Tackett Curtis

Curtis attended Many High School in Louisiana where he was a two-way player and was highly recruited, receiving offers to play college football as a freshman.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times/142977332/|newspaper=The Times|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 14, 2020|page=B1|title=Many's Curtis tacking on collegiate offers|author=Watson, Jimmy}} {{Open access}} He totaled 92 tackles and four interceptions on defense as a sophomore and helped Many win the state championship while being named the Class 2A Most Outstanding Defensive Player, The Times Defensive Player of the Year, All-District, All-State, and the defensive most valuable player of the latter two.{{Cite web|url=https://usctrojans.com/sports/football/roster/tackett-curtis/15750|publisher=USC Trojans|title=Tackett Curtis}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-town-talk/142977408/|newspaper=The Town Talk|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 24, 2021|page=B1|title=Football, family important to Curtis|author=Gafford, LaMar}} {{Open access}}

The following year, Curtis had 128 tackles, 18 tackles-for-loss, four interceptions and three forced fumbles and was named All-District and the defensive MVP, All-State and defensive MVP, the Louisiana Football Report Co-Defensive Player of the Year and MaxPreps Small School All-American.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kalb.com/2022/01/13/many-tigers-place-two-maxpreps-small-town-all-american-team/|publisher=KALB-TV|title=Many Tigers place two on MaxPreps Small Town All-America team|author=Domangue, Dylan|date=January 12, 2022}} As a senior, he helped Many win another state title while totaling 112 tackles, 16 tackles-for-loss, six sacks and three interceptions, additionally recording 1,115 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. He was the first Many athlete to be named the LSWA Mr. Football and received many other additional honors, including: state championship MVP, MaxPreps Louisiana Player of the Year, All-District, district defensive MVP, first-team MaxPreps All-American and being a finalist for the Butkus Award for top linebacker in the U.S.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times/142977966/|newspaper=The Times|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 12, 2022|page=B1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times/142977989/ B2]|author=Watson, Jimmy|title=Many's Curtis moves on to USC with two state titles}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-world/142978027/|newspaper=Daily World|via=Newspapers.com|date=January 8, 2023|page=B1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-world/142978081/ B3]|title=Many's Curtis selected as the 2022 LSWA Mr. Football|author=Watson, Jimmy}} {{Open access}} Curtis was ranked a top-100 recruit nationally and committed to the USC Trojans.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/college/usc/football/lincoln-riley-calls-tackett-curtis-the-best-linebacker-in-2023-class|magazine=Sports Illustrated|title=USC football: Lincoln Riley calls Tackett Curtis the best linebacker in 2023 class|author=Morrissette, Connor|date=April 12, 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4165727/2022/07/18/usc-beats-ohio-state-wisconsin-for-top-100-lb-tackett-curtis/|website=The Athletic|title=USC beats Ohio State, Wisconsin for top-100 LB Tackett Curtis|author=Morales, Antonio|date=July 18, 2022}}

Curtis became a starter immediately as a true freshman at USC in 2023, being the first to start at his position as a true freshman for the school since 2015, and the second since 1978.{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/story/2023-08-31/usc-tackett-curtis-captain-america-mistakes-debut|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|title=USC's 'Captain America' Tackett Curtis pushing to improve after realizing his dream|author=Nhi Nguyen, Thuc|date=August 31, 2023}} He ultimately appeared in 12 games for the Trojans in the 2023 season and posted 40 tackles, four tackles-for-loss, two sacks and two fumble recoveries.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/college/wisconsin/wisconsin-athletics/usc-trojans-tackett-curtis-commits-wisconsin-badgers-football-matt9|magazine=Sports Illustrated|title=Former USC Trojans Linebacker Commits To Badgers|date=January 9, 2024|author=Postins, Matthew}} He entered the NCAA transfer portal after the season.{{Cite news|url=https://trojanswire.usatoday.com/2023/12/21/power-five-teams-are-eyeing-usc-transfer-tackett-curtis-in-the-portal/|newspaper=USA Today|title=Power Five teams are eyeing USC transfer Tackett Curtis in the portal|date=December 21, 2023|author=James, Donovan}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.kalb.com/2023/12/19/former-many-tiger-current-usc-lb-tackett-curtis-enters-name-transfer-portal/|publisher=KALB-TV|title=Former Many Tiger, current USC LB Tackett Curtis enters name in transfer portal|author=Domangue, Dylan|date=December 18, 2023}} He was ranked the best linebacker in the transfer portal and ultimately committed to the Wisconsin Badgers.{{Cite news|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2024/01/09/tackett-curtis-transfer-wisconsin-football-stats-247-linebacker/72164273007/|newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|title=Tackett Curtis transfer: Wisconsin football lands top available LB in portal out of USC|author=Al-Khateeb, Zac|date=January 9, 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5191294/2024/01/09/tackett-curtis-wisconsin-football-transfer/|website=The Athletic|title=Wisconsin's recruiting work pays off with Tackett Curtis addition in transfer portal|date=January 9, 2024|author=Temple, Jesse}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://usctrojans.com/sports/football/roster/tackett-curtis/15750 USC Trojans bio]
• [https://uwbadgers.com/sports/football/roster/tackett-curtis/13090 Wisconsin Badgers bio]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Curtis, Tackett}}

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Living people

Category:Players of American football from Louisiana

Category:American football linebackers

Category:People from Many, Louisiana

Category:USC Trojans football players

Category:Wisconsin Badgers football players