Jacksonville State University Athletics

PRIOR TO JSU: 2017: Joins Jacksonville State as a graduate transfer from the University of Kentucky…graduated from UK in May with a degree in community and leadership development…Phil Steele All-SEC Third Team…Athlon Sports Preseason All-SEC Third Team…Preseason All-SEC Second Team (Media)…Preseason All-SEC Second Team (Coaches)…saw action in 12 of 13 games with six starting assignments…totaled 47 tackles, seventh on the team…second on the team in tackles for loss (9.0) and third in sacks (6.5)…ranked 12th in the SEC in sacks…recorded a sack in six games this season, including three of his last five…had two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries…snagged his first interception of his career in a win over Vanderbilt…tied his career high with five quarterback sacks…named Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week for his play against the Commodores…recorded a career-high tying nine tackles with one sack and two tackles for loss in the win over Tennessee…named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week in Week 1 after finishing with two tackles, a tackle for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries vs. Southern Miss…marked his first collegiate touchdown on a 20-yard scoop-and-score against Southern Miss.

2016: Started all 13 games his sophomore season…had 70 tackles in 2016 (fourth on the team) and five QB hurries (second on the team)…ranked second on the team with 5.5 total sacks and 12.0 tackles for loss…recorded a career-high tying nine tackles in the TaxSlayer Bowl against Georgia Tech...also had nine tackles at Tennessee…named SEC Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week after totaling a season-high five tackles, two sacks and two TFLs in the win over South Carolina…the two sacks vs. USC were the most sacks by a UK player against an SEC opponent since Ridge Wilson against South Carolina in 2011.

2015: Played in all 12 games with 11 starts at the outside linebacker/defensive end position…ranked seventh on the team with 39 tackles, adding 5.5 tackles for a loss and one sack…had two quarterback hurries, and recovered and forced a fumble…with South Carolina threatening to tie in the fourth quarter, he picked up a fumble and raced the length of the field for a defensive two-point conversion, the final points of UK’s 26-22 win…had seven tackles in the season opener vs. UL Lafayette…forced a fumble vs. Florida…recorded first career sack in UK’s win over No. 23 Missouri.

2014: Did not play – redshirt.

HIGH SCHOOL: A four-star prospect by 247Sports.com, Scout and ESPN and a three-star recruit by Rivals…Scout ranked him the No. 26 defensive end in the nation, while ESPN ranked him No. 113 in its ESPN Top 300 list and the 20th-best prospect in Florida and the 12th-best defensive end in the nation…Class 7A third-team all-state as a senior…accumulated 56 tackles, 12 quarterback sacks and three caused fumbles…was a first-team all-state selection as a junior and second-team all-state as a sophomore…selected to play in the 2014 Offense-Defense All-American Bowl…three-year starter…coached by Tim Hatten…Played power forward and center on the basketball team…selected to the school’s Minority Council…chose Kentucky over Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Texas, USC and Vanderbilt.

PERSONAL: Born in Enterprise, Ala…son of Keena Ware…has a son, Denzil Ware Jr…participated in a one-week service/educational trip to the Dominican Republic in May of 2017 where he interacted with residents of impoverished communities, visited an orphanage, constructed park benches in a sugar cane village, distributed food to the hungry, visited a nursing home and a daycare for special needs children.