Buffalo Gets Tarpley

A.J. Tarpley • Buffalo Bills

STANFORD, Calif. – A.J. Tarpley is set to join the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent.

Tarpley, a science, technology and society major from Plymouth, Minnesota, was a fifth-year senior inside linebacker and team captain for the Cardinal.

A second-team All-Pac-12 Conference selection in 2014, Tarpley played in 13 games and collected 84 tackles (41 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and one interception. He recorded a team-high nine tackles against Notre Dame, and added eight-tackle efforts against USC, Washington State and Arizona State. Tarpley also produced seven tackles and a fumble recovery against Cal and seven tackles against Maryland in the Foster Farms Bowl.

Tarpley was named to the Bednarik Award and Nagurski Award watch lists in 2014, and was a USA Today preseason All-America second team and Phil Steele preseason All-America third team choice. 

As a senior, Tarpley played in 13 games and racked up 93 tackles (53 solo), second-most on the team. He also had 5.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, one interception, three pass breakups and one forced fumble.

Tarpley compiled 13 tackles (eight solo) against Oregon State, 12 tackle against Utah, eight tackles and a red-zone interception against Washington, and seven tackles against Notre Dame and Arizona State, the latter in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

Tarpley played in all 14 games and had 66 tackles (40 solo), 7.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, one interception and five pass breakups during his junior season. He had a game-high nine tackles in the Rose Bowl win against Wisconsin, seven tackles against Notre Dame, UCLA (twice, including the Pac-12 Championship Game) and Arizona, and an interception against Oregon on the final offensive possession of the first half.

As a sophomore, Tarpley appeared in all 13 games, starting seven of the last eight, and finished third in tackles with 57. He also added 4.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception and a fumble recovery, the latter in the end zone to preserve a triple-overtime victory against USC in the Los Angeles Coliseum. Tarpley also had nine tackles against the Trojans, eight against Cal and seven against Duke.