2020 Football Roster
KJ Sails
- Position:
- Defensive Back
- Height:
- 5-11
- Weight:
- 180
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Tampa, Fla.
- Prev School:
- North Carolina
- High School:
- East Bay HS
2019 American Athletic All-Conference Second Team
2020 East-West Shrine Game Invitee
2020 NFLPA Bowl Invitee
2020: Started eight of the Bulls' nine games on the season before missing the final contest of the year with an injury...2020 Wuerffel Trophy Watch List...2020 Athlon Preseason All-Conference First Team...2020 Phil Steele Preseason All-Conference Second Team...posted 22 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a pair of pass break-ups on the year...returned seven punts for 71 yards (10.1 ypr), including a career-longย 60-yard return vs. Tulsa (10/23)...posted a career-high seven tackles at Notre Dame (9/19)...have five tackles at Temple (11/17)...posted at least one tackle in all eight games played in the season...earned invitations to the East-West Shrine Game and the NFLPA Bowl.ย
2019: Named to American Athletic All-Conference Second Teamโฆstarted all 12 games at cornerbackโฆalso served as the primary punt returnerโฆtallied 42 tackles on the yearโฆpaced the team with five takeawaysโฆled the team and finished fifth in the AAC with three interceptionsโฆled the team and finished 15th in the AAC with nine passes defendedโฆreturned 12 punts for 117 yardsโฆnamed defensive player of the game against South Carolina State (9/14) after recording a fumble recovery, three pass breakups and two tacklesโฆreturned an interception for 40 yards against Memphis (11/23)โฆled the team with 68 interception return yardsโฆaveraged 19.5 yards per punt return and finished with a career-best 39 punt return yards against South Carolina State.
North Carolina: Sails played in 19 games for the Tar Heels and tallied 40 career tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss and 15 passes defended...he played in three games as a true freshman and a career-most 12 games during his sophomore season in which he recorded 30 tackles.ย
2018 (North Carolina): Appeared in four games, starting three, at cornerback before missing the remainder of the season due to injuryโฆposted eight tackles and two PBUโฆrecorded five tackles at Calโฆadded a stop and two PBUs at East Carolinaโฆmade two tackles versus Pittsburgh.
2017 (North Carolina): Appeared in all 12 contests and started the final 11 games of the year at cornerbackโฆhad 30 total tackles and one for lossโฆranked ninth in the ACC with a team-leading 13 pass breakupsโฆhad two solo tackles at NC Stateโฆhad three solo stops and a pass breakup in the win over WCUโฆmatched his career high with six tackles and added a TFL and a pass breakup in the win at Pittโฆhad a pair of PBUs against Miamiโฆfinished with two tackles and three pass breakups at Virginia Techโฆhad a career-high six tackles against Virginiaโฆfinished with a pair of tackles against Notre Dameโฆhad two solo tackles and a pass breakup at Georgia Techโฆfinished with a solo tackle and two pass breakups against Dukeโฆhad a solo tackle and a pass breakup in the win at ODUโฆmade his first career start and had five tackles (four solo) and a pass breakup against Louisvilleโฆhad a pass breakup in the season opener against Cal.
2016 (North Carolina): Saw playing time on special teams and as a reserve cornerbackโฆappeared in three games and had two tackles.
EAST BAY HIGH SCHOOL: Listed as the No. 28 cornerback in the nation by 247sports.comโฆconsidered the No. 45 cornerback in the country by Rivals.comโฆplayed in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl in Daytona Beachโฆas a senior, finished with 27 tackles, two pass breakups, two INTs, two forced fumbles, and five blocked kicks for East Bayโฆalso led the team in receivingย with 21 catches for 344 yards and three TDsโฆaveraged 34.3 yards on 10 kick returns and 15.5 yards on 11 punt returnsโฆcoached by Frank Larosa.
PERSONAL: Birthday is May 2โฆearned his degree in interdisciplinary social sciences in Fall of 2020...organized a unity walk in June of 2020 during the social justice movement, which was attended by approximately 400 teammates, USF coaches and administrators and community members...the walk proceeded in silent contemplation through the Central Avenue Village in downtown Tampa that once was a thriving African-American community and now houses many significant historical markers recognizing African-American members of the community.
SAILSโ CAREER HIGHS
Tacklesย 7, at Notre Dame (9/19/20)
TFL 1.5, at East Carolina (10/26/19)
INT 1, (3X), last vs. Memphis (11/23/19)
FF 1, vs. South Carolina State (9/14/19)
FR 1, (2X), last vs. South Carolina State (9/14/19)
PBU 3, vs. South Carolina State (9/14/19)
Punt Return Yards 64, vs. Tulsa (10/23/20)
Punt Return Average 19.5, vs. South Carolina State (9/14/19)
Long Punt Return 60, vs. Tulsa (10/23/20)
SAILS GAME-BY-GAME STATS
2020 Tackles (Total-Solo-Assists)
The Citadel (2-2-0); Notre Dame (7-4-3); Cincinnati (1-1-0); ECU (2-2-0); Temple (5-3-2); Tulsa (1-1-0); Memphis (2-2-0); Houston (2-2-0)
2019 Tackles (Total-Solo-Assists)
Wisconsin (2-2-0); Georgia Tech (5-4-1); South Carolina State (3-3-0); SMU (3-0-0); UConn (5-4-1); BYU (4-4-0); Navy (4-2-2); East Carolina (4-2-2); Temple (4-3-1); Cincinnati (3-2-1); Memphis (2-2-0); UCF (3-3-0).
2018 Tackles (Total-Solo-Assists)
California (5-3-2); East Carolina (1-1-0); Pittsburgh (2-1-1).
2017 Tackles (Total-Solo-Assists)
Louisville (5-4-1); Old Dominion (1-1-0); Duke (1-1-0); Georgia Tech (2-2-0); Notre Dame (2-1-1); Virginia (6-2-4); Virginia Tech (2-1-1); Pittsburgh (6-5-1); Western Carolina (3-3-0); NC State (2-2-0).
2016 Tackles (Total-Solo-Assists)
James Madison (2-2-0).
