Nealy Named HCAC Player of the Week

DEFIANCE, OHIO -- Defiance College junior Jalin Nealy (Pontiac, Mich./West Bloomfield) has been named Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the
Week honors for his performance in the Yellow Jackets' 33-26 loss to the Bluffton University Beavers on Saturday.

Nealy led the Yellow Jacket defense with 11 tackles, 10 of them solo, and 1.5 of them for loss on Saturday afternoon. The junior also forced two fumbles, recovering one of them, while also grabbing an interception. Nealy's second quarter interception came at the Bluffton 29 yard-line and helped lead Defiance to a field goal that gave the Yellow Jackets a 17-14 lead that they took into the locker room at halftime. 

Nealy wrapped up the 2017 season with a team-leading 78 tackles, while also being tops on the team with 57 solo tackles. He added 13 tackles for loss and five sacks on the season for the 2-8 Yellow Jacket squad under first-year head coach Aaron Mershman.