Intelligent player who knows position…physical…plays side to side…high-motor competitive player… finished season as starter at weakside linebacker after starting at both outside linebacker positions throughout rookie season...selected by Rams in second round (42nd overall) of 2001 NFL Draft. 2001: Played in all 16 regular season games with 11 starts, four at weakside linebacker, and seven at strongside linebacker…finished second on team with 119 tackles (72 solo) and had three passes defensed, six quarterback pressures, and 13 special teams tackles…started all three postseason contests at weakside linebacker and led team with 32 tackles (21 solo), ranked second on team with two interceptions (one for touchdown), and recorded one special teams tackle…named to Football Digest and Pro Football Weekly all-rookie teams…collected two special teams tackles in pro debut, at Philadelphia 9/9…made first NFL start at weakside linebacker in place of Mark Fields, (rib injury) and tied for team lead with 14 tackles (six solo) vs. Miami 9/30…started at weakside linebacker and led Rams with 13 tackles (nine solo) following week at Detroit 10/8…tied for team lead with 10 tackles (six solo) at New York Jets 10/21…started at strongside linebacker in place of Don Davis (wrist injury) vs. Carolina 11/11 and made three tackles (two solo) vs. Carolina 11/11…registered 10 tackles (six solo) at New England 11/18…had best game of season after collecting career-high 16 tackles (12 solo) and one pass defensed at Atlanta 12/2…tied for team lead with 10 tackles (four solo) and one pass defensed at New Orleans 12/17…led team with 12 tackles (nine solo) and tallied career-high four special teams tackles vs. Indianapolis 12/30…led Rams with 13 tackles (seven solo) in NFC Divisional Playoff Game vs. Green Bay 1/20…tied for team lead with two interceptions, returning one 34 yards for a touchdown in third quarter as Rams defense tied NFL record with three interception returns for touchdown in the contest and set an NFL record with 161 interception return yards…led linebackers with 11 tackles (eight solo) in NFC Championship Game vs. Philadelphia 1/27…collected eight tackles (six solo) vs. New England in Super Bowl XXXVI.
College Highlights:Three-year starter for Seminoles...amassed 289 tackles (170 solos) with seven quarterback sacks and 19 stops behind the line of scrimmage during career...caused four fumbles and recovered six others…all-Atlantic Coast Conference first-team choice...finalist for ACC’s Brian Piccolo Award, given to league’s most courageous player...semi-finalist for Dick Butkus Award, given annually to best linebacker in nation...all-America first-team selection by The Sports Xchange, adding third-team honors from Football News...finished third on the team with 100 tackles (53 solos)...also had two sacks for minus five yards, seven stops for losses of 21 yards, eight quarterback pressures, one interception, and seven passes defensed...recovered three fumbles and caused another…all-ACC first-team pick junior season...manned the weakside linebacker position, leading team with career-high 109 tackles (67 solos)...had three sacks for minus 24 yards and six stops for losses of 28 yards...recovered two fumbles and caused three others...blocked pair of kicks and had five pass deflections…as sophomore started at both weakside and strongside linebacker, appearing in ten games... recorded 59 tackles (37 solos) with one sack and five stops for losses of 13 yards...batted away two passes and intercepted another...also recovered a fumble…played in every game at outside linebacker as freshman, finishing with 21 tackles (13 solos), a stop behind the line of scrimmage and a 7-yard sack…redshirted as true freshman…social science major.
Personal Info:Born Tommy William Polley in Baltimore, Md…USA Today’s Maryland Player of the Year and named Baltimore area Defensive Player of the Year after both his junior and senior campaigns at Dunbar High in Baltimore...recorded 208 tackles (136 solos), 16 sacks and eight interceptions as senior linebacker...also caught 34 passes for 567 yards and three touchdowns as a tight end...considered state’s top college football prospect...led team to back-to-back state championships as junior and senior... also regarded as one of the country’s top 60 basketball prospects...led Poets to four consecutive state basketball titles, averaging 20.4 points, 10.7 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game as a senior…has son (Tyler)...resides in St. Peters, Mo.