Charleston Southern senior cornerback Charles James was named to the 2012 All-Big South Conference Football First Team. James finished second in voting for the Big South Defensive Player of the Year. The senior leader of the Bucs defense he helped the team finish 5-6 and 3-3 in the Big South in 2012, allowing only 145.5 yards passing per game the nation’s No. 3 best defense.
James finished the year with two interceptions despite missing almost all of two games with an arm injury. His final career pick sealed the Bucs’ 28-10 win over Gardner-Webb on Senior Day and gave James his 12th career interception, setting the all-time mark at CSU. He led his team in pass break-ups and interceptions.
Which NFL teams have shown interest in you during this draft process?
"The NFL scouts I have spoken to who like me are the (Jacksonville) Jaguars, (NewYork) Giants, (Tampa Bay) Buccaneers, (Oakland) Raiders, (Houston) Texans to name a few."
What are NFL scouts going to like most about your ability at the next level?
"They will like my ability to play nickel or outside man or zone and my ability to work in space with well rounded receivers."
Special teams play how much time have you spent in college career playing on them?
"I played a lot of special teams in college. I started at kick return and punt return a lot of teams like my ability to be able to be very effective in the return game and make plays
If you could hold one NFL receiver catch less in a game who would you choose?
"If I could play and lock down one receiver in the NFL right now it would probably be Andre Johnson because I like the way he plays the game, and to me he is the best besides Calvin Johnson."
NFL scouts don't miss much but does any part of your game go unnoticed?
"I think what goes unnoticed in my play is my ability to jam and get up under receivers at the line of scrimmage and my savviness."
College2Pro Draft Analysis
Hard working and willing. Tough for his size and won't back down. Good intangibles. Shows flashes of ability in his coverage. Undersized. Shows a good short area burst and can tackle. An interesting player with above average athletic ability.
Note: One NFC North scout told me during the trip to Mobile, AL for Senior Bowl James was his favorite at Raycom.
