Former FSU Captain A.J. McEwen Begins Pro Career With Storied Arena Football League Franchise

Big Rapids, Mich. - Former Ferris State University football captain Adrian "A.J." McEwen, who completed his eligibility this past fall in helping lead the Bulldogs to the 2014 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championship, has embarked on his professional football career as he recently was signed to a contract by the Arena Football League's (AFL) San Jose Sabercats.

The 5-9 McEwen is the son of current FSU assistant coach Sparky McEwen, who formerly served as a head coach in the AFL. The East Grand Rapids product was a four-year letterwinner for the Bulldogs and started the past two seasons at cornerback after originally beginning his FSU career as a receiver.

McEwen, who's currently on the Sabercats injured reserve squad, joined the team for training camp this past month. He remains eligible for late April's National Football League (NFL) Draft and recently has taken part in both the 2015 GLIAC Pro Day along with tryouts for potential opportunities in the Canadian Football League (CFL).

The Sabercats have long been one of the most successful franchises in the highest level of indoor football in the country. The three-time ArenaBowl Champions captured a division title in 2014 with a 13-5 overall record and are slated to officially open the 2015 campaign on Monday (March 30) on the road against the Las Vegas Outlaws in a game that will be televised live around the world on the CBS Sports Network at 10:30 p.m. (ET).

McEwen served as a team captain for the Bulldogs in 2014 as FSU won a league championship for the first time since 1999, reached the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time since 1996 and achieved the program's best overall record since 1995 with an 11-1 record. Ferris State also recorded the school's first 11-0 regular season in the 106-year history of the program.

A two-time All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) honoree, McEwen was a preseason All-American for the Bulldogs this past fall and concluded his final campaign with 31 tackles to go with five pass breakups and 23 solo hits while starting all 12 games. He previously started all 11 games at cornerback in 2013 and ranked among the GLIAC and national leaders with five interceptions for 41 yards to go with 12 pass breakups.

In addition to his time on the defensive side of the ball, McEwen appeared in 10 games as a receiver in 2012 as the Bulldogs. He hauled in 13 balls for 111 yards that fall while also playing a key role on special teams as a dangerous punt returner. He averaged 8.5 yards per catch and also tossed a 73-yard scoring pass on FSU's first play from scrimmage in head coach Tony Annese's debut game against St. Francis (Ill.).

The Bulldog alum began his prep career at East Kentwood High School as a quarterback before moving to East Grand Rapids. The West Michigan All-Star was an all-state selection and and also competed in basketball on the high school level.

McEwen's father, Sparky McEwen, played for the Bulldogs from 1987-90 and currently serves on Annese's staff. He spent more than a decade as a professional football coach in the Arena Football League with both the Grand Rapids Ramapge and the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz.  He coaches the wide receivers at Ferris State and is also heavily involved in alumni relations aspects of the program.

Sparky McEwen began his arena football career as a quarterback with the now-defunct Grand Rapids Rampage in 1998.  He was the offensive coordinator in Grand Rapids as the Rampage won the ArenaBowl Championship in 2001 before moving to Oklahoma City. The Bulldog product returned to Grand Rapids as head coach and director of football operations of the Rampage for three seasons (2005-08) before going back to OKC as the head coach and president of football operations for his final three seasons of indoor football, which included two as an arenafootball2 franchise and the final year in the AFL.