Honors
2006—Received the Speed Elliott Award as the team’s most improved player. 2005—Received the Rock Weir Most Improved Player Award along with Brad Butler for the spring practice period.

At Virginia
2007—Started all 13 games at inside linebacker ... led the team in tackling for second consecutive season ... seventh in the ACC in tackling with an average of 8.4 tpg ... his 109 tackles were more than his first two years combined ... was in on 11 tackles for loss and three sacks ... at least six tackles in every game ... had career-high 12 tackles at Maryland, including three tackles for loss ... shared team lead with two interceptions, the most by a UVa linebacker since Ahmad Brooks had two in 2004 ... named the coaches’ defensive player of the week for performance against Middle Tennessee when he shared the team lead with nine tackles ... 10 tackles against NC State, his second double-digit game in a row ... named the coaches’ defensive player of the week for performance against Miami when he had seven tackles and an interception ... led the team with 11 tackles against Virginia Tech... one of three former walk-ons (S Byron Glaspy and WR Staton Jobe) who started in the Gator Bowl. 2006—Started all 12 games and led the team with 81 tackles which ranked 13th among all ACC players ... tied for second on the team with nine TFL ... his four QB sacks also ranked second ... had at least six tackles in 10 of 12 games ... recorded his first sack in Wyoming game ... proposed to his girlfriend, Holly Dixon, the Thursday night before UVa’s 14-7 win against NC State (she accepted!) ... earned his second letter. 2005– Saw most of his action on special teams ... made 10 tackles, with six coming on special teams ... made his first tackle in kickoff coverage in the season opener against Western Michigan ... saw his first playing time at linebacker in a win over Temple and made two stops ... saw extensive action at linebacker against Minnesota in the Music City Bowl and finished with two tackles ... earned his first letter. 2004—Walk-on who did not appear in a game and was redshirted.

High School and Personal
Prepped at Fork Union Military Academy in 2003 where he played for coach John Shuman ... led the team in tackles with 74 solos and 64 assists ... team captain ... starred at Northside HS for coach Jim Hickam ... Roanoke Times All-Timesland first-team on offense and defense as a senior ... also first-team all-region and all-district ... as a junior was named the Northside Linebacker of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year ... three-year letterwinner in wrestling ... named team MVP ... earned first-team Roanoke Times All-Timesland Heavyweight ... holds four Virginia state powerlifting records as well as three International Powerlifting Association world records ... National Honor Society member ... full name is Jon Stephen Copper ... born 9-8-84 in Roanoke, Va. ... son of Nancy and Jeff Copper ... has an older brother, Joel, a younger brother, Jordan, and a younger sister, Mary Jean ... involved with Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Young Life ... took a mission’s trip to a Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota ... attended the NFL Twins camp of former Cavaliers Tiki and Ronde Barber ... servant leadership team with Athletes in Action at UVa ... married to the former Holly Dixon ... religious studies major.

Career Highs
Tackles: 12 vs. Maryland, 2007
Tackles for Loss: 3 vs. Wyoming, 2006; vs. Maryland, 2007
Sacks: 2 vs. Duke, 2006

Copper’s Defensive Stats