National Football League dreams are still alive for former defensive end Ayo Idowu, who is flying to Seattle for a tryout with the Seahawks next week.
Idowu, a senior, said his agent called him around 7 a.m. Wednesday informing him of the tryout. The Seahawks finished 11-5 last season with a loss to the Atlanta Falcons in the divisional playoff. The team already has signed seven undrafted preferred free agents. Idowu said he is one of 10 contenders for the remaining eight spots on the team.
Idowu led the Tommies in fumble returns during their 14-1 2013 brigade. He tallied two returns for 111 yards, each for a touchdown. Eighty six of those yards came in the team’s 24-17 NCAA second round victory over Elmhurst Nov. 24, 2012.
“I saw the ball on the ground and I picked it up,” defensive end Ayo Idowu told TommieMedia after the game in November. “God didn’t build me to run 80 yards. I just slowly trotted my way into the end zone.”
During the 2012 season, Idowu was a sparkplug for St. Thomas. He totaled 52 tackles, including 40 solo tackles. He was named to the All-American second team by d3football.com at the end of the season.
On his career, Idowu finished with 98 total tackles, 10 pass knocked downs, four fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.
Junior Yan Yan Teague is from Seattle, and she said having a fellow Tommie play for her hometown NFL franchise is an exciting prospect. Seahawks’ general manager John Schneider is a St. Thomas alumnus and Teague said having two Tommies representing the Seattle team would be exciting.
“He might have to get ready for the noise if the Seahawks sign him,” Teague said. “It’s known for being one of the loudest teams.”
Sophomore Emily Ginsburg is also a student from Seattle, and her family holds season tickets.
“We generally go to a few games a year, and the Seahawks are supposed to be one of the greatest teams next year,” Ginsburg said. “If I got to go to a game, I would love to see him play. It’d be a great opportunity for any player.”
The call came with good timing. Idowu said he was planning a trip to look at Canadian teams next week after the NFL draft silence.
“It was great timing,” Idowu said. “I wasn’t expecting to hear from the NFL after Sunday, and I wasn’t expecting the Seahawks to call at all.”
Anastasia Straley can be reached at stra0669@stthomas.edu.
GO AYO!!!!
I always knew you would be great. You were my favorite player to watch this year because you were always so good and you would always do good plays. When the team was bad you were always still good which was awesome. My favorite was when you picked up the ball and ran it in the touchdown. I yelled “that’s my neighbor!” I yelled that because you are my neighbor and that’s why I yelled that. Tell Percy I say hi and that I miss him! Tell Sidney I say hi too and I miss him too! I hope you know that the players are really big in the NFL but I know you can still get around them and get that quarterback!! Just don’t hurt Russell though because he’s really good!! And don’t hurt Ponder because the Vikings are my favorite team and I want us to win!! And take it easy on Adrian because I don’t want you to hurt him very hard because he is my favorite player on the Minnesota Vikings team!!! Congratulations Ayo!! I can’t wait to watch you on TV!!
-MJ
Ayo,
I just wanted to let you know that I’ve always valued the times when you would just come into my room and now my house because you always taught me alot about football and stuff. Like MJ, you are my neighbor and I like to yell about it too because you are my neighbor and I’ve always liked that alot!! Okay good luck and I hope we can always be neighbors in your heart!!
Nick