Ahkello Witherspoon

The Los Angeles Rams agreed to terms with cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon on June 29, 2023.

The 28-year-old Witherspoon most recently played for the Steelers, collecting 35 total tackles, 11 passes defensed and four interceptions in 13 games (seven starts) over the last two seasons in Pittsburgh.

TRANSACTIONS:

• Signed with the Los Angeles Rams as a free agent (6/29/23)
• Waived by the Pittsburgh Steelers (5/17/23)
• Placed on Steelers injured reserve list
• Signed with the Steelers as an unrestricted free agent (3/25/23)
• Traded by the Seattle Seahawks to the Steelers (9/3/23)
• Signed with the Seahawks as an unrestricted free agent (3/19/21)
• Placed on San Francisco 49ers injured reserve list (12/19/18)
• Drafted by the 49ers in the third round (66th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft.

NFL Career:

• Has appeared in 60 career regular season games (40 starts) and tallied 150 tackles (128 solo), eight interceptions for 112 return yards, six pass breakups, seven passes defended, one defensive touchdown, two pressures, two hurries, one forced fumble and three tackles for loss.
• Has played in four postseason contests (two starts) and recorded three tackles (all solo).
• Tallied a career-best three interceptions in 2021 with the Steelers.
• Registered two interceptions with a total of 45 return yards in a game against the Vikings in 2021.
• Hauled in an interception against the Buccaneers that was returned 25 yards for a touchdown in 2019.
• Had two streaks of three consecutive games with a pass breakup (Week 15-17) during his time with the 49ers in 2020. and in 2021 with the Steelers (Week 12-14).
• Recorded his first career interception his rookie season at Philadelphia in 2017.
• Had a career-high six pass breakups in 2021 and 2017.

College: Witherspoon played at the university of Colorado, where he finished tied for 13th on the program's all-time pass breakup list (28). During his time in Boulder, he played in 28 games (21 starts) and notched 58 tackles (52 solo), two interceptions, 12 passes defended and one forced fumble. He earend Second-Team All-Pac-12 honors from the Associated Press and the league's coaches after he led the nation in pass breakups (23) and tied for the most in CU single-season history in 2016. He played in all 14 games (12 starts) his senior season. As a junior in 2015, Witherspoon played in all 13 games (eight starts) and appeared in 10 contests (one start) as a sophomore in 2014. He also played one season at Sacramento City College and tied for third in the Mid-Empire Conference with three interceptions in eight games.

Personal: He played just one season of high school football, starting at cornerback his senior year at Christian Brothers. He finished with 25 tackles (14 solo) with four pass breakups and an interception. Despite his short prep career, Witherspoon had over a dozen colleges interested in him. He also lettered twice in basketball as a point guard, averaging 16 points per game and seven assists as a senior. Witherspoon also spent time on the baseball diamond and had a .300 batting average to go along with 21 stolen bases as a senior. He played soccer as a freshman. Witherspoon's father, Lucky, was a tailback at NevadaReno and his cousin, Mike Brown, played basketball at the University of Rhode Island. His grandfather, Jimmy Witherspoon, was a blue artist who is best known for his song "Aint Nobody's Business", which reached no.1 on the R&B charts in 1949. Witherspoon majored in EBIO (Ecology & Evolutionary Biology).