Akron Zips' Academic & Leadership Standout Safety
James Turner, the Akron Zips safety (class of 2017), wrapped his college career as a redshirt senior team captain in 2016, earning second-team CoSIDA Academic All-American honors and All-District 5 recognition for his elite GPA paired with on-field tenacity—amassing 210 career tackles, 3 forced fumbles, and 2 INTs as a first-team All-League high school honoree. His differentiator is rare player-coach intensity and leadership that elevates team culture, making him a perfect fit for programs valuing smart, gritty defenders over raw athleticism—though long graduated, his blueprint screams NFL special teams grinder like his namesake Packers kicker.
