WS Chronicle

Former Bethune-Cookman receiver KJ Stroud and former Florida A&M linebacker Brandon Hepburn and defensive lineman Padric Scott have signed with NFL teams.

Stroud signed as an un-drafted free agent with the New York Jets. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound senior wide receiver from Brooklyn, N.Y. became the first B-CU player to ink a free agency agreement with an NFL team following this year’s NFL Draft.

He arrived to the Wildcats program in 2011 after transferring from Rutgers, where he spent the 2009 and 2010 campaigns. In the process, he joins former B-CU players Terry Williams – now an assistant coach with the defensive backs for the Wildcats – and Charlie White as former B-CU players who have signed with the New York Jets organization. Williams served as a second round choice for the Jets in the 1988 draft, while White was selected in the 1977 draft.

Hepburn was drafted by the NFL’s Detroit Lions in the seventh round of the draft as the 245th  pick overall.

Hepburn becomes the second FAMU Rattler to be drafted as a former Rattler defensive back. Curtis Holcomb was selected in the seventh round by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2011 draft. This Pomona, N.Y. native joined the FAMU football team in the fall of 2008, where he was redshirted that season as a tight end.

The following season, Hepburn was moved to the linebacker position and finished the season with 14 tackles (8UA, 6 Asst), two tackles for loss, two pass deflections and two interceptions.

Scott signed a free agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals. He transferred to FAMU from Stanford after the 2008 season and has anchored the Rattler defensive line unit for the past three seasons.

In 2012, Scott finished the season with 26 tackles (18 UA, 8 Asst), five tackles for loss, one pass deflections, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and 2.5 sacks, earning second team All-MEAC honors.