Northwestern University Athletics
Six Wildcats Receive NFL Opportunities as Free Agents
4/28/2018 9:42:00 PM | Football
EVANSTON, Ill. — Shortly after the conclusion of the 2018 NFL Draft Saturday evening, six Northwestern Wildcats received opportunities from NFL organizations as undrafted free agents.
Safety Godwin Igwebuike (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), safety Kyle Queiro (Dallas Cowboys), linebacker Warren Long (Seattle Seahawks) and defensive tackle Tyler Lancaster (Green Bay Packers) signed undrafted free agent contracts, while superback Garrett Dickerson (Cleveland Browns) and offensive lineman Brad North (Baltimore Ravens) accepted invites to rookie mini camps.
Igwebuike made 43 starts for the Wildcats over four years, earning consensus Second-Team All-Big Ten honors as a senior in 2017. He finishes his career with 324 career tackles, including 214 solo stops, 31 pass breakups and seven interceptions.
The Pickerington, Ohio, native was named to the Jim Thorpe Award and Bronko Nagurski watch lists entering his senior campaign before posting 78 tackles, 9 pass breakups, two interceptions and a forced fumble to lead the 'Cats to a 10-3 record and second-straight bowl victory.
Igwebuike led Chicago's Big Ten Team with 108 tackles during his junior season, earning Second-Team All-Big Ten honors by the conference's coaches and third team by the media. He ranked ninth in the country with 6.0 solo tackles per game and made at least six tackles in 12 contests.
Igwebuike participated at the 2018 NFL Combine in March, ranking first among safeties in the 60-yard shuttle (10.81) and 3-cone drill (6.56), second in the 20-yard shuttle (4.12) and fifth in the 40-yard dash (4.44) and broad jump (10'8").
Queiro made 25 starts at safety alongside Igwebuike during his Northwestern career, including 13 starts during his senior season in which he finished with career highs in tackles (60), solo tackles (32), assisted tackles (28), tackles for loss (5.5), interceptions (5) and pass breakups (9).
He led the Wildcats in interceptions in 2017 and finished ranked tied for 10th in program history with eight career picks. His interception return for a touchdown in the Music City Bowl helped the Wildcats secure back-to-back bowl victories for the first time in program history.
Lancaster started 39 consecutive games at defensive tackle to end his Northwestern career, leading one of the top defenses in the Big Ten over the last three seasons. He finished his senior campaign with career highs in tackles (40), tackles for loss (9.5), tackles for loss yards (25), and sacks (2). Lancaster was a key cog in the middle of a run defense that set a program record by allowing just 107.7 rushing yards per game, which ranked ninth nationally.
The Romeoville, Illinois, native was named an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection in 2017.
Long transitioned to linebacker from running back prior to his senior season and appeared in 12 games, playing a vital role on special teams and as a backup SAM linebacker. He finished 2017 with 21 tackles (14 solo), 3.0 tackles for loss and a pair of forced fumbles. Long made his first defensive start in the 2017 Music City Bowl versus Kentucky and finished with three tackles, including two for loss and a sack, to lead the 'Cats to their second-straight bowl victory.
Prior to moving to linebacker, Long rushed for 517 yards and five touchdowns on 105 carries in his first three seasons. He had a career-high 60 carries, 329 yards and five scores as a junior in 2015 but was lost to the season in 2016 on his first carry of the year.
Dickerson becomes the second NU superback in the last three seasons to head to the NFL, joining current Cleveland Browns starter Danny Vitale, who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2016 NFL Draft.
A two-year starter, Dickerson accumulated 87 catches for 887 yards and nine touchdowns in four seasons. He put together back-to-back productive seasons as a starter in his junior and senior campaigns, catching 34 passes for 318 yards while leading all Big Ten tight ends with five touchdowns during his junior season before hauling in 37 passes for 401 yards and four touchdowns in 2018.
He was named an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection each of his final two seasons.
A Rimington Award Watch List selection prior to his senior season, North started all 13 games at center, extending his consecutive games started streak at the position to 30. He helped paved the way for Jackson to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing for the fourth straight season and helped protect All-Big Ten quarterback Clayton Thorson, who finished the regular season fourth in the Big Ten in passing yards.
The Wildcats' offensive wsa fourth in the Big Ten with 29.7 points per game in 2017.
Safety Godwin Igwebuike (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), safety Kyle Queiro (Dallas Cowboys), linebacker Warren Long (Seattle Seahawks) and defensive tackle Tyler Lancaster (Green Bay Packers) signed undrafted free agent contracts, while superback Garrett Dickerson (Cleveland Browns) and offensive lineman Brad North (Baltimore Ravens) accepted invites to rookie mini camps.
Igwebuike made 43 starts for the Wildcats over four years, earning consensus Second-Team All-Big Ten honors as a senior in 2017. He finishes his career with 324 career tackles, including 214 solo stops, 31 pass breakups and seven interceptions.
The Pickerington, Ohio, native was named to the Jim Thorpe Award and Bronko Nagurski watch lists entering his senior campaign before posting 78 tackles, 9 pass breakups, two interceptions and a forced fumble to lead the 'Cats to a 10-3 record and second-straight bowl victory.
Igwebuike led Chicago's Big Ten Team with 108 tackles during his junior season, earning Second-Team All-Big Ten honors by the conference's coaches and third team by the media. He ranked ninth in the country with 6.0 solo tackles per game and made at least six tackles in 12 contests.
Igwebuike participated at the 2018 NFL Combine in March, ranking first among safeties in the 60-yard shuttle (10.81) and 3-cone drill (6.56), second in the 20-yard shuttle (4.12) and fifth in the 40-yard dash (4.44) and broad jump (10'8").
Queiro made 25 starts at safety alongside Igwebuike during his Northwestern career, including 13 starts during his senior season in which he finished with career highs in tackles (60), solo tackles (32), assisted tackles (28), tackles for loss (5.5), interceptions (5) and pass breakups (9).
He led the Wildcats in interceptions in 2017 and finished ranked tied for 10th in program history with eight career picks. His interception return for a touchdown in the Music City Bowl helped the Wildcats secure back-to-back bowl victories for the first time in program history.
Lancaster started 39 consecutive games at defensive tackle to end his Northwestern career, leading one of the top defenses in the Big Ten over the last three seasons. He finished his senior campaign with career highs in tackles (40), tackles for loss (9.5), tackles for loss yards (25), and sacks (2). Lancaster was a key cog in the middle of a run defense that set a program record by allowing just 107.7 rushing yards per game, which ranked ninth nationally.
The Romeoville, Illinois, native was named an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection in 2017.
Long transitioned to linebacker from running back prior to his senior season and appeared in 12 games, playing a vital role on special teams and as a backup SAM linebacker. He finished 2017 with 21 tackles (14 solo), 3.0 tackles for loss and a pair of forced fumbles. Long made his first defensive start in the 2017 Music City Bowl versus Kentucky and finished with three tackles, including two for loss and a sack, to lead the 'Cats to their second-straight bowl victory.
Prior to moving to linebacker, Long rushed for 517 yards and five touchdowns on 105 carries in his first three seasons. He had a career-high 60 carries, 329 yards and five scores as a junior in 2015 but was lost to the season in 2016 on his first carry of the year.
Dickerson becomes the second NU superback in the last three seasons to head to the NFL, joining current Cleveland Browns starter Danny Vitale, who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2016 NFL Draft.
A two-year starter, Dickerson accumulated 87 catches for 887 yards and nine touchdowns in four seasons. He put together back-to-back productive seasons as a starter in his junior and senior campaigns, catching 34 passes for 318 yards while leading all Big Ten tight ends with five touchdowns during his junior season before hauling in 37 passes for 401 yards and four touchdowns in 2018.
He was named an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection each of his final two seasons.
A Rimington Award Watch List selection prior to his senior season, North started all 13 games at center, extending his consecutive games started streak at the position to 30. He helped paved the way for Jackson to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing for the fourth straight season and helped protect All-Big Ten quarterback Clayton Thorson, who finished the regular season fourth in the Big Ten in passing yards.
The Wildcats' offensive wsa fourth in the Big Ten with 29.7 points per game in 2017.
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