University of North Texas Athletics
UNT Trio To Play In NFLPA Collegiate Bowl
1/18/2019 10:18:00 AM | Football
PASADENA, Calif. – The Mean Green trio of linebacker E.J. Ejiya and cornerbacks Kemon Hall and Nate Brooks have concluded their week of practice in southern California and are set to participate in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl at the Rose Bowl Stadium on Saturday, Jan.19, at 4 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1.
Ejiya and Hall were selected to the roster in early December and Brooks was added in January. The three former Mean Green defensive standouts are on the American team, led by former Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano.
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Ejiya and Hall each earned first team all-Conference USA honors for their play in 2018, helping the Mean Green defense to a major turnaround from 2017, allowing 10.8 fewer points per game in 2018.
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Brooks was a second team all-Conference USA honoree, and ranked third in the country with six interceptions, which led the Mean Green. He finished with 67 total tackles (tied for third on the team), 4.0 tackles for loss, 10 pass break-ups, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry. Brooks grades out as elite and was the top-rated Mean Green defensive player according to Pro Football Focus, with a grade of 87.4. That ranked him 18th among all cornerbacks in the country.
Ejiya ranked fourth nationally in tackles for loss with 25.0 and led the Mean Green in sacks with 9.0, which ranked fourth in C-USA. His 121 total tackles are also third most in the conference and 27th in the nation. Ejiya finished 2018 with 11 quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a blocked extra point in 13 starts. Ejiya grades out as elite, and the second highest-rated defensive player for the Mean Green, with a grade of 85.5 from Pro Football Focus. That ranked him 27th among all FBS linebackers and he had 53 total pressures in 889 defensive snaps.
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Hall was one of the steadiest performers at cornerback in the country, and in his 11 appearances, all starts, Hall ranked third in FBS in passes defended (1.7 per game) and posted five interceptions, two of which he brought back for touchdowns (in wins over SMU and at Arkansas). Hall ranked 10th in the country in interceptions, posted 48 tackles, one for loss, and broke up 14 passes. Hall grades out as the Mean Green's third-best rated defensive player according to Pro Football Focus, at 82.9.
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Brooks, Ejiya and Hall are the first Mean Green players to play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, which began in 2012. Several scouts, player personnel staff, general managers and head coaches from all 32 NFL teams attended practices, conducted interviews and reviewed tape of the participants. 42 of the 112 players who participated last year received invitations to the 2018 NFL Combine and 19 were selected in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Ejiya and Hall were selected to the roster in early December and Brooks was added in January. The three former Mean Green defensive standouts are on the American team, led by former Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano.
Â
Ejiya and Hall each earned first team all-Conference USA honors for their play in 2018, helping the Mean Green defense to a major turnaround from 2017, allowing 10.8 fewer points per game in 2018.
Â
Brooks was a second team all-Conference USA honoree, and ranked third in the country with six interceptions, which led the Mean Green. He finished with 67 total tackles (tied for third on the team), 4.0 tackles for loss, 10 pass break-ups, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry. Brooks grades out as elite and was the top-rated Mean Green defensive player according to Pro Football Focus, with a grade of 87.4. That ranked him 18th among all cornerbacks in the country.
Ejiya ranked fourth nationally in tackles for loss with 25.0 and led the Mean Green in sacks with 9.0, which ranked fourth in C-USA. His 121 total tackles are also third most in the conference and 27th in the nation. Ejiya finished 2018 with 11 quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a blocked extra point in 13 starts. Ejiya grades out as elite, and the second highest-rated defensive player for the Mean Green, with a grade of 85.5 from Pro Football Focus. That ranked him 27th among all FBS linebackers and he had 53 total pressures in 889 defensive snaps.
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Hall was one of the steadiest performers at cornerback in the country, and in his 11 appearances, all starts, Hall ranked third in FBS in passes defended (1.7 per game) and posted five interceptions, two of which he brought back for touchdowns (in wins over SMU and at Arkansas). Hall ranked 10th in the country in interceptions, posted 48 tackles, one for loss, and broke up 14 passes. Hall grades out as the Mean Green's third-best rated defensive player according to Pro Football Focus, at 82.9.
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Brooks, Ejiya and Hall are the first Mean Green players to play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, which began in 2012. Several scouts, player personnel staff, general managers and head coaches from all 32 NFL teams attended practices, conducted interviews and reviewed tape of the participants. 42 of the 112 players who participated last year received invitations to the 2018 NFL Combine and 19 were selected in the 2018 NFL Draft.
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