Tyler Ward

Position:
Linebacker
Height:
6-1
Weight:
231
Class:
Sophomore
Letters:
1
Hometown:
Macon, Ga.
High School:
Tattnall Square Academy

2015 Capital One Academic All-District First Team
2014 All-SoCon Second Team (Media)
2014 Capital One Academic All-District 4 First Team
2014 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll
2013 PFL Academic Honor Roll

2015 at MERCER: Played in 11 games for the Bears during junior season with seven starts on the year … Ranked fourth on the team with 56 total tackles (20 solo, 36 assisted) … Had five or more tackles in six contests … Led the team in tackles on two occasions … Recorded one double-figure tackle performance … Also notched an assisted tackle-for-loss … Notched a season-high 10 tackles against VMI (Oct. 24) … Had eight stops in an upset of No. 3 Chattanooga (Nov. 7) … Led the team with eight tackles in a win over Furman (Nov. 14).

2014 at MERCER: Started all 12 games at middle linebacker for Mercer during sophomore campaign … Named to the All-Southern Conference Second Team by the media … Tabbed as a Capital One Academic All-District IV First Team selection … Selected to the SoCon Academic Honor Roll ... Led the team and ranked fourth in the SoCon with a school-record 104 total tackles (45 solo, 59 assisted) … Reached double-figures in tackles on five occasions … Notched five or more tackles in 10 of his 12 games … Finished third on the team with five tackles-for-loss … Opened the year with 14 tackles including 1.5 tackles-for-loss in a win over Reinhardt (Aug. 28) … Set a program record with 18 tackles against Furman (Sept. 6) while also adding his first career interception … Totaled 11 tackles versus both VMI and Western Carolina … Tallied 13 tackles and a sack against The Citadel (Nov. 1).

2013 at MERCER: Started all 12 games from his middle linebacker position as a true freshman … Named to the Pioneer Football League Honor Roll … Led the team with 101 tackles (49 solo, 52 assisted) … Topped the team in tackles on seven occasions … Reached double-figures in tackles in four games … Ranked second on the squad with 10.5 tackles for loss … Had three sacks on the year … Also broke up six passes and had two quarterback hurries … Tallied a season-best 13 tackles (8 solo, 5 assisted) in collegiate debut against Reinhardt (Aug. 31) … Notched nine tackles and forced a fumble in a victory over Drake (Sep. 28) … Finished with 11 tackles in a triumph over Valparaiso (Sep. 12) … Had 12 tackles in a defeat of Campbell (Sep. 26) … Recorded a season-best 2.5 tackles for loss against San Diego (Oct. 5) … Wrapped up the season with an 11-tackle performance to go along with first career fumble recovery against Stetson (Nov. 23).

HIGH SCHOOL: Played football and baseball at Tattnall Square Academy in Macon, Ga. … Twice named the team’s “Best Defensive Back”… Led the state of Georgia three times in tackles in GISA … Was a Wendy’s Heisman Scholarship State Finalist his senior season … Was a two-time GISA All-Region player as a sophomore and junior … Named to the GISA All-State and All-Region teams in his senior year … His Tattnall football and baseball teams were state champions his junior year … In baseball, he was twice named to the GISA All-Region Team and All-State Team his junior year … Was voted as “Lineman of the Week” three separate occasions by the Macon Touchdown Club … Voted the Middle Georgia Athlete of the Year in 2013 for football and baseball … Maintained a 3.8 GPA and was an Honor Scholar and a member of the BETA Club ... Named to the Who’s Who Among American High School Students … Served on the school’s Student Council for two years.

PERSONAL: Born on Dec. 14, 1994 in Macon, Ga., to parents Steve and Jalaine Ward … Has one brother, Jonathan … Chose Mercer because of the great academic standards and facilities … Majoring in sports business management.