He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers, and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2014 NFL draft.

Southward attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he did not start playing organized football until his senior year.

[3] In Week 11 of the 2014 season, Southward picked off Cleveland Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer for his first career interception.

[4] During the 2015 offseason, the Atlanta Falcons hired Dan Quinn as their head coach, replacing the outgoing Mike Smith.

[10] On September 2, 2017, Southward was waived by the Panthers and was signed to the practice squad the next day.