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Draft Scout College Football Player News: Northern Illinois

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12/20/20 - Trayvon Rudolph, rSr/2025, Northern Illinois + More +

2020 ALL-MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM (COACHES): Kickoff Return Specialist - Trayvon Rudolph, Northern Illinois,...Rudolph finished the year with 717 kickoff return yards and eight punt return yards and leads the nation in combined kick return yards (725) while ranking 10th in the country in all-purpose yards per game. He also added 232 yards receiving on 14 catches. - Northern Illinois Football

rSr/2025

WR Trayvon Rudolph, Northern Illinois
News Source: Northern Illinois Football
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12/20/20 - Jordan Gandy, rSr/2024, Northern Illinois + More +

2020 ALL-MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM (COACHES): Defensive Back - Jordan Gandy, Northern Illinois,...NIU's leading tackler, Gandy made quite an impression in his first season with the Huskies. The sophomore who came to NIU via South Dakota State, tallied 41 tackles, seven pass break ups and an interception. Rudolph made the All-MAC Team as a kickoff return specialist. - Northern Illinois Football

rSr/2024

CB Jordan Gandy, Northern Illinois
News Source: Northern Illinois Football
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12/20/20 - Daniel Crawford, rSr/2021, Northern Illinois + More +

2020 ALL-MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM (COACHES): Tight End - Daniel Crawford, Northern Illinois,...Second on the team in receptions with 21 for 187 yards and a touchdown, Crawford averaged 30.5 yards per game receiving this year. - Northern Illinois Football

rSr/2021

TE Daniel Crawford, Northern Illinois
News Source: Northern Illinois Football
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12/20/20 - Tyrice Richie, rSr/2022, Northern Illinois + More +

2020 ALL-MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM (COACHES): Wide Receiver - Tyrice Richie, Northern Illinois,...In six games, Richie topped his totals from a year ago, amassing 597 yards, which ranked third in the MAC, on 53 receptions. His 8.8 receptions per game led the conference and ranked fourth in the country. "The jump that Tyrice made from last year to this year was phenomenal," Hammock said. "Coach Sorrentino did a great job with him, helping him to be a better technician. Tyrice is strong, he's competitive and he came down with the ball. His best football is in front of him and we couldn't be more excited that he will be here to continue his development." The senior from Chicago matched last season's touchdown tally with a team-best four. Richie recorded four 100-yard receiving games in 2020, becoming just the eighth player in Huskie history to have four or more 100-yard games in a season and the first since Kenny Golladay in 2016. - Northern Illinois Football

rSr/2022

WR Tyrice Richie, Northern Illinois
News Source: Northern Illinois Football
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12/10/20 - Rocky Lombardi, rSr/2024, Northern Illinois + More +

With one opponent left on its Big Ten regular-season schedule, quarterback once again became a concern for Michigan State football. It's not just a question of whether Rocky Lombardi will start at Penn State on Saturday after another lackluster performance; there's also a question of whether the junior will be healthy. Lombardi got knocked out of the game late in the second quarter of the Spartans' 52-12 shellacking by No. 4 Ohio State. MSU coach Mel Tucker did not have an immediate update after the game on Lombardi, who has started all six games this season for MSU.

"Rocky's banged up," Tucker said. "I don't know what the extent is, I'll find out here in a little bit, and we'll see how he is. And I know he'll be ready when he's ready." Lombardi was 5-for-11 passing for 33 yards, including a pass from his own end zone which was tipped at the line of scrimmage and picked off for a touchdown by Ohio State defensive tackle Haskell Garrett. On the next drive, Lombardi was drilled on a sack by OSU's Tyreke Smith with 4:29 left in the half as his head bounced off the turf. He appeared dazed and went to the locker room. - Lansing State Journal

rSr/2024

QB Rocky Lombardi, Northern Illinois
News Source: Lansing State Journal
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11/28/20 - Rocky Lombardi, rSr/2024, Northern Illinois + More +

Matt Coghlin made a tiebreaking 48-yard field goal with 3:35 left, and Michigan State handed No. 11 Northwestern its first loss of the season with a 29-20 victory Saturday. The Wildcats (5-1, 5-1) were coming off a 17-7 victory over Wisconsin that put them in contention for a spot in the College Football Playoff. That prospect likely was dashed with the loss to the Spartans, but they remain in control of the Big Ten West. The Spartans (2-3, 2-3) lost a 17-0 lead, but went back ahead by forcing three turnovers in the fourth quarter and making the most of two big kicks by Coghlin. Northwestern grabbed a 20-17 lead early in the fourth on Cam Porter's 3-yard run. The Spartans rallied on Coghlin's 44-yard field goal after forcing a turnover one snap following Rocky Lombardi's interception.

Northwestern turned the ball over again, and receiver Berkeley Holman was carted off the field following the play. Shakur Brown broke on Peyton Ramsey's pass and made contact with Holman, who lay motionless on the field while the school's medical staff evaluated him. Holman was carefully strapped to a backboard and lifted onto a cart. After Holman's teammates surrounded him to offer support, he lifted his left arm and extended his thumb. The Wildcats punted on their next possession, facing a fourth-and-10 from their 22, with a few minutes left. Lombardi converted a third-and-8 from his 38 with a run after Northwestern called a timeout, taking time off the clock until punting from midfield with 32 seconds left. The Wildcats ended the game by throwing laterals from deep in their end, trying to extend the play as time expired, only to have the Spartans recover the ball in the end zone for a touchdown at a fan-free game. - Michigan State/AP College Football

rSr/2024

QB Rocky Lombardi, Northern Illinois
News Source: Michigan State/AP College Football
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11/08/20 - Rocky Lombardi, rSr/2024, Northern Illinois + More +

Rocky Lombardi is still the quarterback who lit up Michigan one deep ball after another. He's also the quarterback who's thrown five interceptions and been as off the mark as he is on it in MSU's other two games - losses to Rutgers and Iowa by the combined score of 87-34. This was a dreadful homecoming for the kid from Des Moines - 17-for-37 for 227 yards and three INTs. He feels worse about it than you do, I promise. He deserves more time to figure out if he's the guy, to figure out where his truth is as a quarterback. But what seemed like a certainty before Saturday no longer is. - Lansing State Journal

rSr/2024

QB Rocky Lombardi, Northern Illinois
News Source: Lansing State Journal
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11/05/20 - Rocky Lombardi, rSr/2024, Northern Illinois + More +

The Spartans' upset turned plenty of heads nationally. And the weekly awards poured in Monday. MSU was named National Team of the Week by the the Football Writers Association of America, the eighth time it has received the award and the first since shocking No. 2 Ohio State on the road in 2015 with backup quarterbacks Tyler O'Connor and Damion Terry in place of injured starter Connor Cook. Lombardi was named to to the Manning Award Stars of the Week and the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award's Great 8 list. He went 17 of 32 for a career-high 323 yards, throwing three touchdowns with no interceptions. - Lansing State Journal

rSr/2024

QB Rocky Lombardi, Northern Illinois
News Source: Lansing State Journal
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10/31/20 - Rocky Lombardi, rSr/2024, Northern Illinois + More +

Rocky Lombardi threw for 323 yards, including 196 to Ricky White, and three touchdowns to help Michigan State stun No. 13 Michigan 27-24 on Saturday. The Spartans (1-1, 1-1 Big Ten) appeared to be the better team all afternoon on both sides of the ball in Mel Tucker's debut as coach in the rivalry. Tucker became just the second coach to beat Michigan in his first attempt with the Spartans, joining Alabama coach Nick Saban, who did it in 1995. The former Colorado coach started his career as a graduate assistant for Saban and the Spartans.

The Wolverines (1-1, 1-1) were favored to win by more than three touchdowns. Jim Harbaugh's team, though, never led and didn't appear to have much energy in front of family and friends in their mostly empty stadium that holds 110,000-plus fans when there isn't a pandemic. Running back Hassan Haskins scored on a 2-yard run with 37 seconds left to help Michigan pull within three points. The onside kick was recovered by Michigan State running back Connor Heyward and Lombardi converted a fourth-and-2 from the Michigan 36 with a sneak to seal the victory. Lombardi completed 17 of 32 passes and Heyward caught two of his TD passes. White, who averaged 24.5 yards on eight receptions against a shaky secondary, also scored on a catch. Michigan's Joe Milton was 32 of 51 for 300 yards and ran 12 times for 59 yards. Haskins had eight carries for 56 yards and a TD while Blake Corum ran for two scores. - Michigan State/AP College Football

rSr/2024

QB Rocky Lombardi, Northern Illinois
News Source: Michigan State/AP College Football
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08/05/20 - Clint Ratkovich, rSr/2022, Northern Illinois + More +

2020 PHIL STEELE/DRAFTSCOUT PRESEASON ALL-MISSOURI VALLEY FIRST TEAM: Clint Ratkovich, Western Illinois, Sr.,...Ratkovich was First Team All-MVFC (2018/ 2019)...MVFC All-Newcomer (2017)...three-year captain...manages 1,204 receiving yards and 429 rushing yards...is WIU's active career leader in both categories...13 total touchdowns. - Western Illinois Football

rSr/2022

FB Clint Ratkovich, Northern Illinois
News Source: Western Illinois Football
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07/28/20 - Clint Ratkovich, rSr/2022, Northern Illinois + More +

2020 PHIL STEELE/DRAFTSCOUT PRESEASON ALL-FCS FIRST TEAM: FB Clint Ratkovich, Western Illinois, Sr.,...Ratkovich was First Team All-MVFC (2018/ 2019)...MVFC All-Newcomer (2017)... three-year captain...manages 1,204 receiving yards and 429 rushing yards; is WIU's active career leader in both categories...13 total touchdowns. - Western Illinois Football

rSr/2022

FB Clint Ratkovich, Northern Illinois
News Source: Western Illinois Football
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07/24/20 - Kyle Pugh, rSr/2023, Northern Illinois + More +

The Northern Illinois University football team's 2020 season opener agaist Rhode Island scheduled for Sept. 5 at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb has been canceled, NIU confirmed Tuesday. The announcement comes in the wake of the Colonial Athletic Association's announcement Friday that it was suspending league football competition for the fall because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rhode Island officials also contacted NIU to confirm the Rams' decision to suspend the season. - DeKalb Daily Chronicle

rSr/2023

ILB Kyle Pugh, Northern Illinois
News Source: DeKalb Daily Chronicle
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03/04/20 - Jordan Steckler, rSr/2020, Northern Illinois + More +

A total of 14 former Northern Illinois University football players, as well as several other local products, worked out under the watchful eyes of professional scouts representing 12 National Football League teams as NIU held its annual Pro Day Wednesday. NFL teams represented included the Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Chargers, Chicago Bears, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers and Detroit Lions. - Northern Illinois Football

rSr/2020

OT Jordan Steckler, Northern Illinois
News Source: Northern Illinois Football
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03/04/20 - Marcus Jones, rSr/2020, Northern Illinois + More +

Marcus Jones admitted performing in front of scouts at Northern Illinois University Football's Pro Day was a bit nerve-wracking, but he had the words of a former teammate to fall back on. "Joel Bouagnon, guys like that, he just told me it's football at the end of the day," the now-former Huskies running back and special teams player said. "They put on pads like us. They bleed just like us. You've just got to at the end of the day have fun and play football."

Bouagnon, a former Huskies running back from Aurora, played for the Green Bay Packers, signed with the New York Jets and Detroit Lions and played for the now-defunct Salt Lake Stallions of the Alliance of American Football. Jones said he went into the day feeling that he needed to perform at a high level in at least three of the activities that were being recorded. He went on to record a 4.53 40-yard dash and recorded 24 bench press repetitions. "I think I'm a fast guy," Jones said. "I was mostly worried about the L-drill. I think I killed it in the bench and the 40." - DeKalb Daily Chronicle

rSr/2020

RB Marcus Jones, Northern Illinois
News Source: DeKalb Daily Chronicle
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02/20/20 - Rocky Lombardi, rSr/2024, Northern Illinois + More +

Jay Johnson followed head coach Mel Tucker and fellow assistant Chris Kapilovic to Michigan State from Colorado, joining the Spartans on Thursday as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Johnson filled those roles last season at Colorado under Tucker. The Spartans hired Tucker last week following Mark Dantonio's retirement. Tucker brought the 50-year-old Johnson with him to East Lansing along with offensive line coach and running game coordinator Kapilovic. Kapilovic's move was announced this week. The assistants were with Tucker for his only season in Colorado. - AP College Football

rSr/2024