Post-OSU Update: James Cotton played in the Blue-Gray and All-Star Gridiron Classic games after his senior year at Ohio State. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. He did not accumulate any NFL regular season stats. Cotton did play in the CFL and won the 2001 Grey Cup. After his playing days, Cotton founded the Buck-Icon Foundation, an organization which connects the community with former Buckeye players. (updated: Dec. 2024)

Major: Education (1999)

Weight: 245 (1998-99)

1999: Played in all 12 games as a senior and started the final seven. Cotton led the OSU defensive line with 56 tackles and ranked second on the team with 11 tackles-for-loss, totaling 43 yards. Five of those TFLs were sacks and he ranked second on the team in that category.

1999 Media Guide: James Cotton is the only junior college transfer on the Buckeyes squad, now that NFL-bound Joe Germaine and Mark Garcia have exhausted their eligibility. Cotton may be bound for that same road. An imposing, physical athlete, he went through spring drills as a linebacker, but was moved to defensive end the last week. He then played at end all last fall and played well – recording 16 tackles and three pass break ups – for his first year in the program. Ends coach Shawn Simms said “we now know James can make plays. He has exceptional speed and strength for a defensive end and he can be a dominating force.”

1998: Played all 12 games. With terrific speed, was frequently seen chasing down running backs off the line of scrimmage. Huge fumble-forcing hit at Illinois was returned by Na’il Diggs for a touchdown in the Buckeyes’ rout.

Personal: Transferred to Ohio State from Community College of San Francisco in January of 1998. A two-time all-California JUCO selection who was a JUCO All-America in 1997 after recording 100 tackles and eight quarterback sacks. The son of Catherine Cotton and James Graham. Born Nov. 7, 1976.