TicketsJuly 27, 2011
CINCINNATI - Four former University of Cincinnati football players will get their chance to play professional football after signing NFL free-agent contracts following the end of the NFL lockout.
Wide receiver Armon Binns (Pasadena, Calif./Pasadena) signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, wide receiver Vidal Hazelton (Staten Island, N.Y./Hargrave Military/USC) inked a deal with the San Diego Chargers, tight end Ben Guidugli (Fort Thomas, Ky./Highlands) signed with the St. Louis Rams and kicker Jacob Rogers (Warsaw, Ind./Warsaw) joined the New Orleans Saints.
They join former offensive lineman Jason Kelce (Cleveland Hts., Ohio/Cleveland Hts.) as members of the 2011 NFL rookie class. Kelce was a sixth-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles. He signed a four-year contract with the Eagles Wednesday.
With the signings, 21 former UC letterwinners dot NFL rosters, including: Connor Barwin (Houston), Brent Celek (Philadelphia), Trent Cole (Philadelphia), Alex Daniels (Dallas), Mardy Gilyard (St. Louis), Tyjuan Hagler (Indianapolis), Kevin Huber (Cincinnati), Jeff Linkenbach (Indianapolis), Ricardo Mathews (Indianapolis), Haruki Nakamura (Baltimore), Tony Pike (Carolina), DeAngelo Smith (Cleveland), Brandon Underwood (Green Bay), Mike Windt (San Diego), Mike Wright (New England) and Curtis Young (Green Bay).
Binns was the winner of UC's 2010 Claude Rost MVP Award. Binns caught 75 balls for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns, all team highs. The First-Team all-BIG EAST Conference selection is the seventh UC receiver all-time to eclipse the 1,000-yard plateau in a single season. He had six 100-yard receiving games this season and had 10 or more receptions on two occasions. Binns was also named the team's most valuable receiver.
Guidugli, a two-time Second-Team All-BIG EAST selection, was the fifth-leading receiver on the squad in 2010, catching 24 balls for 197 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Hazelton missed most of the 2010 season due to a knee injury he suffered in the fourth quarter of UC's season-opening game at Fresno State. Prior to his injury, he had made six catches for 68 yards and returned three kickoffs for 41 yards.
Rogers became the school's career leader in points scored and points scored by kicking with 339. He closed out his UC career as the holder of five school records. He has scored 339 points, passing former Lou Groza Award winner Jonathan Ruffin (1999-2002) for the top spot. Rogers already holds the school marks for extra points made (186), extra points attempted (195), and points scored by kicking (339). He sits second in field goals made (51). The Bearcats will report back to campus on Aug. 7, 2011 to begin preparations for the season. The first practice of training camp is scheduled for Aug. 8 and the season opener is set for Saturday, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. against Austin Peay inside Nippert Stadium.