action on special teams in the season opener vs. Virginia (9/2) on kick coverage, punt coverage and punt return.
2022 (TENNESSEE): Played in eight games and made a pair of starts in his second year at UT, logging eight total tackles, all solo, and a pass breakup…started his second-straight game at cornerback and had a career-high three tackles against UT Martin (10/22)...made his first collegiate start against No. 3 Alabama (10/15), and had two solo tackles along with his first-career PBU...notched a solo tackle in the win over No. 20 Florida (9/24)...made his season debut against Akron (9/17), collecting a pair of tackles for his first career multi-tackle game.
2021 (TENNESSEE): Played in 12 games as a reserve defensive back and special teams contributor, totaling five tackles and one blocked punt…made one tackle against Purdue in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl (12/30)…blocked a punt in the third quarter at No. 4 Alabama (10/23)…recorded solo tackles against No. 13 Ole Miss (10/16), Missouri (10/2), Tennessee Tech (9/18) and Pitt (9/11)…made collegiate debut in season-opening victory over Bowling Green (9/2).
GODBY HS: A versatile blue-chip defensive back who played every position in the secondary…a three-star prospect according to Rivals.com and 247Sports.com…one of the top 55 prospects in the state of Florida according to 247Sports.com…in a game as a junior in Nov. 2019, recorded three interceptions and took one back 56 yards for a touchdown…a speedster on the track who clocked a 10.76 100m as junior and qualified for the state long jump as a sophomore…also a standout on Godby’s basketball team…coached by Brandon McCray.
PERSONAL: Full name is De’Shawn Rucker…born on Dec. 22, 2002…son of Brittney Jones…majoring in communications studies…recipient of the Charlie & Mai Coffey Scholarship Endowment Fund.
RUCKER’s CAREER HIGHS:
Tackles 10, at Alabama (9/7/24)
TFL 1 (2X), last vs. San Jose State (12/24)
PBU 2 (2X), last at Rice (11/30
Rucker’s GAME-BY-GAME statsÂ
2024 Tackles (Total-Solo-Assists)
B-CU (3-3-0); Alabama (10-10-0); Southern Miss (4-4-0); Miami (FL) (5-4-1); Memphis (3-3-0); Florida Atlantic (0-0-0); Navy (4-0-4); Charlotte (3-3-0); Tulsa (2-2-0); Rice (1-1-0); San Jose St. (3-3-0)
2023 Tackles (Total-Solo-Assists)
Virginia (0-0-0); South Carolina (1-1-0); Texas A&M (0-0-0); Alabama (0-0-0).
2022 Tackles (Total-Solo-Assists)
Akron (2-2-0); Florida (1-1-0); LSU (0-0-0); Alabama (2-2-0); UT Martin (3-3-0); Kentucky (0-0-0); Missouri (0-0-0); Clemson 0-0-0).
2021 Tackles (Total-Solo-Assists)
Virginia (0-0-0); South Carolina (1-1-0); Texas A&M (0-0-0); Alabama (0-0-0).
