A four-year starter, Sanford, the conference's leading tackler over his career, leaves Ole Miss without a single all-conference selection. The heavy-hitting strong safety's 287 career tackles did earn him an invitation to the Scouting Combine. If Sanford can prove his athleticism, the versatile, durable performer could move into middle-round consideration for the 2009 draft.

Positives: Tough. … Signed with Ole Miss as a linebacker and started four games at this position -- at 200 pounds -- as a sophomore. … Reliable open-field tackler. … Lacks the bulk scouts prefer at strong safety, but is a physical hitter that wraps up cleanly. … Isn't afraid to take on blockers and can disengage to make the tackle near the line of scrimmage. … High-effort player who doesn't give up on the play. … Good upside as a special teams defender due to his toughness and reliable open-field tackling.

Negatives: Lacks size teams prefer at safety and the size to transition back to linebacker. … Marginal speed for coverage. … Lacks the change-of-direction agility to stick with receivers in man coverage and too often appears satisfied with making the tackle after the reception is made. … A steady collegiate defender, but rarely made the flashy play.

Played in and started 10 games at strong safety … Ranked sixth in the SEC at 8.3 tackles per game … Finished third on the team in total tackles (83) and fourth in TFLs (5.5) and pass break-ups (4) … Also forced two fumbles and blocked a punt … Earned third letter … at Memphis (9/1): Registered first career punt block, which resulted in a TD by Kendrick Lewis … Recorded seven tackles, including five solos and 0.5 TFLs … Also broke up two passes and forced a fumble … vs. Missouri (9/8): Topped team with a career-high 13 total tackles, including eight solos and a TFL … at Vanderbilt (9/15): Led the team with a career-high 13 total tackles with seven solos and one TFL … vs. Florida (9/22): Credited with seven tackles with a pair of solos … at Georgia (9/29): Posted two pass break-ups and five tackles, including three solos and 0.5 TFLs … at Auburn (10/27): Notched 11 total stops with seven solos … vs. Northwestern State (11/3): Tied career-high with 13 stops … Also recorded 1.5 TFLs and a forced fumble … vs. LSU (11/17): Team-high 10 tackles (six solo) and 0.5 TFLs … at Mississippi State (11/23): Totaled four tackles, including three solos and a half TFL … Preseason: Named 2007 preseason third team All-SEC by Athlon … Spring: Recorded seven tackles and one interception in the Red-Blue game.

Appeared in and started 11 games, seven games at strong safety and four at linebacker … Credited with 64 tackles and 1.5 QB sacks on the season … Finished fourth on the team in tackles … Earned his second letter … vs. Memphis (9/3): Recorded seven total tackles in start … at Missouri (9/9): Credited with eight stops and recorded a pass break-up in start … at Kentucky (9/16): Recorded a pass break-up and 0.5 QB sack in a start … vs. Wake Forest (9/23): Career-high 10 stops in start … at Alabama (10/14): Tallied five tackles in start … at Arkansas (10/21): Recorded three tackles in start … vs. Auburn (10/28): Earned first career start at LB … Posted six stops … vs. Northwestern State (11/4): Tallied seven tackles and 0.5 QB sacks in start … at LSU (11/18): Collected three stops and 0.5 QB sack … vs. Mississippi State (11/25): Tied his career-high with 10 tackles and a pass defended in the start.

Third Team Freshman All-America by The Sporting News … Earned First Team Freshman All-SEC honors from the SEC Coaches and The Sporting News … Played in and started 10 games at strong safety, missing only the Wyoming game (9/24) … Topped all SEC freshmen in tackles and was 12th among all league DBs at 5.3 stops per game … Ranked fourth on the team in tackles with 58, including 40 solos … Tied for sixth in the conference in fumble recoveries with two … Notched one interception and one pass break-up … Helped the Rebel defense finish the season 14th in the nation in pass defense, 27th in total defense and 31st in scoring defense … Earned his first letter … at Memphis (9/5): Recorded six tackles (five solo) and one TFL in first career start … Helped the Rebel defense hold All-American RB DeAngelo Williams under 100 yards rushing for only the third time in his previous 23 games … at Vanderbilt (9/17): Credited with a seven tackles, including six solos, with a TFL.

At Tennessee (10/1): Totaled a career-high eight stops with six solos … vs. Citadel (10/8): Made two tackles … Helped contain The Citadel to 81 yards of total offense, the least by a Rebel foe since 1993 … vs. Alabama (10/15): Posted four tackles (three solo) and a fumble recovery … Also notched two pass break-ups and a QB hurry … Helped limit the Crimson Tide to a then season-low 13 points and 121 rushing yards … vs. Kentucky (10/22): Tallied six stops (five solo) … Recovered a fumble for the second straight game … Helped the Rebel defense contain the Wildcats to one score while forcing three turnovers … at Auburn (10/29): Matched career high with eight total tackles, including one TFL, … vs. Arkansas (11/12): Registered seven stops (four solo) and a TFL … Helped shut down the SEC's top rushing attack, holding the Razorbacks to 89 yards, 163 yards below their then season average … vs. LSU (11/19): Made three tackles … at Mississippi State (11/26): Credited with seven stops (five solo) with 1.5 TFLs … Named First Team Preseason Redshirt Freshman All-America by CollegeFootballNews.com. Spring 2005: Started spring drills as a corner before being moved to linebacker for two days … Was then moved to strong safety and worked his way to the top of the depth chart.

Redshirted.

Helped the Tigers to a 15-0 record, 5A state championship and No. 9 USA Today national ranking as a senior … Voted the Most Valuable Player of the 2003 state title tilt … Led South Panola to a 14-1 record and state runner-up finish in 2002 … A Top 40, All-State and All-Region choice by The Clarion-Ledger … Picked up Mississippi Association of Coaches Class 5A first team All-State honors as an outside linebacker … Named to PrepStar All-Region team, which represented the top 275 players … Ranked No. 7 among strong safeties on the 2003 Max Emfinger Super South Top 200 list … Rated No. 19 in Mississippi by Rivals.com … Listed as a Top 30 Prep Recruit by the Sun-Herald … Selected to play in the 2004 Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Classic in Mobile, Alabama … Collected 320 career tackles and 25 QB sacks … Recorded 98 tackles, seven QB sacks, four forced fumbles and three interceptions as a senior … A versatile leader for the 2003 Tiger defense which allowed only 38 rushing yards per game … Was named Player of the Week eight times as a senior and seven times junior year … Earned four letters in football … Coached in high school by Ricky Woods.

Son of James and Shirley Taylor … Full name is Jamarca Deshaun Sanford … Born Aug. 27, 1985 … Cousins Toward Sanford, Eddie Strong and Kevin Thomas all played at Ole Miss … Majoring in Criminal Justice.