Hawk Item – – Ranked third in the Big Ten and tied for 28th in the nation with four caused fumbles in 2011 . . . 89-yard interception return for touchdown in win over Tennessee Tech ranks as fifth longest return in school history . . . ranks seventh on Iowa career list with 173 career interception return yards . . . one of seven true freshmen to see action in 2008.
2011 Honors – – Named first team all-Big Ten by league coaches and honorable mention by league media . . . second team all-Big Ten by College Football Madness and Phil Steele . . . earned honorable mention recognition as Defensive Back of the Week by College Football Performance Awards vs. Tennessee Tech . . . selected to participate in East-West Shrine game. 2011 Preseason Honors – – Named to Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award preseason Watch Lists . . . named to CFPA preseason Watch List for Defensive Back Trophy . . . ranked No. 70 on Rivals.com preseason Top 100 Countdown . . . named preseason second team All-America by Athlon Sports, Lindy’s Football Preview and GoDaddy.com . . . honorable mention preseason All-America by Consensus Draft Services . . . first team preseason All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports, Phil Steele’s College Football and Lindy’s Football Preview . . . 2011 – – Started all 13 games at cornerback, recording 33 solo tackles and 18 assists . . . also recorded four forced fumbles, one interception, three pass break-ups and one QB sack . . . started at cornerback in 34-7 opening win over Tennessee Tech . . . 89-yard interception return for a touchdown is his second career score . . . started at cornerback in triple-overtime loss at Iowa State, recording five solo tackles and two assists . . . started at cornerback in 31-27 win over Pittsburgh, recording two solo tackles, one assist and two forced fumbles . . . started at cornerback in 45-17 win over Louisiana-Monroe as defense allowed just 59 net rushing yards . . . recorded three solo tackles and three assists vs. ULM . . . started at cornerback in 13-3 loss at Penn State, recording one assisted tackle . . . started at cornerback in 41-31 win over Northwestern, recording two solo tackles . . . started at cornerback in 45-24 win over Indiana, recording one solo tackle . . . started at cornerback in 22-21 loss at Minnesota . . . recorded four solo tackles vs. Gophers, along with third forced fumble of the season that led to Iowa’s initial touchdown . . . started at cornerback in 24-16 win over 13th-ranked Michigan as defense allowed just 323 yards total offense . . . recorded three assisted tackles vs. Wolverines . . . started at cornerback in 37-21 loss to Michigan State . . . recorded five solo tackles and three assists vs. MSU . . . started at cornerback in 31-21 win at Purdue as defense allowed just 282 yards total offense . . . recorded six solo tackles at Purdue, including a QB sack and fourth caused fumble of the season . . . also had two pass break-ups vs. Boilermakers . . . started at cornerback in 20-7 loss at Nebraska, recording one solo tackle, career-best four assists and one pass break-up . . . started at cornerback in Insight Bowl loss to Oklahoma, recording four solo tackles and one assist as defense allowed just 275 yards total offense.
2010 Honors – – First team all-Big Ten by league coaches and media . . second team all-Big Ten by Phil Steele’s College Football . . . named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week in 37-6 win over fifth-ranked Michigan State . . . honorable mention defensive back Perofrmer of the Week vs. Penn State and Michigan State by College Football Performance Awards . . . Hustle Team Award, Defense . . . Hustle Team Award, Special Teams. 2010 Preseason Honors – – Second team all-Big Ten by Sports Illustrated . . . 2010 – – started all 12 games he played at cornerback . . . recorded 50 solo tackles and 18 assists, along with four interceptions, six pass break-ups and a recovered fumble . . . did not see action in 37-7 opening win over Eastern Illinois due to injury . . . started at cornerback in 35-7 win over Iowa State . . . recorded four tackles vs. Iowa State, along with third interception of career . . . started at cornerback in 34-27 loss at Arizona . . . recorded four solo tackles and one assist vs. Arizona, along with a fumble recovery and one pass break-up . . . recovered fumbled punt return that led to fourth quarter touchdown to cut deficit to six points . . . started at cornerback in 45-0 win over Ball State, recording two solo tackles and one assist as defense allowed just 112 yards total offense . . . started at cornerback in 24-3 win over Penn State as defense allowed just 54 net rushing yards and 301 yards total offense . . . recorded first career touchdown vs. Penn State on 33-yard interception return in fourth period . . . also added four tackles . . . started at cornerback in 38-28 win at Michigan . . . recorded career-high nine tackles at Michigan, including six solo stops and three assists . . . started at cornerback in 31-30 loss to Wisconsin, recording two solo tackles and one assist . . . started at cornerback in 37-6 win over fifth-ranked Michigan State as defense allowed just 31 net rushing yards and 258 yards total offense . . . recorded career-high 10 tackles vs. MSU, including a shared tackle for loss and one pass break-up . . . also had interception and 42-yardd return that led to Iowa touchdown in second quarter . . . started at cornerback in 18-13 win at Indiana as defense allowed just 91 ner rushing yards . . . matched career-high with 10 tackles vs. Hoosiers, including seven solo stops, and had one pass break-up . . . started at cornerback in 21-17 loss at Northwestern, recording four solo tackles . . . started at cornerback in 20-17 loss to Ohio State . . . recorded three solo tackles and two assists vs. OSU, along with an interception and eight yard return and two pass break-ups . . . interception vs. OSU led to fourth quarter touchdown . . . started at cornerback in 27-24 loss at Minnesota . . . recorded two tackles in first quarter at Minnesota before leaving game due to injury . . . started at cornerback in 27-24 Insight Bowl win over12th-ranked Missouri . . . recorded career-best nine solo tackles vs. Missouri, along with one pass break-up.
2009 – – Started all 10 games in which he played . . . collected 25 solo stops and 16 assists . . . had two pass interceptions and eight pass break-ups . . . did not see action in 17-16 win over Northern Iowa . . . did not see action in 35-3 win at Iowa State . . . started at cornerback in 27-17 win over Arizona as defense allowed just 253 yards total offense . . . recorded one solo tackle and two assists to match career-best of three tackles in first career start vs. Arizona . . . started at cornerback in 21-10 win at Penn State . . . recorded first career interception at PSU, along with two assisted tackles and one pass break-up . . . did not see action in 24-21 win over Arkansas State due to injury . . . started at cornerback in 30-28 win over Michigan . . . recorded career-best five tackles vs. Wolverines, including two solo tackles and three assisted tackles . . . started at cornerback in 20-10 win at Wisconsin at defense allowed just 87 rushing yards and 243 yards total offense . . . recorded two tackles and two pass break-ups vs. Badgers . . . started at cornerback in 15-13 win at Michigan State as defense allowed just 85 net rushing yards . . . recorded career-best six tackles at MSU, including four solo tackles and two assists, along with one pass break-up . . . started at cornerback in 42-24 win over Indiana as defense allowed just 79 net rushing yards overall and just three points in the second half . . . recorded career-best seven tackles vs. Hoosiers, all solo stops . . . also had pass interception in fourth quarter and career-best three pass break-ups . . . started at cornerback in 17-10 loss to Northwestern as defense allowed just 10 points and 239 yards total offense . . . matched career-high with seven tackles vs. Wildcats, including five solo stops . . . started at cornerback in 27-24 overtime loss at Ohio State . . . recorded four solo tackles and two assists vs. OSU . . . started at cornerback in 12-0 win over Minnesota as defense allowed just 48 rushing yards and 201 yards total offense . . . recorded one assisted tackle and one pass break-up vs. Gophers . . . started at cornerback in 24-14 Orange Bowl win over Georgia Tech, collecting one solo tackle and one assist as defense allowed just 12 passing yards and 155 yards total offense.
2008 – – Saw action in 46-3 opening win over Maine, recording one assisted tackle as defense allowed just 83 passing yards and 220 yards total offense . . . saw action in 42-0 win over Florida International, recording one assisted tackle as defense allowed just 56 rushing yards and 218 yards total offense . . . saw action in 17-5 win over Iowa State as defense allowed just 73 rushing yards . . . credited with one assisted tackle and two pass-breaks vs. ISU . . . saw action in 21-20 loss at Pittsburgh, recording one solo tackle . . . saw action in 22-17 loss to Northwestern, recording two assisted tackles . . . saw action in 16-13 loss at Michigan State as defense held second leading rusher in the nation to 91 net rushing yards . . . recorded one assisted tackle at MSU . . . saw action in 45-9 win at Indiana, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 95 rushing yards and 286 yards total offense . . . saw action in 38-16 win over Wisconsin, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 27-24 loss at Illinois, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 60 net rushing yards . . . saw action in 24-23 win over third-ranked Penn State, recording one assisted tackle as defense allowed just 289 yards total offense . . . saw action in 22-17 win over Purdue, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 86 net rushing yards . . . saw action in 55-0 win at Minnesota, but had no statistics as defense allowed just seven rushing yards and 134 yards total offense . . . saw action in 31-10 Outback Bowl win over South Carolina as defense allowed just 43 net rushing yards . . . recorded career-best three tackles vs. South Carolina, including two solo stops and one assist.
High school honors – – First team all-state as a senior… Lincoln Star Journal all-state selection as a senior… honorable mention all-state as a junior… all-district pick as a junior and senior… Career – – Recorded 177 tackles, five interceptions, 20 passes defended, five sacks, six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries… also saw time at wide receiver as a senior…finished season with 10 carries for 185 yards along with 12 receptions for 290 yards and four touchdowns…member of prep Honor Roll.
Personal – –Born 10/27/89 . . . African American Studies major . . . member of prep Honor Roll . . . parents are Cynthia and James Prater . . . one of two players from Omaha on Iowa roster . . . high school coach was Jay Ball.
Career Bests
Tackles: 10, twice, last at Indiana, 11/06/10
Solos: 9 vs. Missouri, 12/28/10
Assists: 4 at Nebraska, 11/25/11
Interceptions: 1, seven times, last vs. Tennessee Tech, 9/03/11
Touchdowns: 1, twice, last vs. Tennessee Tech, 0/03/11
PBU: 3 vs. Indiana, 10/31/09
Forced Fumbles: 2 vs. Pittsburgh, 9/17/11
Recovered Fumble: 1 at Arizona, 9/18/10