Even though they didn’t get to hear their names called during the Draft last weekend, Redhawk football alumni Kristian Wilkerson and Josh Avery are headed to the National Football League.
Avery, a defensive tackle from Nashville, Tennessee, signed a free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks following the draft. Avery recorded 41 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in three years with the Redhawks. He played in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on Jan. 18, 2020 at Rose Bowl Stadium. During the showcase, he recorded two tackles. Avery graduated in December as a general studies major.
Wilkerson, a wide receiver from Memphis, is headed to the Tennessee Titans, signing an agreement quickly after the completion of the Draft. SEMO alum Jon Robinson and general manager of the Titans said that he had good conversations with Wilkerson, and that he liked his size and how he moves in and out of breaks.
Wilkerson broke SEMO's all-time career records in receiving yards (3,540) and receiving touchdowns (33). He was a four-year starter who also broke the school's single-game record with 263 receiving yards at UT Martin in 2018. Wilkerson graduated with a degree in construction management & design in December.
SEMO now has six alumni currently under contract in the NFL, more than any other school in the Ohio Valley Conference.
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