By ISU Sports Information
NORMAL – A total of five former Illinois State football standouts will have the opportunity to secure a spot on an NFL roster this spring and summer, as Cameron Lee, BJ Bello, Mark Spelman, Kyle Avaloy and Anthony Warrum all secured chances to impress their new teams following the conclusion of the NFL Draft on Saturday.
Lee, who was projected as a possible late-round selection after competing at the NFL Combine, went undrafted but quickly signed a free-agent contract with the New Orleans Saints. An All-Missouri Valley Football Conference Honorable Mention selection in 2016, Lee started the final 25 games of his career for the Redbirds and made a move late in the 2016 season from guard to right tackle. Lee was named MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week (Sept. 12), following a strong performance in the team’s win over Northwestern.
Also signing an undrafted free-agent contract was Bello, who participated in the NFL Regional Combine in Minnesota. The former Illinois linebacker made an immediate impact on the Redbird defense in 2016, earning MVFC All-Newcomer Team honors in his final season of eligibility. Bello led all ISU defenders with 9.5 tackles-for-loss and six sacks, with two forced fumbles.
Named a third-team FCS All-America selection at center by The Associated Press, Spelman received an invite to participate in the Chicago Bears rookie minicamp. Winner of the 2016 FCS Rimington Award, which is given to the top center in the FCS, Spelman was a three-year starter for the Redbirds and a two-time MVFC First-Team pick at center.
Avaloy was also a three-year starter on the offensive line for the Redbirds and is headed to Tampa Bay to participate in the Buccaneers’ rookie minicamp in hopes of earning an invitation to training camp in the fall. Avaloy was a 2015 Second Team All-MVFC selection at left guard, after helping open holes for for First-Team All-American and two-time MVFC Offensive Player of the Year Marshaun Coprich, who led the MVFC in rushing yards (1,967), touchdowns (23), yards per game (151.3), all-purpose yards per game (166.4) and scoring (11.2).
A 2015 Third-Team All-America selection by the Associated Press and STATS Inc., Warrum finished his career ranked second all-time at Illinois State in receiving touchdowns (31) and third in receiving yards (2,871). The two-time All-MVFC selection will head to the Dallas Cowboys rookie minicamp looking to show the ability that helped him set an Illinois State single-season record with 15 receiving touchdowns in 2015 and record back-to-back 1,000-plus yard seasons.
