These 5 from southwestern Illinois will play huge roles for their NFL teams this year
After establishing himself as one of the top high school athletes in recent IHSA history followed by a stellar three-year college career at the University of Iowa, AJ Epenesa is ready to test himself in the National Football League.
And Cahokia’s Terron Armstead is ready for another run at the elusive Super Bowl championship.
Epenesa, an Edwardsville High School graduate and Armstead, a Pro Bowl offensive lineman with the New Orleans Saints, are two of five former metro-east area athletes who will line up this week for the start of the 2020 NFL season.
Taken in the second round of the 2020 draft by Buffalo, Epenesa will make his debut Sunday when the Bills host the New York Jets, while Armstead will lead the Saints against Tampa Bay in New Orleans.
Former Belleville West standout Austin Seibert will try to further establish himself as one of the top kickers in the NFL as he leads the Cleveland Browns into Baltimore to take on the Ravens. A second Belleville West graduate, Brian Hill, is a running back with the Atlanta Falcons, while Edwardsville native Craig James is a cornerback/special teams player with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Following are individual capsules on some of the former metro-east standouts who could make impacts during the 2020 NFL season.
Terron Armstead, Cahokia, offensive tackle
Drafted out of the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff in 2013, Armstead has been a fixture on the Saints offensive line ever since.
A two-time all-pro, Amstead has been part of one the highest scoring offenses in the NFL which advanced to the NFC championship game two years ago and has made three straight playoff appearances behind legendary quarterback Drew Brees.
The 6-5, 304-pound Armstead is also a key member of the NFL off the field. He was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award in 2019, an honor given annually by the NFL honoring a player’s community service work as well as his excellence on the field.
Armstead’s “Terron Armstead Foundation” benefits youth in the Cahokia, metro-east and New Orleans areas with giveaways, educational programs and many other charitable activities.
Austin Seibert, Belleville West, kicker
Ranked as the No. 1 high school kicker in the nation as a senior at Belleville West followed by a record-smashing college career at the University of Oklahoma, Seibert enjoyed an excellent rookie season a year ago, converting on 25-of-29 field goal attempts and leading Cleveland to a 6-10 season.
Selected to the Pro Football Writers Association all-rookie team after being taken in the fifth round of the ‘19 Draft, Seibert was the Big 12 Conference Special Teams Player of the Year as a senior in 2018. Seibert ended his Sooners career as the leading scorer in school and Big 12 Conference history with 499 points. He also ranks first among FBS kickers with 499 points, first in extra points with 310 and first in extra point attempts with 315.
In his four year college career spanning 54 games, Seibert, 23, made 63-of-79 field goal attempts.
AJ Epenesa, Edwardsville, defensive end/edge
Taken in the second round of the ‘20 Draft, the 6-6, 280-pound Epenesa is currently learning the ropes as an NFL rookie, but is expected to be an impact player for Buffalo in the future.
On a Bills defense which may be among the best in the NFL, Epenesa may have to watch and learn from defensive ends Trent Murphy and Darryl Johnson early in the season.
Epenesa, 21, was an Associated Press second team All-American at Iowa in 2019 and concluded the season with 49 tackles, including 32 solos. He also led the team in tackles for loss with 14 and had 11 1/2 quarterback sacks. For his college career, he had 101 tackles and 26 1/2 sacks.
Brian Hill, Belleville West, running back
Hill begins the season as the Atlanta Falcons No. 2 running back behind former All-Pro Todd Gurley and with the opportunity to perhaps see significant playing time.
A fifth round draft choice out of the University of Wyoming in 2017, Hill, 24, has rushed for all but 37 of his 517 career yards as a member of the Falcons in the past two years. As a backup a year ago, Hill played in 12 games, rushing for 323 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
A 2014 graduate of Belleville West, Hill was one of the top running backs in all of college football during his three years at Wyoming where he ran for over 4,300 yards and 41 touchdowns.
The Falcons open their season at home Sunday against Seattle.
Craig James, Edwardsville, cornerback/special teams
A former football and track star at Edwardsville High School, James, 24, spent two years at the University of Minnesota before transferring to SIU-Carbondale.
Signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2018, James made his NFL debut against New England and played in three games his rookie season, all as a special teams player.
Waived by the Vikings on the final preseason cut a year ago, James was signed by Philadelphia where he became one of the Eagles top special teams players while also seeing time at cornerback. The 5-10, 195-pound James was second on the team with special teams tackles with 12 and finished the season with 15 tackles in all.
James signed a one-year contract extension last week and is signed through the 2021 season. The Eagles open the ‘20 season Sunday in Washington.
On NFL Practice squads
Tucker McCann, O’Fallon, kicker
Signed by the Tennessee Titans as a free agent earlier this spring, McCann was the frontrunner to be the team’s placekicker until former Pro Bowler Stephen Gostkowski was signed. A former all-state kicker at O’Fallon who went on to a solid career at the University of Missouri, McCann was signed to the Titans practice squad earlier this week.
Ranked among the top five high school kickers in the nation by several scouting services as a senior at O’Fallon, McCann, 22, appeared in 49 games over four seasons at Missouri and finished his career with 358 points, which ranked second in program history.
McCann made 61 of 84 field goal attempts at Missouri.
Matt Cole, McKendree University, wide receiver
After becoming the first McKendree player to sign an NFL contract when he signed with the Miami Dolphins in April, Cole was signed to the NFL team’s practice squad this week after an impressive showing in preseason workouts.
Cole is the first Bearcats player to begin the season on an NFL team.
Over his four years at McKendree, Cole set new program marks with 1,616 receiving yards and 17 touchdown catches. His 93 receptions rank fifth all-time for the Bearcats. Cole also sits in McKendree’s career top five with 46 kick returns for 1,400 yards to go along with four combined special teams touchdowns. During that time he racked up 3,583 career all-purpose yards, which is good for fourth all-time at McKendree.
Cole was a two-time All-GLVC performer during his McKendree playing days while he was a three-year starter at wide receiver for the Bearcats.
Free agents
Vincent Valentine, Edwardsvillle, defensive tackle
Selected by New England in the third round of the 2016 Draft, Valentine was a member of the Patriots team which defeated Atlanta to win the ‘17 Super Bowl.
A former University of Nebraska, standout, the 6-3 330-pound Valentine was with New England (2016-18) and has also played with Seattle and Arizona. For his career, Valentine has 20 tackles and one sack.
After signing with the Arizona Cardinals for a second time, Valentine was placed on injured reserve before being released in August of 2019.
Jeff Thomas, East St. Louis, wide receiver
Signed by New England as an undrafted free agent following a three year career at the University of Miami (Florida), the gifted Thomas was released last week then not re-signed to be part of the Patriots practice squad.
One of the top high school wide receivers in the nation while attending East St. Louis, the 5-10, 180-pound Thomas was projected as a possible fifth round draft pick, but was overlooked by NFL scouts.
Despite disciplinary issues which resulted in a few suspensions at Miami, Thomas has the ability to be an impact player in the NFL.
Thomas caught 83 passes for 1,316 yards and eight touchdowns in his college career after finishing his high school career with 191 receptions for 3,578 yards and 59 touchdowns.
Darius Jackson, Sparta, running back
Selected in the sixth round of the ‘16 Draft by Dallas following an excellent senior season at Eastern Michigan University, Jackson has had several stops in his NFL journey which has seen him rush for 16 yards in six attempts during his career.
Jackson, 26, has had three stints with Dallas, two with Indianapolis and has also spent brief periods with Tampa Bay, Green Bay and Cleveland. He was released from Indianapolis in August.
Dewayne Hendrix, O’Fallon, outside linebacker
An O’Fallon High School graduate, where he was ranked as the No. 5 strong side defensive end in the nation as a senior, the 6-5, 265-pound Hendrix was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers this spring before being released in August.
After spending his final three years of college at the University of Pittsburgh, Hendrix was signed as a free agent by Miami and spent time on the practice team in 2019. The 24-year-old Hendrix also had stints with the Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars practice squads in 2019.
This past spring, Hendrix was a member of the XFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks where he played in all five games before the league ceased operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hendrix also had a tryout with the Cleveland Browns this summer.
Chase Allen, Belleville East, linebacker
A former all-Southwestern Conference selection who later was a standout at both outside and middle linebacker at SIU-Carbondale, Allen’s NFL career has been derailed the past two years by injuries.
Signed as an undrafted free agent by Miami following the ‘17 NFL Draft, the 6-3, 250-pound Allen played in all 16 games his rookie season, making four starts, and finishing with 40 tackles.
Allen, 27, was then placed on injured reserve in October 2018 with a foot injury. He was also on the injured reserve list in the 2019 season.
This story was originally published September 11, 2020 at 9:00 AM.
