HCU Football Sends Players to the NFL
HCU football, in just its 11th season of NCAA football at the FCS level, has proven itself as a program that can produce professional football players.
Edge rusher/linebacker Jalyx Hunt became the first player ever to be drafted out of HCU this past April when the Philadelphia Eagles selected him with the 94th pick in the third round of the NFL draft. Hunt was an all-America selection for the Huskies in 2023 and was named Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year. His draft stock continued to rise as the season went on and he received invitations to participate in both the Reese’s Senior Bowl and the East/West Shrine Bowl. As a senior at HCU, he finished the season with 46 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception.
In just two seasons at HCU, Hunt racked up an impressive 13 career sacks to rank second in school history while his five forced fumbles are tied for the most by an HCU player.
Caleb Johnson, a linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars, is now in his fourth season in the NFL after signing with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2021. Through his first three seasons as a pro, Johnson appeared in 48 games with 18 tackles and a forced fumble. At HCU, Johnson earned Southland Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors for the fall of 2020.
Johnson ranks third all-time in program history with 10 sacks, fifth with 278 career tackles and his seven career fumble recoveries are the most all-time at the school.
HCU’s all-time passing leader, Bailey Zappe, spent four seasons with the Huskies amassing an incredible 10,004 career passing yards on 890 completions with 78 touchdown passes. The 2020 Fall Southland Conference Player of the year transferred to Western Kentucky for his final season of eligibility and was drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.
Zappe spent two seasons with the Patriots, throwing for more than 2,000 yards in 14 games played, posting a 4-4 record as a starter, with 11 touchdowns. Prior to the start of the 2024 season, he signed with the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs to join their practice squad.
Tra Fluellen, a HERO Sports Freshman All-America safety for the Huskies in 2019 was selected by the Houston Roughnecks of the United Football League in the second round of the UFL draft. Fluellen signed his letter of intent and will join the Houston franchise for the spring 2025 season.
Additionally, former Husky Eduoard Paradis was drafted by the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League in 2023 and spent the 2023 season on the Argos’ roster.