2021 Football Roster
Roster
Waters, Marquis
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Jersey Number 9
Marquis Waters
- Position:
- Defensive Back
- Height:
- 6-1
- Weight:
- 215
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Delray Beach, Fla.
- High School:
- Atlantic
Bio
CAREER NOTABLES
Appeared in 66 games over his career at both Duke (49) and Texas Tech (17) … totaled 304 tackles over his career (194 solo), including 27.0 that went for a loss and 2.0 sacks … credited with 17 passes defended with five of those being the result of interceptions … posted 60 or more tackles in four of his five full seasons with the lone exception coming in 2017 as a freshman at Duke … nearly half of his career total for tackles for loss came during his 2022 super senior season as a Red Raider.
2022 SEASON (SUPER SENIOR)
Returned to form as a key member of the Texas Tech secondary during final season as a Red Raider … appeared in all 13 games with 10 starts as the Red Raiders’ main starter at the “star” safety position … one of the top defensive backs in the country in stopping the run game … totaled 60 tackles on the season (41 solo), including an impressive 13.0 for a loss and 1.0 sack … marked the fourth season in his career to notch at least 60 stops … got in the backfield to disrupt seven passes via quarterback hurries … also had one pass breakup and an interception … recorded at least two tackles in 12 of 13 games overall and had five or more stops in eight different contests … had at least a share of a tackle for loss in each of the final 11 games of the season … ranked second on the team for tackles for loss and fifth overall for total tackles … credited with appearing in 883 defensive snaps by Pro Football Focus, which ranked second on the team behind only Dadrion Taylor-Demerson … graded out at 76.6 overall by the website, which trailed only Jaylon Hutchings among defensive players … ranked third nationally by PFF with a 90.3 grade in rushing defense among FBS safeties with at least 100 snaps … listed as tied for 16th among all defensive players nationally for rushing defense as well … also credited with playing in 111 snaps on special teams, mainly as part of the punt return and field goal block units … IN NCAA RANKINGS: closed the year ranked 52nd in the FBS for total tackles for loss (13.0) and 58th in tackles for loss per game (1.0) … ranked 11th in the FBS for tackles for loss (12.0) against conference opponents … was second in the FBS among defensive backs for tackles for loss, trailing only Alabama's Brian Branch (14.0) ... IN BIG 12 RANKINGS: was fourth in the league for tackles for loss per game and fifth in the conference for total tackles for loss … led the league with 12.0 tackles for loss and 1.33 TFLs per game during conference play … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: made two tackles and had a quarterback hurry in the season opener versus Murray State (9/3) … marked his first game in his return from a season-ending injury from 2021 … followed with six tackles in each of the next two games to close non-conference play against both Houston (9/10) and N.C. State (9/17) … found his way in the back field with a season-high two quarterback hurries in the overtime win over the Cougars … shared a tackle for loss at N.C. State, which began a streak of 11-consecutive games with a stop behind the line of scrimmage … opened Big 12 play with three tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in overtime victory over Texas (9/24) … posted two stops, including one for a loss, at Kansas State (10/1) … notched five stops with one for a loss at Oklahoma State (10/8) … put together one of his best outings of his Red Raider career against West Virginia (10/22) with seven stops, including a career-high 3.0 tackles for loss … combined for 11 tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss over the next three games with two against Baylor (10/9), eight at TCU (11/5) and one versus Kansas (11/12) … his eight tackles versus the Horned Frogs marked a season high … lone tackle against the Jayhawks went for a sack, his second of his career … sack came on Kansas’ final drive of the game, which ultimately led to a failed fourth-down attempt by the Jayhawks … played a crucial role in the run defense in the win at Iowa State (11/19) with six tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss … had a key tackle for loss in a 1st-and-goal situation late in the third quarter that led to a failed fourth-down attempt by the Cyclones … closed the regular season with seven tackles, including one for a loss, to go along with two quarterback hurries against Oklahoma (11/26) … lone tackle for loss sent the Sooners off the field midway through the third quarter after a failed Dillon Gabriel rush attempt on fourth down … final quarterback hurry rushed a Gabriel pass for a key third-down incompletion late in the third quarter that forced an OU punt … put the final touches on his Red Raider career with five tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss and an interception in the TaxAct Texas Bowl win over Ole Miss (12/28) … interception came on Ole Miss’ first drive of the second quarter as he stepped in front of a pass and returned it 11 yards to the Rebels’ nine yard line … the Red Raiders scored on the ensuing drive to take a 17-7 lead … was the fifth interception of his career and his second as a Red Raider … was one of five takeaways in the win by the Red Raiders, marking a season high … AWARDS AND HONORS: honorable mention All-Big 12 selection by the conference coaches … garnered first team All-Big 12 honors by Pro Football Focus, which utilized its performance grading as part of its selections … was an All-Big 12 fourth team honoree by Phil Steele Magazine ... recognized on the Academic All-Big 12 first team for his work in the classroom ... PRO FOOTBALL: signed a free agency agreement with the New York Jets immediately following the 2023 NFL Draft.
2021 SEASON (SENIOR)
What appeared as a promising start to his career as a Red Raider was cut short due to injury … started in each of the first four games of the year before suffering a season-ending injury against Texas (9/25) … combined for nine tackles (five solo) up to that point to go along with a tackle for loss and an interception … notched one tackle in wins over Houston (9/4) and Florida International (9/18) as well as Texas … performance against Houston included his lone tackle for loss of the season … credited with a season-high six stops in the victory over Stephen F. Austin (9/11) … followed that next week with an interception against FIU, returning it 72 yards for a touchdown … marked the first defensive touchdown of his career ... SENIOR DECISION: utilized an available redshirt season in order to return to the Red Raiders for the 2022 season.
PRIOR TO TEXAS TECH
Arrived at Texas Tech with significant experience in the secondary after four seasons at Duke … played in 49 games over his career as a Blue Devil, which included 35 starts … recorded 234 tackles, 13.0 tackles for a loss, three interceptions, one fumble recovery, 18 pass breakups, seven quarterback hurries and one blocked field goal during Duke career … reached double digits in tackles four times during career, which came against Pittsburgh in 2018 (10), Wake Forest in 2019 (13), Virginia Tech in 2020 (10) and North Carolina in 2020 (10) … played in 2,869 snaps while in Durham … started at safety over 24-consecutive games heading into the 2021 season … finished second on the team in 2020 with 71 tackles … added 7.0 tackles for a loss, 1.0 sacks, seven pass breakups and two quarterback pressures that season … previously had 73 tackles, two interceptions and seven pass breakups as a junior in 2019 … totaled 68 tackles, an interception, a fumble recovery and four pass breakups as a sophomore in 2018 … played in all 13 games as a true freshman in 2017 with one start, resulting in 22 tackles and a tackle for a loss … was recruited by and coached by former Texas Tech associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator Derek Jones from 2017-19 … earned his degree in sociology with a minor in education from Duke in 2020 … also received a certificate in markets and management … two-time Academic All-ACC selection.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Atlantic High School in Delray Beach, Fla. … one of the top players in the state of Florida coming out of high school … earned first team All-County honors from the Sun Sentinel and Super 11 accolades from the Palm Beach Post as a senior … recorded four interceptions, nine pass breakups and two forced fumbles that season en route to helping Atlantic to a 9-4 record … helped Atlantic to a 9-3 record and a share of the District 13-7A title as a sophomore … in between, attended Village Academy as a junior, registering 40 tackles and an interception with 950 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on offense … also participated in track and field throughout prep career … placed seventh in the 200-meter finals (22.24) and fifth in the 4x400 relay (3:19.66) at the 2016 Florida Class 4A state championships … consensus three-star prospect by ESPN, Rivals, Scout and 247Sports … listed as the No. 67 athlete in the nation by ESPN … graduated from high school early to enroll at Duke in January 2017 … chose to attend Duke over other power-five others from the likes of California, Iowa State, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, N.C. State, Nebraska, Purdue, Rutgers, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
PERSONAL
Marquis Waters … son of Gladys Solomon … goes by the nickname “Muddy,” which was given to him by defensive backs coach Derek Jones while at Duke … graduated from Duke in December 2020 with a sociology degree and an education minor with a certificate in markets and management … earned his master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Texas Tech in December 2022.
Appeared in 66 games over his career at both Duke (49) and Texas Tech (17) … totaled 304 tackles over his career (194 solo), including 27.0 that went for a loss and 2.0 sacks … credited with 17 passes defended with five of those being the result of interceptions … posted 60 or more tackles in four of his five full seasons with the lone exception coming in 2017 as a freshman at Duke … nearly half of his career total for tackles for loss came during his 2022 super senior season as a Red Raider.
2022 SEASON (SUPER SENIOR)
Returned to form as a key member of the Texas Tech secondary during final season as a Red Raider … appeared in all 13 games with 10 starts as the Red Raiders’ main starter at the “star” safety position … one of the top defensive backs in the country in stopping the run game … totaled 60 tackles on the season (41 solo), including an impressive 13.0 for a loss and 1.0 sack … marked the fourth season in his career to notch at least 60 stops … got in the backfield to disrupt seven passes via quarterback hurries … also had one pass breakup and an interception … recorded at least two tackles in 12 of 13 games overall and had five or more stops in eight different contests … had at least a share of a tackle for loss in each of the final 11 games of the season … ranked second on the team for tackles for loss and fifth overall for total tackles … credited with appearing in 883 defensive snaps by Pro Football Focus, which ranked second on the team behind only Dadrion Taylor-Demerson … graded out at 76.6 overall by the website, which trailed only Jaylon Hutchings among defensive players … ranked third nationally by PFF with a 90.3 grade in rushing defense among FBS safeties with at least 100 snaps … listed as tied for 16th among all defensive players nationally for rushing defense as well … also credited with playing in 111 snaps on special teams, mainly as part of the punt return and field goal block units … IN NCAA RANKINGS: closed the year ranked 52nd in the FBS for total tackles for loss (13.0) and 58th in tackles for loss per game (1.0) … ranked 11th in the FBS for tackles for loss (12.0) against conference opponents … was second in the FBS among defensive backs for tackles for loss, trailing only Alabama's Brian Branch (14.0) ... IN BIG 12 RANKINGS: was fourth in the league for tackles for loss per game and fifth in the conference for total tackles for loss … led the league with 12.0 tackles for loss and 1.33 TFLs per game during conference play … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: made two tackles and had a quarterback hurry in the season opener versus Murray State (9/3) … marked his first game in his return from a season-ending injury from 2021 … followed with six tackles in each of the next two games to close non-conference play against both Houston (9/10) and N.C. State (9/17) … found his way in the back field with a season-high two quarterback hurries in the overtime win over the Cougars … shared a tackle for loss at N.C. State, which began a streak of 11-consecutive games with a stop behind the line of scrimmage … opened Big 12 play with three tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in overtime victory over Texas (9/24) … posted two stops, including one for a loss, at Kansas State (10/1) … notched five stops with one for a loss at Oklahoma State (10/8) … put together one of his best outings of his Red Raider career against West Virginia (10/22) with seven stops, including a career-high 3.0 tackles for loss … combined for 11 tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss over the next three games with two against Baylor (10/9), eight at TCU (11/5) and one versus Kansas (11/12) … his eight tackles versus the Horned Frogs marked a season high … lone tackle against the Jayhawks went for a sack, his second of his career … sack came on Kansas’ final drive of the game, which ultimately led to a failed fourth-down attempt by the Jayhawks … played a crucial role in the run defense in the win at Iowa State (11/19) with six tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss … had a key tackle for loss in a 1st-and-goal situation late in the third quarter that led to a failed fourth-down attempt by the Cyclones … closed the regular season with seven tackles, including one for a loss, to go along with two quarterback hurries against Oklahoma (11/26) … lone tackle for loss sent the Sooners off the field midway through the third quarter after a failed Dillon Gabriel rush attempt on fourth down … final quarterback hurry rushed a Gabriel pass for a key third-down incompletion late in the third quarter that forced an OU punt … put the final touches on his Red Raider career with five tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss and an interception in the TaxAct Texas Bowl win over Ole Miss (12/28) … interception came on Ole Miss’ first drive of the second quarter as he stepped in front of a pass and returned it 11 yards to the Rebels’ nine yard line … the Red Raiders scored on the ensuing drive to take a 17-7 lead … was the fifth interception of his career and his second as a Red Raider … was one of five takeaways in the win by the Red Raiders, marking a season high … AWARDS AND HONORS: honorable mention All-Big 12 selection by the conference coaches … garnered first team All-Big 12 honors by Pro Football Focus, which utilized its performance grading as part of its selections … was an All-Big 12 fourth team honoree by Phil Steele Magazine ... recognized on the Academic All-Big 12 first team for his work in the classroom ... PRO FOOTBALL: signed a free agency agreement with the New York Jets immediately following the 2023 NFL Draft.
2021 SEASON (SENIOR)
What appeared as a promising start to his career as a Red Raider was cut short due to injury … started in each of the first four games of the year before suffering a season-ending injury against Texas (9/25) … combined for nine tackles (five solo) up to that point to go along with a tackle for loss and an interception … notched one tackle in wins over Houston (9/4) and Florida International (9/18) as well as Texas … performance against Houston included his lone tackle for loss of the season … credited with a season-high six stops in the victory over Stephen F. Austin (9/11) … followed that next week with an interception against FIU, returning it 72 yards for a touchdown … marked the first defensive touchdown of his career ... SENIOR DECISION: utilized an available redshirt season in order to return to the Red Raiders for the 2022 season.
PRIOR TO TEXAS TECH
Arrived at Texas Tech with significant experience in the secondary after four seasons at Duke … played in 49 games over his career as a Blue Devil, which included 35 starts … recorded 234 tackles, 13.0 tackles for a loss, three interceptions, one fumble recovery, 18 pass breakups, seven quarterback hurries and one blocked field goal during Duke career … reached double digits in tackles four times during career, which came against Pittsburgh in 2018 (10), Wake Forest in 2019 (13), Virginia Tech in 2020 (10) and North Carolina in 2020 (10) … played in 2,869 snaps while in Durham … started at safety over 24-consecutive games heading into the 2021 season … finished second on the team in 2020 with 71 tackles … added 7.0 tackles for a loss, 1.0 sacks, seven pass breakups and two quarterback pressures that season … previously had 73 tackles, two interceptions and seven pass breakups as a junior in 2019 … totaled 68 tackles, an interception, a fumble recovery and four pass breakups as a sophomore in 2018 … played in all 13 games as a true freshman in 2017 with one start, resulting in 22 tackles and a tackle for a loss … was recruited by and coached by former Texas Tech associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator Derek Jones from 2017-19 … earned his degree in sociology with a minor in education from Duke in 2020 … also received a certificate in markets and management … two-time Academic All-ACC selection.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Atlantic High School in Delray Beach, Fla. … one of the top players in the state of Florida coming out of high school … earned first team All-County honors from the Sun Sentinel and Super 11 accolades from the Palm Beach Post as a senior … recorded four interceptions, nine pass breakups and two forced fumbles that season en route to helping Atlantic to a 9-4 record … helped Atlantic to a 9-3 record and a share of the District 13-7A title as a sophomore … in between, attended Village Academy as a junior, registering 40 tackles and an interception with 950 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on offense … also participated in track and field throughout prep career … placed seventh in the 200-meter finals (22.24) and fifth in the 4x400 relay (3:19.66) at the 2016 Florida Class 4A state championships … consensus three-star prospect by ESPN, Rivals, Scout and 247Sports … listed as the No. 67 athlete in the nation by ESPN … graduated from high school early to enroll at Duke in January 2017 … chose to attend Duke over other power-five others from the likes of California, Iowa State, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, N.C. State, Nebraska, Purdue, Rutgers, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
PERSONAL
Marquis Waters … son of Gladys Solomon … goes by the nickname “Muddy,” which was given to him by defensive backs coach Derek Jones while at Duke … graduated from Duke in December 2020 with a sociology degree and an education minor with a certificate in markets and management … earned his master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Texas Tech in December 2022.
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