Career: Started in 38 of his 51 career games (started every game as a freshman, junior and senior – two players who have played in the NFL or appeared in an NFL camp were the starting safeties in 2015: Doug Middleton and Alex Gray) ... Finished with 222 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, four interceptions and 18 passes defended.
2017: Started all 13 games at strong safety … Also a key member of several special teams units ... Finished the season with 66 tackles (41 solo), one interception, 2.5 tackles for loss and eight passes defended … Made a stop on a catch at the 1-yard line seconds before time expired in a 20-13 win at Texas State, which had started its drive at its own 1-yard line … 61-yard interception return to the Georgia State 5 helped the Mountaineers take a 24-7 lead in a 31-10 victory … Had seven solo tackles (five in the first quarter) as App State limited run-oriented Georgia Southern to 191 total yards in a 27-6 win … With Howard playing an important role, App State’s defense ranked first or second among Sun Belt teams in both points allowed per game and yards allowed per game in each of the last three seasons.
2016: Started all 13 games for Appalachian at strong safety … Part of an App State defense that was sixth nationally with 20 interceptions in 2016...App is third in the FBS over the last two seasons with 38 total interceptions...App was 11th nationally in pass efficiency defense in 2016 and was 31st in passing yards allowed...ranked sixth on the team with 57 tackles (43 solo, 14 assists) … recorded a season-high seven tackles in the season opener at Tennessee … snagged three total interceptions, all in a span of four weeks … his first career interception came at Georgia Southern (Oct. 27) … second interception came just two weeks later at Troy (Nov. 12) with a 71-yard pick-six, also his first career touchdown … posted his third interception inside the Appalachian State end zone versus ULM (Nov. 19) … tallied at least two tackles in every game he played, including six games of five tackles or more … notched four total pass breakups, two against Georgia State.
2015: Appeared in 13 games for the Mountaineers at strong safety, with Doug Middleton and Alex Gray starting every game… 10th on the team in tackles with 35 (22 solo) ... recorded at least two tackles in nine of 13 contests … notched a season-high six tackles at South Alabama … tallied a tackle for loss against Howard, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Troy and South Alabama … recorded half a sack at USA … notched a pass breakup at ULM.
2014: Started all 12 games as a true freshman at strong safety ... ranked third on the team and 37th in the Sun Belt Conference with 64 tackles ... 64 stops were good for eighth among all Sun Belt freshmen ... 64 tackles were the most by a true freshman at Appalachian State since Lanston Tanyi recorded 70 stops as a rookie in 2008 ... also recorded 2.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups and a forced fumble ... tallied at least four tackles in 10 of 12 games ... opened career with seven stops at Michigan ... had four tackles and forced a fumble at Southern Miss ... recorded eight tackles at Georgia Southern ... amassed 13 tackles in overtime loss to Liberty — the most tackles by an Appalachian State defensive back since Corey Lynch had 13 stops against Montana State in the second round of the 2006 NCAA Division I FCS playoffs (Dec. 2, 2006) ... 13 stops against Liberty included a tackle for loss ... made six tackles and was in on a stop behind the line of scrimmage during win at Troy ... also had six tackles in come-from-behind win over ULM ... combined for seven stops in back-to-back impressive road wins at Arkansas State (three tackles) and Louisiana (four tackles).
High School: Rated as a two-star prospect by 247Sports and Rivals.com ... two-way player amassed 162 tackles and eight interceptions that he returned for more than 200 yards and one touchdown on defense and 83 receptions for over 800 yards and four touchdowns during his prep career ... was a first-team all-region and all-Bi-City honoree ... earned Harris County’s Iron Man award as a junior and senior ... invited to participate in Georgia North-South all-star game ... also lettered in basketball and track and field ... coached by Tommy Parks.
Personal: Full name is Alvin Donell Howard ... born Dec. 23, 1995 ... son of Dorothy and Alvin Howard ... has one older brother, Dannish ... majoring in psychology.
