Founded in 2012, the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl gives draft eligible players a chance to compete in a post-season All Star game. Players lucky enough to receive an invite have an opportunity to showcase their talents and network themselves to potential future employers.
Former NFL coaches Dick Vermeil and Denny Green will be coaching both teams, and other ex-NFL players and coaches will ‘tutor’ the athletes this week.
The 2013 Collegiate Bowl was ESPN’s highest-rated collegiate program on game day. In 2012 scouts from every NFL team watched the weeklong practices and the game, leading to reviews of game tape and interviews for certain players. This can be a life-changing experience for athletes coming out of a smaller, less recruited university.
Insert Howard Jones.
The 6’3″, 238 lb. Senior defensive end played four seasons at Shepherd University, a small Division II school (less than 4,200 Undergrads) located in West Virginia. Jones primarily played at the defensive end position in college, but he understands that his combination of size and speed could best be utilized as a linebacker in the NFL.
“I hope to just learn a lot at the linebacker position,” Jones said following Tuesday’s practice. “I played D end in college but I’m definitely gonna observe a lot and give my best effort [at the linebacker position].
Jones was asked about what it is like to compete and practice with players from larger conferences such as the Pac-12, SEC and Big-12 following Tuesday’s “Yeah I’m from a smaller school, Division II, but I mean it’s still the same game of football. Who brings the best effort, who brings the most game and who brings the most tenacity or physicalness [should be successful].” When asked if he had a nickname, Jones replied “Hojo.” It originated in College by former teammates combining the first two letters of his first and last names and the nickname just stuck. Jones’ favorite food is Hamburger Helper, and if he wasn’t focused on a career in football Jones would spend his time fishing and working on cars.
You know where it’s not raining? The first day of practices at #NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in sunny SoCal @StubHubCenter pic.twitter.com/IgQWrmOG7g — NFLPA Bowl Game (@NFLPABowl) January 14, 2014
The 2014 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl will be played on Saturday, January 18th at 3pm PT/6pm ET at the StubHub Center in Los Angeles. Practices throughout the week and the game itself will be broadcast on the ESPN network. Here is a gallery of pictures direct from Pro Player Insiders Photographer Kevin A. Koski from the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Practice in LA:
