C.J. Mosley was born on June 19, 1992, in Mobile, Alabama. He is an American football player of African-American descent. Mosley attended the University of Alabama, where he was a standout linebacker for the Crimson Tide. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft and played for them for five seasons before signing a lucrative contract with the New York Jets in 2019.