MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama seniors Jake Johnson and B.J. Scott have accepted invitations to play in the 2013 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, it was announced Tuesday, giving the Jaguars two representatives in the all-star game.
About the Game
The NFLPA Collegiate Bowl showcases top draft-eligible seniors. This year’s game will be played Saturday, Jan. 19, at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California, and will be televised live on ESPN2 and streamed on WatchESPN. ESPNU will air four hours of coverage from team practices on the Thursday before the game.
The two squads will be coached by former NFL head coaches Herm Edwards and Dick Vermeil.
Jake Johnson
Johnson, a 6-foot-1, 240-pound native of Fredericksburg, Virginia, was a first-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection in 2012 after setting a South Alabama single-season record with 131 tackles. He also had 15 tackles for loss and was the only Sun Belt player to average more than 10 tackles per game.
Johnson led the Jaguars in tackles in seven of their 13 games and reached double figures five times. His season high was 15 tackles, which he recorded against both Florida International and Middle Tennessee. He also had 14 stops against NC State and 10 against Mississippi State.
Over three seasons at South Alabama, Johnson totaled 245 tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks, along with two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two pass breakups.
B.J. Scott
Scott, a 5-foot-11, 205-pound native of Prichard, Alabama, earned honorable mention All-Sun Belt honors in 2012. He finished the season with 84 tackles, six tackles for loss, two interceptions, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
He posted a career-high 12 unassisted tackles at Hawaii and reached double-digit tackles four times in 2012 and seven times in his South Alabama career. Two of those games came against Mississippi State and in the Jaguars’ first win over a Football Bowl Subdivision and Sun Belt opponent, against Florida Atlantic.
In two seasons with the Jaguars, Scott recorded 132 tackles, nine pass breakups and three forced fumbles and averaged 29 yards per kickoff return. He missed the final three games of the 2011 season with a knee injury.
Joining Courtney Smith
Johnson and Scott become the second and third South Alabama players to take part in a postseason all-star game. Wide receiver Courtney Smith played in the 2011 Senior Bowl.
