Northwestern University Athletics
Photo by: S. J. Carrera, Inc.
Wildcats Sign with NFL Teams
5/1/2021 7:18:00 PM | Football
CLEVELAND – Numerous Wildcats signed professional contracts with NFL teams on Saturday evening.
Safety JR Pace II signed with the Atlanta Falcons, tight end John Raine signed with the Atlanta Falcons, offensive lineman Gunnar Vogel signed with the Chicago Bears and wide receiver Riley Lees signed with the Cincinnati Bengals
JR Pace II
Pace made 35 career starts at the safety position and helped the Wildcats to a pair of Big Ten West Division titles (2018, 2020) and a trio of bowl championships (2017 Music City Bowl, 2018 Holiday Bowl, 2021 Citrus Bowl). He tallied 169 tackles in his career with 15 passes defended and eight interceptions. His eight-career picks led all active Big Ten players at the end of the 2020 season. The College Park, Georgia native earned multiple honorable mention All-Big Ten honors during his career. He had a career season in 2018, tallying 82 tackles and four interceptions.
John Raine
Raine was a difference-maker in his one season with the Wildcats, helping the program to seven wins, a Top-10 finish, Big Ten West title and 2021 Citrus Bowl championship. The tight end finished his collegiate career with 80 catches for 763 yards and nine touchdowns. In his lone Northwestern campaign, Raine earned honorable mention All-Big Ten recognition after hauling in 24 catches for 233 yards and a pair of touchdowns. In his final collegiate game, Raine hauled in a season-high six grabs for 76 yards and a touchdown to lead NU to a 35-19 win over Auburn.
Gunnar Vogel
Vogel became the starting right tackle for the Wildcats as a junior, and has made 18 starts across the past two seasons. He helped pave the way for 16 rushing touchdowns and a 162.8 rushing yards per game average in his senior season. As a junior, he helped block for a line that posted the fourth most rushing yards per game in the Big Ten. An Academic All-Big Ten honoree, Lees was named to the 2021 NFF Hampshire Honor Society for maintain a 3.2 cumulative GPA during his time at Northwestern.
Riley Lees
Lees saw 22 starts in his collegiate career and helped the Wildcats to a pair of Big Ten West Division titles (2018, 2020) and a trio of bowl championships (2017 Music City Bowl, 2018 Holiday Bowl, 2021 Citrus Bowl). The #HOMEGROWN Libertyville, Illinoi, product, finished his career with 111 grabs for 1,093 yards (9.3 yards per catch) and 10 total touchdowns. Lees was Northwestern's primary punt returner his last three years on campus, while also seeing action on kick return early in his career. He had a career year in 2019, leading the Wildcats with 430 yards on 51 grabs and a pair of touchdowns. At NU's 2021 Pro Day, Lees turned in a 4.47 40-yard dash, 35" vertical and 4.16 20-yard shuttle. An Academic All-Big Ten honoree, Lees was named to the 2021 NFF Hampshire Honor Society for maintain a 3.2 cumulative GPA during his time at Northwestern.
Safety JR Pace II signed with the Atlanta Falcons, tight end John Raine signed with the Atlanta Falcons, offensive lineman Gunnar Vogel signed with the Chicago Bears and wide receiver Riley Lees signed with the Cincinnati Bengals
JR Pace II
Pace made 35 career starts at the safety position and helped the Wildcats to a pair of Big Ten West Division titles (2018, 2020) and a trio of bowl championships (2017 Music City Bowl, 2018 Holiday Bowl, 2021 Citrus Bowl). He tallied 169 tackles in his career with 15 passes defended and eight interceptions. His eight-career picks led all active Big Ten players at the end of the 2020 season. The College Park, Georgia native earned multiple honorable mention All-Big Ten honors during his career. He had a career season in 2018, tallying 82 tackles and four interceptions.
John Raine
Raine was a difference-maker in his one season with the Wildcats, helping the program to seven wins, a Top-10 finish, Big Ten West title and 2021 Citrus Bowl championship. The tight end finished his collegiate career with 80 catches for 763 yards and nine touchdowns. In his lone Northwestern campaign, Raine earned honorable mention All-Big Ten recognition after hauling in 24 catches for 233 yards and a pair of touchdowns. In his final collegiate game, Raine hauled in a season-high six grabs for 76 yards and a touchdown to lead NU to a 35-19 win over Auburn.
Gunnar Vogel
Vogel became the starting right tackle for the Wildcats as a junior, and has made 18 starts across the past two seasons. He helped pave the way for 16 rushing touchdowns and a 162.8 rushing yards per game average in his senior season. As a junior, he helped block for a line that posted the fourth most rushing yards per game in the Big Ten. An Academic All-Big Ten honoree, Lees was named to the 2021 NFF Hampshire Honor Society for maintain a 3.2 cumulative GPA during his time at Northwestern.
Riley Lees
Lees saw 22 starts in his collegiate career and helped the Wildcats to a pair of Big Ten West Division titles (2018, 2020) and a trio of bowl championships (2017 Music City Bowl, 2018 Holiday Bowl, 2021 Citrus Bowl). The #HOMEGROWN Libertyville, Illinoi, product, finished his career with 111 grabs for 1,093 yards (9.3 yards per catch) and 10 total touchdowns. Lees was Northwestern's primary punt returner his last three years on campus, while also seeing action on kick return early in his career. He had a career year in 2019, leading the Wildcats with 430 yards on 51 grabs and a pair of touchdowns. At NU's 2021 Pro Day, Lees turned in a 4.47 40-yard dash, 35" vertical and 4.16 20-yard shuttle. An Academic All-Big Ten honoree, Lees was named to the 2021 NFF Hampshire Honor Society for maintain a 3.2 cumulative GPA during his time at Northwestern.
Players Mentioned
A Day in the Life with Marcus Romain | Northwestern Football
Friday, May 01
Football - Caleb Tiernan Draft Night Press Conference (4/24/26)
Saturday, April 25
Jerry Neuheisel MIC'D UP | Northwestern Football
Friday, April 10
Football - Players Pro Day Media Availability (Beerntsen, Stone, Tiernan)
Tuesday, March 17
