Tysen-Otis Copeland
{{Short description|Canadian gridiron football player (born 1997)}}
{{Infobox Canadian Football League biography
| name = Tysen-Otis Copeland
| number =
| team =
| image = 2023, 32, Tysen-Otis Copeland.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Copeland with the Montreal Alouettes in 2023
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|8|24}}
| birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| death_date =
| death_place =
| status = Active
| import = no
| position1 = Defensive back
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lb = 203
| CIS = Montreal
| high_school =
| CFLDraftedYear = 2022
| CFLDraftedRound = 4
| CFLDraftedPick = 33
| CFLDraftedTeam = Montreal Alouettes
| playing_years1 = {{CFL Year|2022|2024}}
| playing_team1 = Montreal Alouettes
| career_highlights = * Grey Cup champion (2023)
| CFL = tysen-otis-copeland/167005/
}}
Tysen-Otis Copeland (born August 24, 1997) is a Canadian professional football defensive back who is a free agent. He most recently played for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played U Sports football for the Montreal Carabins and was selected in the fourth round (33rd overall) of the 2022 CFL Draft.
Early life
Copeland was born and raised in the West Island area of Montreal. He started playing football at a young age in the Sunnybrooke program, and then played bantam with Ile Perrot Patriotes. In high school, he played for the Intrépides du Chêne-Bleu and became the first player from the program to go pro.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thesuburban.com/sports/alouettes-draft-pick-tysen-otis-copeland-getting-his-shot-at-turning-pro/article_39afd701-afe7-5c08-8805-0975c5049dec.html|title=Alouettes' draft pick Tysen-Otis Copeland getting his shot at turning pro|first=Mark |last=Lidbetter|date=May 18, 2022|website=The Suburban}}
University career
Copeland played for the John Abbott Islanders before joining the Montreal Carabins. Despite being injured for part of the 2021 season, he made two interceptions and completed 20.5 tackles.{{Cite news|url=https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2022/05/04/jai-hate-de-representer-ma-ville---tysen-otis-copeland-1|newspaper=Le Journal de Montréal|date=May 4, 2022|author=Asselin, Philippe|language=French|title="J'ai hâte de représenter ma ville" - Tysen-Otis Copeland}}
Professional career
In the 2022 CFL Draft, Copeland was selected in the fourth round as the 33rd overall pick by the Montreal Alouettes. This selection made him the first player from his high school to be drafted in the CFL. He did not appear in any games as a rookie.{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/playerc/cope01675.html|website=Pro Football Archives|title=Tysen-Otis Copeland}}
Copeland was put on the practice roster to start the 2023 season, but made his professional debut in week 9, on August 5, 2023, against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2023/06/02/cutdown-tracker-teams-make-their-final-roster-moves/|publisher=Canadian Football League|title=Cutdown Tracker: Teams make their final roster moves|date=June 2, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://cdn.ticats.ca/app/uploads/ticats/2023/11/02223013/2023_CFL_Gm_Notes_91_Mtl_vs_Ham_ESF.pdf |title=Games Notes |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=November 12, 2023}} He played in nine games in 2023 where he had six special teams tackles and one fumble recovery. He also played in the East Semi-Final and East Final that year, but was on the injured list when the Alouettes won the 110th Grey Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/transactions/2023/ |title=Transactions – Football Player Trades and Signings |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=February 20, 2025}}
In 2024, Copeland played in just two regular season games and finished the year on the six-game injured list.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/players/tysen-otis-copeland/167005/ |title=Tysen-Otis Copeland |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=February 20, 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/transactions/2024/ |title=Transactions – Football Player Trades and Signings |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=February 20, 2025}} He was released in the following offseason on February 20, 2025.{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/transactions/2025/ |title=Transactions – Football Player Trades and Signings |publisher=Canadian Football League |access-date=February 20, 2025}}
Personal life
Copeland is committed to maintaining a disciplined training regime and follows a strict diet. His primary motivation in football is the love for the sport, rather than financial incentives.{{Cite web|url=https://www.neomedia.com/vaudreuil-soulanges/actualites/sports-et-loisirs/461564/un-petit-reve-devenu-realite-pour-un-grand-joueur-de-football-de-pincourt|title=Un petit rêve devenu réalité pour un grand joueur de football de Pincourt|website=Vaudreuil-Soulanges}}
References
{{110th Grey Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Copeland, Tysen-Otis}}
Category:Canadian football defensive backs
Category:Canadian football people from Montreal
Category:Players of Canadian football from Quebec