In a physical sense, Prairie View defensive lineman CJ Pressley is a long way from home.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pressley began his collegiate career at nearby Villanova but he decided to move on after earning his bachelor’s degree. The decision to enter the transfer portal and an email from Prairie View defensive line coach Jonas Jackson two minutes later landed him on The Hill.
Now the sixth-year senior feels quite at home.
“It was a blessing being that close to home. My family got to come to every game,” Pressley said of his time at Villanova. “But it’s been an even better blessing to come out here. I’ve learned a lot about myself as a person.
“It’s been hard being away from my family, but this program is built on our bond, so it’s made it easy. I’ve got my family here.”
In just three seasons, Pressley has gone from East Coast transfer to one of the Panthers’ most counted leaders. The spotlight figures to be brighter on him this season perhaps more than ever before.
Pressley is coming off a breakout 2023 season in which he logged 50 tackles, 26 solo stops, 2.5 sacks, and one forced fumble during the Panthers’ SWAC West title campaign. His numbers were impressive enough to earn him Preseason All-SWAC First Team recognition ahead of the 2024 season.
But don’t expect the increased expectations to change Pressley’s approach to the season. It’s still about the team for him.
“I’ve always leaned on my coaches, I’ve always leaned on my teammates, so it really does not change for me at all,” Pressley said. “Do I recognize it? Yes. But it’s a team sport, so everybody has got to do their one-eleven. I’m just part of that 11.
“I’m always going to make sure I do my part, I’m going to make sure they do their part and they are going to make sure they do their part. Everybody is going to hold each other accountable.”
It’s been a blessing to be able to have six years of free school. I’m truly blessed to say that I’ve had that, to be able to take that stress off my family. They don’t have to worry about any of that financially.
CJ Pressley
Prairie View head coach Bubba McDowell challenged Pressley going into the offseason to get stronger, work on his moves and to watch film of NFL defensive linemen. Pressley did just that and McDowell has seen the improvement during training camp.
“He can be very dominant. It has to do with strength,” McDowell said. “As I told him, you have to get stronger and you have to learn some moves. I wanted him to watch tapes of the NFL guys, see what they do and try to incorporate that and he can be very dominant.”
While certainly committed to do his part this season, Pressley is keenly aware that for the Panthers get over that hump, which involves winning the SWAC Championship this season, it will require a total team effort.
His job is to make sure his teammates see him doing his part, which will then make it easier for them to want to follow.
“I’m a vet, I’m a sixth-year guy so I know as an older guy I need to bring a certain amount of leadership to this team,” said Pressley, who received his master’s degree in Sociology from PV this past December. “I know that certain guys are going to look up to me as an older guy in the locker room and off the field, across campus.
“So I try to lead by example so that when you speak on the field, they are going to take it the right way.”
Pressley credits his coaches at both Villanova and Prairie View for helping hone his leadership skills. He also credits Texans defensive end Malik Fisher, who was one of the older guys at Villanova, who took him under his wing.
“Being under guys like that, having great leaders within that program and being there through COVID, allowed me to see how they lead,” said Pressley. “Once I got here and I’m in a leadership position, I’m taking the tools that they gave me and combining them with my tools to be the best I can for my team out here.
I have to give all of the credit to God. I can’t say enough about Him. He has done so much for me. It’s been a blessing.
CJ Pressley
“The guys make it easy for me because we have a great group of guys who really respond well when you are speaking to them. We can really have that constructive criticism of one another.”
As a result, Pressley believes big things are ahead for the Panthers this season.
“We are going to be as dominant as our weakest link and right now I couldn’t tell you who that is,” he said. “We are so deep, we have something really special going on right now. We’ve got three to four deep at every position right now. It’s really special.
“Like I said, we are as strong as our weakest link and I can’t say that we have one. We are going to show everybody something, starting with TSU.”
CJ Pressley
Age 25
Class: Graduate student
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 260 pounds
2023 Stats: 50 tackles, 26 solo tackles, 2.5 sacks and 1 forced fumble
Hometown: Philadelphia
Degrees: Bachelor’s: Criminology (Villanova); Master’s: Sociology (Prairie View)
Accolades: Preseason All-SWAC First Team (2024); Athletic Director’s Honor Roll (2021); CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll.
