Cotton was born in Los Angeles, California and prepped at Castlemont High School in Oakland.
[2] As a junior he was honored by the Associated Press as a second-team All-American,[3] and as a senior he was chosen for the first-team by the NEA/World Almanac.
[4] Cotton was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 1988 NFL draft with the 28th overall pick.
[5] He spent four years in the NFL, splitting time between the Falcons, Cleveland Browns, and Seattle Seahawks.
[1][6] Cotton finished his career with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL, where he logged four sacks in eleven games played over the 1994 and 1995 seasons.