Terrence Cody

Terrence Bernard Cody, Jr. (born June 28, 1988) is a former American football defensive tackle.

He played college football for the University of Alabama.

Cody was born in Fort Myers, Florida on June 28, 1988.

As a child, he wore size-10 shoes by the age of eight and was never eligible for the Pop Warner youth leagues because he was always over the weight limit.

He attended Riverdale High School in Fort Myers.

Already 6 ft and 275 lb as a ninth-grader, Cody began playing high school football and displayed a high degree of athleticism, causing his high school coach, Scott Jones, to predict "he could be making $2 million playing in the NFL" at some point.

He played only two years of varsity football: as a freshman and then as a senior.

He struggled academically, had to help take care of his seven younger siblings, and ended up "running with the wrong crowd".

After sitting out his sophomore and junior seasons, Cody dominated as a senior.

In a game against North Fort Myers, he had a memorable collision with star running back Noel Devine.

"Terrence hit and spun Noel Devine so hard that [Devine] was on the sideline puking," coach Jones said.

He also participated in track and field, competing in the throwing events.

He got top-throws of 14.63 meters in the shot put and 46.32 meters in the discus throw.

Cody was not ranked among the nation's elite football prospects in 2006 by any recruiting service.

Nonetheless he was offered athletic scholarships by the University of Miami and the University of South Florida, but could not qualify academically.

Cody eventually signed with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

Cody played two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Perkinston, Mississippi as a defensive tackle.

As a freshman, he recorded 48 tackles with 2.5 sacks and an interception.

In his sophomore year, he added 31 tackles and 3.5 sacks while anchoring a Bulldog defense that ranked number one in the state in rushing defense and total defense.

Mississippi Gulf Coast finished the season with a 12–0 season record and a NJCAA Co-National Championship.

Cody was named to the NJCAA All-American first team.

Despite his dominance, he had trouble drawing scholarship offers, as his weight of 410 lb scared off many teams.

"A lot of people are just wary of guys that big," Mississippi Gulf Coast coach Steve Campbell said.

"You know when people say that if things seem too good to be true that they usually are. A big guy like that who's that athletic, you just don't believe what you're seeing."

Particularly noted for his lower body strength, Cody had a squat max of 660 lb in junior college.

However, after Cody had his weight down to 385 lb, a number of schools offered him scholarships, including Tennessee, Ole Miss, and Florida State.

He was heavily recruited particularly by Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban, who was in need of a true nose tackle for his 3–4 defense.

Cody recalls Saban telling him, "We need a body like yours in the middle, to stop the run, to change the rhythm of the game."

A native of Florida, Cody spent two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, where he helped the Bulldogs to an unbeaten season in 2007.

Surprisingly nimble even at a peak weight of more than 400 lb, Cody drew the attention of major Division I programs.

Cody committed to the Crimson Tide on November 29, 2007.

Cody made an immediate impact for the Crimson Tide defensive line, recording four tackles—one for loss—in a 34–10 rout of the Clemson Tigers.

He and the rest of the defense also held the Tigers, which included running backs James Davis and C. J. Spiller, to zero net rushing yards.

With his presence in the middle of the Crimson Tide defensive line, Cody earned himself the nickname of "Mount Cody."

He finished his collegiate career at Alabama, where he earned consensus All-American honors twice while anchoring one of college football's best defenses during the 2008 and 2009 seasons.

Considered a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com, Cody was listed as the No. 39 junior college prospect in 2008.

During his senior season with the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2009, he helped lead the Tide to an undefeated 14–0 season including a victory in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game.

Cody is one of the few football players ever to win a championship at Junior College, NCAA Division I College, and in the NFL.

By mid-season he was already considered the No. 1 nose tackle prospect for the 2009 NFL Draft by league scouts.

He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft and played five seasons in the NFL.