Brooks played high school football for the Bartlett Yancey High School Buccaneers. He recorded 331 total tackles for the Buccaneers. He was a three-year all-region, all-conference, and defensive MVP selection. Brooks earned all-state honors as team captain his senior year after accumulating 94 tackles and 12.5 sacks. He represented North Carolina in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas All-Star Game. He was named the Danville Regional Defensive Player-of-the-Year in 2008. Brooks also earned a varsity letterintrack and field.[2]
Brooks played in 43 games for the East Carolina Pirates from 2009 to 2012, recording 52 solo tackles and ten sacks. He also earned Conference USA All-Freshman honors.[3]
The Seattle Seahawks claimed Brooks off waivers from the Lions on May 29, 2013. He was released by the Seahawks on August 31, 2013, and re-signed on September 2, 2013. He was released by the Seahawks on September 11, 2013, and signed to their practice squad on September 12, 2013. Brooks was signed to the active roster on November 9, 2013.[4] He appeared in a game against the Atlanta Falcons on November 10, recording a tackle.[5] He was released on November 11. Brooks was re-signed to the practice squad on December 19, 2013. Brooks was signed to a futures contract on February 5, 2014.[4] The Seahawks later won Super Bowl XLVIII against the Denver Broncos.[6] The Seahawks waived/injured Brooks on August 26, 2014.[7] He was released by the Seahawks on September 1, 2014.[4]
Brooks signed with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL) on April 30, 2015.[8] In two seasons with the Lions, he appeared in 28 games, accumulating 62 tackles and 4 quarterback sacks. He was named a CFL West All-Star for the 2015 season.
Brooks became a free-agent in February 2017.[11] That same month, it was announced that Brooks had re-signed with the Lions for two more seasons, through 2018.[12] In 2017, Brooks played in 15 games and contributed with 21 tackles and one quarterback sack. On May 18, 2018, Brooks was released by the Lions after they were unable to find another team willing to trade for him.[13]
On June 24, 2018, Brooks signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL.[14] Brooks played in 11 games for the Riders in 2018, contributing 15 tackles. He suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 18 of the season.[15]
