• 2009 All-America Candidate
• 2009 Playboy Magazine Preseason All-American
• 2009 Hendricks Award Watch List
• 2009 Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List
• 2009 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
• 2009 Lott Trophy Watch List
• 2009 Lombardi Trophy Watch List
Career: Talented defensive end who can alter an offense's game plan ... Outstanding player who burst onto the national scene in 2008, becoming one of the country's top playmakers at defensive end ... Was a candidate for numerous 2009 postseason honors ... Became the 10th player in NU history to be named a Playboy All-American ... Tabbed a first-team All-Big Ten preseason selection by Lindy's, Athlon Sports, Phil Steele's and Sporting News ... Tabbed a third-team preseason All-American by NationalChamps.net and a fourth-team preseason All-American by Phil Steele's ... Due to knee injury that he suffered in 2008 Alamo Bowl vs. Missouri, never fully returned to 2008-form his senior season ... Gradually improved and was playing best football of the season in the final month ... Tremendous combination of size and speed, which separates him from most defensive ends nationally ... Earned an invitation to the 2010 Senior Bowl (later elected not to play in the game in order to strengthen his knee more) ... Invited to the NFL's 2010 Scouting Combine in Indianapolis ... Closed his career fourth in TFL's (38) and third in pass sacks (18.5) ... Notched four career interceptions ... School-record 49 career starts.
2009: Team co-captain ... Playboy Preseason All-American ... On 2009 watch lists for the Hendricks Award, Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Lott Trophy and Lombardi Award ... Honorable mention All-Big Ten selection by coaches and media ... Played best football of the season in the final month ... Made a school-record 49th career start in Outback Bowl vs. Auburn ... Earned an invite to the 2010 Senior Bowl ... Had one sack each in final three regular-season games ... Named team's defensive player of the week vs. Iowa and Illinois ... Posted one sack and four total tackles on Senior Day vs. Wisconsin ... Notched two TFL's--including one sack--and finished with three tackles at Illinois ... Changed the complexion of the game at Iowa when he sacked Hawkeye QB Ricky Stanzi in the end zone, forcing a fumble that was recovered for an NU touchdown and knocking Stanzi out for the rest of the game with an ankle injury ... Finished with three tackles in the win vs. Iowa ... One TFL for a 3-yard loss vs. Penn State ... Against Indiana, returned from an ankle injury to start and record his first sack of the season for an 8-yard loss ... Played sparingly against both Miami and Michigan State (sprained ankle) ... At Purdue, had two tackles and a fumble recovery ... Two stops and a QB hurry vs. Minnesota ... Three tackles in addition to a blocked field goal at Syracuse ... One tackle with one QB hurry vs. Eastern Michigan ... Started and played sparingly (14 snaps) vs. Towson.
2008: Voted first-team All-Big Ten by conference coaches and second-team All-Big Ten by conference media ... Recipient of team's Most Valuable Player Award ... For the second season in his career, he recorded a statistic in every major defensive category (tackles, TFL's, sacks, pass deflections, interceptions, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries, QB hurries and blocked kicks) ... Finished junior campaign with 32.0 career TFL's and 15.5 career sacks ... His 10.0 sacks ranked him fourth in the Big Ten and tied for 21st nationally (0.77 pg) ... Ranked sixth in Big Ten with 1.23 TFL's per game ... Seventh in the conference with 5.5 sacks in Big Ten play ... Earned team's defensive player of the game honors vs. Southern Illinois, Indiana and Michigan ... In 2008 Alamo Bowl vs. Missouri, collected three tackles, including one sack, as well as his season's first interception, picking off Mizzou's Chase Daniel ... Suffered a knee injury in the fourth quarter that kept him from returning and underwent successful surgery on Jan. 15 ... Against Illinois, posted three tackles, 0.5 sacks and one QB hurry ... At Michigan, filled the stat sheet with six tackles, 1.0 sacks, one forced fumble, a pass breakup and a blocked field goal ... It was his fourth straight game with at least one sack ... Against the Buckeyes, recorded three tackles, including 1.0 sacks and 1.5 TFL's ... One sack for an 11-yard loss and one pass breakup at Minnesota ... Five tackles, including 1.0 sacks and a career-high-tying 3.0 TFL's for nine yards, at Indiana ... Recorded one tackle and two QB hurries vs. Purdue ... Notched a 0.5 TFL and a QB hurry vs. MSU ... Against Iowa, notched three solo tackles, which included a sack, and a QB hurry ... Versus Ohio, registered four tackles, to go along with 2.0 TFL's, one QB hurry and his first career fumble recovery ... Against SIU, set a career high with 3.0 TFL (19 yards), while also tying a personal best with 2.0 sacks ... At Duke, rang up five tackles, including 0.5 sacks ... Against Syracuse, tallied three tackles, including a sack of quarterback Andrew Robinson for a 10-yard loss.
2007: Starting defensive end ... Notched one tackle and a QB hurry vs. Northeastern ... Three tackles, including a TFL, against Nevada ... Five tackles, a 0.5 TFL and a pass breakup vs. Duke ... Two tackles, including a 0.5 TFL, at Ohio State ... Credited with four tackles, a pass breakup, a TFL and a QB hurry against the Wolverines ... Two solo tackles and a blocked PAT at Michigan State ... Named the team's defensive big playmaker vs. Michigan, MSU and Purdue ... Four tackles and his season's first INT vs. Minnesota ... Registered a TFL, two pass breakups and a QB hurry vs. EMU ... Six solo tackles, including a TFL and a sack, and a deflection at Purdue ... Two tackles vs. Iowa ... Three tackles vs. Indiana ... Six tackles, including a TFL, at Illinois ... Second on the team with 7.0 TFL's and five pass deflections ... Second among defensive linemen with 39 tackles.
2006: Scripps Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Freshman All-American ... Named to The Sporting News' Freshman All-Big Ten team ... Honorable mention All-Big Ten selection (media) ... Team's NGN Defensive Newcomer of the Year Award recipient ... Starting defensive end ... First NU player since Hudhaifa Ismaeli in 1995 (NU's Big Ten championship and Rose Bowl season) to accomplish every major defensive statistic in a single season (tackles, TFL's, sacks, pass deflections, interceptions, fumbles forced, fumbles recovered, QB hurries and blocked kicks) ... Had an impressive season debut at Miami (Ohio), collecting six tackles (four solos) and racking up a pair of pass sacks ... Career-best seven tackles, including a 0.5 TFL, vs. New Hampshire ... Registered another solid performance against Eastern Michigan with five tackles (1 TFL), a pass deflection and his first career interception (4-yard return) ... Two solo hits, including a 5-yard TFL, at Nevada ... Six tackles at Penn State ... Five tackles, which included a sack, at Wisconsin ... Snared his second interception of the year vs. Purdue ... Three tackles against the Boilermakers ... Five tackles against Michigan State, including fourth sack of the season ... Also added another TFL vs. the Spartans ... Credited with five tackles (four solos), as well as a TFL and a forced fumble, at Michigan ... Two tackles and two hurries at Iowa ... Credited with a half-sack (9 yards), fumble recovery and blocked kick against Ohio State ... Team co-leader with four tackles in win over Illinois ... Team's seventh-leading tackler (51) and leader in sacks (4.5) and leader in TFL's (9.0).
2005: Earned a medical hardship year for 2005 ... Played in three of first four games (starting two of them) before being sidelined the remainder of the year with a neck injury ... Made his first collegiate start vs. Northern Illinois ... Totaled two tackles vs. the Huskies before leaving with a neck strain ... Notched a tackle in season opener vs. Ohio (Sept. 3) ... Saw limited action vs. Penn State following the injury.
High School: Ranked 62nd nationally among offensive tackles by Rivals.com ... 29th-ranked player overall in New Jersey by Rivals.com ... An all-state, all-county and all-league selection ... Played tight end and defensive end for the Ironmen ... Caught eight passes for 152 yards his senior year ... Totaled 62 tackles, 5 sacks and 1 defensive touchdown in 2004 ... One of best games came against Bergen Catholic, when he recorded nine tackles, two pass deflections and a tip that led to an interception ... Helped lead his prep team to two state championships ... The Ironmen went unbeaten both years ... Rated the No. 1 team in the Tri-State region by Mike Quick of MSG ... Team ranked No. 2 in 2003 USA Today national poll and No. 15 in 2004 USA Today poll ... Coached by Greg Toal.
Personal: Born Corey A. Wootton ... Son of Larry and Lori Wootton ... Communication studies, African American studies and sociology major (triple major).
The Corey Wootton File
Q: A song that best describes you is ...
A: "Lean Wit It Rock Wit It" by Dem Franchize Boyz
Q: If you could dine with anyone from any period in history, who would it be?
A: Roberto Clemente
Q: What is the greatest lesson in life that you have learned?
A: You don't get anything in life without working hard for it
Q: Something people would be surprised to know about me is ...
A: My high school team was ranked No. 2 in the nation my junior year
Q: My favorite place to visit is ...
A: The Dominican Republic
Q: The best thing about NU is ...
A: The togetherness of our team
Q: Most humbling experience:
A: Dealing with injuries
Q: What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
A: Receiving a scholarship to college
Wootton's Career Stats
INTERCEPTIONS G No Yds TD Lg Avg/R Avg/G2005................ 3 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.02006................ 12 2 11 0 7 5.5 0.92007................ 12 1 0 0 0 0.0 0.02008................ 13 1 0 0 0 0.0 0.02009................ 13 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0TOTAL............... 53 4 11 0 7 2.8 0.2
ALL PURPOSE G Rush Rec PR KR IR Total Avg/G2005................ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.02006................ 12 0 0 0 0 11 11 0.92007................ 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.02008................ 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.02009................ 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0TOTAL............... 53 0 0 0 0 11 11 0.2
TACKLES G UA A Total TFL-Yds PD FF FR Blkd2005................ 3 1 2 3 0.0-0 0 0 0 02006................ 12 31 20 51 9.0-32 3 1 1 12007................ 12 21 18 39 7.0-16 6 0 0 12008................ 13 25 17 42 16.0-86 3 1 1 12009................ 12 16 5 21 6.0-28 0 1 1 1TOTAL............... 53 94 62 156 38.0-162 12 3 3 4
SACKS G UA A Total Yds2005................ 3 0 0 0.0 02006................ 12 4 1 4.5 132007................ 12 1 0 1.0 52008................ 13 9 2 10.0 642009................ 13 4 0 4.0 23TOTAL............... 53 18 3 19.5 105