Hard-hitting defensive back that put together a breakthrough junior season in 2012 ... Last year, he ranked among the team leaders in nearly every category and tied for team-high honors with three interceptions ... Is the incumbent starter at the Warrior position and enters fall camp atop the depth chart... Has played in 33 career games and has 11 starts to his credit.
2012: Played in all 13 games and made 10 starts at the Warrior position for the Aztecs in 2012 ... Ranked third on the team and 38th in the Mountain West with 65 tackles and was tied for third with 46 solo stops ... His three interceptions tied for team-high honors (Leon McFadden) and were fifth in the Mountain West ... Had seven tackles for loss, the fourth-highest total on the squad ... Also contributed with 2.0 sacks, two passes broken up and one fumble recovery ...Had an amazing stretch of a tackle for loss in seven consecutive games from Sept. 22 through Nov. 3 ... Earned the start at one of the Warrior spots in the opener at Washington and had three tackles ... Started again against Army and recorded four stops, 0.5 TFL and his first career interception ... Had five tackles vs. North Dakota, including four solo stops ... Had a team-high six tackles vs. San Jose State, including 1.0 TFL ... Had a huge game at Fresno State with a career-high eight tackles, a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown and a tackle for loss ... Made three tackles as a reserve vs. Hawai[apos]i ... Also had 1.0 TFL and recovered his first career fumble ... Made seven stops vs. Colorado State to go along his first-ever sack ... Made nine tackles with 1.0 TFL and his first PBU of the season in a start at Nevada ... Had three tackles, a sack and a PBU vs. UNLV ... Had a team-high eight tackles with 0.5 TFL at Boise State ... Made a solo stop vs. Air Force ... Had five tackles (four solos) at Wyoming ... Had an interception, his third of the season, and three solo tackles in the Poinsettia Bowl against BYU.
2011: Played in all 13 games in a reserve role, making 22 tackles with 1.5 for a loss ... Made one tackle in the opener against Cal Poly ... Played in each of the next three games (at Army, vs. Washington State and at Michigan), but did not record a stat ... Had two stops against TCU ... Logged defensive snaps at Air Force ... Had three tackles vs. Wyoming ... Made one stop vs. New Mexico ... Had a PBU at Colorado State ... Recorded a career-high five tackles, including a tackle for a loss, vs. Boise State ... Made three stops and blocked a punt at UNLV ... Had four tackles against Fresno State ... Made three stops with 0.5 TFL in the New Orleans Bowl.
2010: Did not compete, utilizing his redshirt season.
2009: Competed in seven outings, primarily on special teams ... Firstcollegiate contest against New Mexico State, ending up with one tackle ... Alsohad one stop vs. BYU and UNLV ... Two tackles vs. New Mexico and Wyoming ...Season-high three stops on defense against No. 6/4 TCU on Nov. 7.
High School: A 2008 all-Metro football second-team defense selection atInderkum High School ... An honorable mention all-San Joaquin selection atdefensive back by the Sacramento Chapter of the National Football Foundation ...He had 63 tackles, two interceptions and 12 deflections as a senior ... Alsoamassed 52 tackles, nine pass deflections, four blocked punts, threeinterceptions and a fumble recovery in 2007 ... Attended the NationalUnderclassmen Combine and was named wide receiver MVP ... Also a member of thetrack and field team.
Personal: Born Aug. 7, 1991, in Sacramento, Calif. ... Son of Nancy andEric Pinkins, Sr. ... Majoring in communications.
Career highs: Tackles: 8 at Boise State (11/3/12), at Fresno State (9/29/12); Tackles For Loss: 1.0, 7 times; Sacks: 1 vs. UNLV (10/27/12), vs. Colorado State (10/13/12); Interceptions: 1 vs. Brigham Young (12/20/12), at Fresno State (9/29/12), vs. Army (9/8/12); Passes Broken Up: 1 vs. UNLV (10/27/12), at Nevada (10/20/12), at Colorado State (11/12/11); Fumble Recoveries: 1 vs. Hawai[apos]i (10/6/12); Defensive TDs: 1 at Fresno State (9/29/12).