Alabama edge rusher shares appreciation for older cousin Courtney Upshaw

© Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

There is a budding star putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks for Alabama football, and he has roots tied to a former Crimson Tide player who once gave quarterbacks nightmares.

Yhonzae Pierre is the Crimson Tide’s starting wolf linebacker, which is a hybrid edge rusher and linebacker within Kane Wommack’s 4-2-5 scheme. Pierre is a product of Eufaula High School in Alabama, and he is the younger cousin of former Alabama linebacker, Courtney Upshaw.

Upshaw played at Alabama from 2008 to 2011 and finished his college career in Tuscaloosa with 17.5 sacks before getting drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

Pierre shared his appreciation for Upshaw during a recent interview with the Crimson Tide Sports Network.

“That’s one of my cousins,” Pierre said. “I look up to him. He keeps me on the right track. We chat every now and then.”

Upshaw was a member of two National Championship teams as a member of the Alabama football team. Watching him have success at Alabama made Pierre want to be like him.

“It was just good to see, blessing to see,” said Pierre. “I mean, he was a dog. I wanted to be like him. I wasn’t playing in no three-tech though, was not as big as he was. He was huge. I liked the violence from him, gotta do that.”

Pierre is leaving his mark on football games this season. He has racked up 12 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack and four quarterback hurries through five games.