Strong Interest For Large Group Of Ferris State Alums Entering NFL Draft This Week
Big Rapids, Mich. - The 85th annual National Football League (NFL) Draft takes place this weekend and yet again a large group of former Ferris State University football standouts are hoping to hear their names called or be contacted by NFL or professional football franchises as potential free agent pickups following the annual event.
The Bulldogs have several individuals who concluded their eligibility last fall hoping to make the jump to professional football. The most notable of the group is consensus All-America defensive end and Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Austin Edwards (Lansing/Waverly), who has been pegged on various draft boards as one of the nation's top defensive line prospects and a potential draft choice.
The group of hopefuls who have received recognition entering the draft process also includes former Bulldog quarterback Jayru Campbell (Detroit/Cass Tech), offensive guard Tyler Allison (Clinton Township/Chippewa Valley), slot receivers Jevon Shaw (Farmington Hills/Harrison) and Dion Earls (Chicago/Simeon) along with linebacker Avonte Bell (Lansing/Sexton) and defensive backs Delon Stephenson (Sayreville, NJ) and Najeem Hosein (Orlando, Fla./Oak Ridge), among others who have spent the past several months training for an opportunity.
The Ferris State products have been active in off-season training and have found ways to showcase their talents despite the COVID-19 virus with hopes of being late round or preferred free agent acquisitions.
Overall, numerous lists have Edwards found among the top players at his position leading into the draft and tabbed as a potential late round or preferred free agent pickup by various sources. Presently, Edwards is also listed by scouting expert Josh Buchanan as one of the top small college draft prospects in the country.
The NFL Draft will be a virtual one this year with round one on Thursday (April 23) night at 8 p.m. (ET). Rounds two and three will take place on Friday night with the final rounds four thru seven set for Saturday starting at noon. Both ESPN and the NFL Network will have endless coverage of the draft with ABC also simulcasting coverage at various points in the draft.
Two years ago, former defensive tackle Zach Sieler (Pickney) became Ferris State's first-ever NFL Draft choice when he was picked in the seventh round as the 238th overall selection by the Baltimore Ravens.
This past fall, a school-record total of five Bulldog alums were on active NFL rosters at one point, including Tavierre Thomas (Cleveland), Justin Zimmer (Cleveland), Zach Sieler (Miami), Brady Sheldon (Cincinnati) and Jason Vander Laan (New Orleans). Former receiver Malik Taylor also spent the year with the Green Bay Packers and all six remain with NFL organizations.
While Sieler is the only Ferris State football player to ever be drafted by an NFL team, several other former Bulldogs have inked NFL contracts as free agents and played in the league. Including last year, the Bulldogs have had at least one NFL free agent pickup following the draft each of the past six years.
Last summer, eight Bulldog alums received official NFL preseason training camp invites, which represented the most in school history and the most among any NCAA Division II school. A total of 10 have earned camp invites over the past two years. Along with the six currently still in the NFL, former defensive tackle Chris Okoye (Novi/Detroit Catholic Central), receiver Jake Lampman (East Lansing/Haslett), offensive tackle Devon Johnson (Aurora, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) and receiver Keyondre Craig (Muskegon) have also competed in training camps in the past two years.
Over the past four seasons, Sieler, Vander Laan, Sheldon, Zimmer, Thomas and Lampman have all seen NFL regular-season action after Lampman became the first to do so in 13 years back in 2016.
Unofficially, at least 22 former Ferris State players have previously inked NFL free agent deals. Former defensive back Marvin Robinson inked with the Dallas Cowboys in 2014 with defensive tackle Marcus Cribbs signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2015. Those two represented the first since free agent cornerback Angelo Williams with the Minnesota Vikings in 2010. Previously, in 2013, former defensive end Jordan Morgan received a rookie tryout with the New York Giants, but did not sign. In 2016, Vander Laan, Lampman and Zimmer all signed and reached NFL camps while Sheldon did likewise in 2017 before Sieler, Thomas and Okoye joined NFL organizations in 2018. Last year, the trio of Taylor, Johnson and Craig all were signed following the draft.
The select group also consists of running back Dave Gagnon (1974-Chicago Bears), outside linebacker Monty Brown (1997-New York Jets), defensive tackle Ed Philion (1994-Buffalo Bills), defensive end Dave Zuiderveen (2001-Atlanta Falcons), flanker Clarence Coleman (2002-Buffalo Bills), tackle Matt McCoy (2004-Detroit Lions), wide receiver Carlton Brewster (2006-Cleveland Browns) and defensive tackle Jake Visser (2009-Houston Texans).
Two other former Ferris State players, offensive guard Bill Bourdlais and safety Patrick Wells, received tryout invitations from the Cleveland Browns in 2008 and participated in the team's rookie minicamp, but did not ink a deal. Several others have also had NFL tryouts including wide receiver Andre Johnson (1989), quarterback Dave DenBraber (1987) and receiver/returner Fred Kirkland (1981). Defensive back James Skodak (2006) also had tryouts with several NFL organizations among other past Bulldog standouts.
The Bulldog standouts awaiting the draft all played key roles this past fall in leading Ferris State to the national semifinals for the third time in four years. This past fall, along with reaching the national semifinals, FSU also claimed a second-straight GLIAC Championship with an unblemished league record. This past year marked the Bulldogs' fourth-straight trip to the national quarterfinals or beyond, which is the longest streak in the country. The national semifinal contest marked the first-ever semifinal played at home for the Bulldogs and the latest game ever played in a year at Top Taggart Field. Over the past two seasons, the Bulldogs have compiled a 27-2 mark.
Over the last six seasons at Ferris State, the Bulldogs have compiled a 72-9 overall record and claimed four conference championships, posted four unbeaten regular-seasons, captured three regional titles and reached the national quarterfinals four times. Ferris State has also accumulated three Harlon Hill National Player of the Year trophies, twice had a student-athlete tabbed as the nation's National Scholar-Athlete of the Year and won 12 postseason games in addition to an appearance in the 2018 National Championship game.
The Bulldogs are one of only four teams in all of college football at any NCAA level to win 11 games each of the last six years along with Alabama, Ohio State and North Dakota State. FSU is also the only D2 team in the country to reach the national quarterfinals for four consecutive years and the Bulldogs' six-straight playoff appearances is the second-longest longest streak in the nation.
Ferris State also holds the GLIAC's best mark and the best overall record of all 21 collegiate programs in Michigan at 87-16 overall since the arrival of Tony Annese as head coach in 2012.
Bulldog NFL Fact List:
5 - Alums were on active NFL rosters in 2019
6 - Alums currently with NFL organizations
6 - Alums have been on active NFL rosters in the past four years
6 - Alums have earned NFL free agent contracts six consecutive years
8 - Alums received NFL training camp invites in 2019
10 - Alums have earned NFL training camp invites in 2018-19
22 - Alums all-time have signed NFL free agent contracts
Below are various links to media coverage on each of FSU's Pro Prospects:
Austin Edwards
Jayru Campbell
Tyler Allison
Avonte Bell
Dion Earls
Jevon Shaw
Delon Stephenson
Najeem Hosein