Western Carolina University

2022 (Senior): One of seven players including four defenders to start all 11 games on the season, doing so from his defensive end position … Finished with 45 total tackles, fifth on the team and the most among WCU’s defensive linemen … Posted a tackle in each game on the year … Led WCU with seven tackles for loss including a team-leading six sacks, adding seven quarterback hurries and a pass breakup … Recorded six tackles including two sacks at Samford (Sept. 24) … Had a season-best eight tackles with six solo stops against The Citadel (Oct. 22) … Finished the season with a seven-tackle performance with a third-quarter sack against nationally-ranked Chattanooga (Nov. 19), claiming Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors on Nov. 21 … Earned first-team All-Southern Conference honors from the voting media and second-team All-SoCon plaudits from the league’s head coaches … Was named to the fourth-team preseason All-Southern Conference by Phil Steele.

2021 (Junior*): Started all 11 of the team's games along the defensive line ... Led WCU's defensive linemen with 38 total tackles, tied for the sixth-most on the squad, including 11 solo stops and six tackles for loss with 1.5 sacks ... Posted at least one tackle in all 11 games, matching his career-high of seven twice - at Gardner-Webb (Sept. 25) that included a career-best 2.5 tackles for loss and had seven stops against Furman (Nov. 6)... Forced and recovered a fumble on the year, falling on the loose football for a takeaway at Gardner-Webb and recording a sack/fumble against ETSU (Nov. 13) ... Credited with two quarterback hurries ... Was named third-team All-Southern Conference by Phil Steele ... Named to the 2021-22 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

2020-21 (Junior): Started all seven of the games in which he saw action, missing the final two games of the spring semester … Recorded 15 total tackles including seven solo stops with three tackles for loss with a sack … Credited with four quarterback hurries … Posted a season-best three solo stops at Eastern Kentucky (Nov. 21), including a TFL and two hurries … Made a season-high four tackles against The Citadel (March 13).

2019 (Sophomore): Started 11 of WCU’s 12 games along the defensive line … Recorded 41 total tackles, eighth on the defense but was the top defensive lineman … Posted 15 solo tackles and four tackles for loss including one sack and was credited for a team-best seven quarterback hurries … Recovered a pair of fumbles … Tallied five tackles at N.C. State (Sept. 7) and six tackle assists against Furman (Oct. 26) … Posted a season-high seven tackles against Samford (Nov. 16), charting three hurries and recovering a fumble.

2018 (Freshman): Played in eight of the team’s 11 seasonal games, making three starts along the defensive line … Missed the final three games of the regular season … Finished with 15 total tackles with five solo stops … Tallied two tackles for loss including one sack … Credited with two quarterback hurries and a pass break-up … Made his collegiate debut in the season-opener against Newberry (Sept. 1) … Recorded his first career tackles at Gardner-Webb (Sept. 14) … Made his first career start at Furman (Sept. 29), posting a season-high five tackles including four solo stops … Matched his season-best with five tackles at Samford (Oct. 6) … Had one tackle in the triple-overtime game at ETSU (Oct. 27), tallying his first career sack ... Named to the 2018-19 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.
 
Prior to Western Carolina: Starting his prep career on junior varsity, played on the varsity roster all four years … Recorded 66 total tackles including 32 solo stops with a sack as a senior, earning him 2-AAAAAA First Team Defense plaudits … Had a fumble recovery and returned an interception for a touchdown … Was selected to the 2018 Blitz Border Bowl and the 2018 “War of the Border” High School All-Star football game … Earned the football “Captain’s Award” … Posted the highest grade point average on the team and saw time at tight end as a sophomore ... High school coach was Ross Couch … Joined the National Honor Society as a junior … Also participated in track & field as a prep, placing third in the shot put, and was a four-year letter winner in varsity boys basketball as a center and power forward.
 
Personal: Full name is Willie Keith Milner Jr., but goes by K.J. … Is the son of Francesca and Willie Keith Milner Sr. … Was born in Wurzburg, Germany … Has three younger siblings, Andre, Trey, and Xavier … His father owns a music store and his mother is a United States soldier.
 
Career Highs:
Tackles: 7, SAMFORD, 11/16/19)
Tackles for Loss: 1.0, seven times (MR: at Eastern Kentucky, 11/21/20)
Sacks: 1.0, twice (MR: NORTH GREENVILLE, 9/14/19)