Many college football players dream of the chance to compete in the NFL, but many never get the chance. These six former Vandal football stars have gotten the chance to fulfill their dreams. Some becoming team leaders and others battling for the limited roster spots.
Jesse Davis
Davis is currently starting as an offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins in the 2020 NFL season. Davis was recruited by the University of Idaho in 2010 as a defensive tackle. In 2012, Davis started 12 games for the Vandals as a defensive tackle before being moved to offensive tackle during the 2013 spring camp. Davis played 33 games for the Vandals, recording 22 total tackles and a fumble recovery.
Davis was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2015 but was waived by the team shortly after. In January 2016, Davis signed with the New York Jets but was waived by the team seven months later, and then signed to the practice squad in November 2016. Davis was released two weeks later.
Davis then joined the Dolphins in their practice squad and signed a reserve contract for the team in 2017. He made the 53-man roster and played at the left guard position in his NFL debut against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Davis went on to start as left guard in weeks eight and nine, but ended up starting as right tackle to finish up the season replacing the injured right tackle Ja’Wuan James. He was named the starting right guard to begin the 2018 season. On Sep. 7, 2019, Davis signed a three-year, $15 million contract extension with the Dolphins.
Elijhaa Penny
Penny is currently a fullback for the New York Giants. Penny played in 23 games in two seasons for the Vandals after transferring from Cerritos College. Penny played with the Vandals from 2014-2016 and recorded 1,748 rushing yards and 22 rushing touchdowns on 385 carries. He also recorded 39 receptions for 346 yards and three touchdowns.
He returned 15 kickoffs for 278 yards as well. In his first season, Penny scored 12 rushing touchdowns, the most by a Vandal player since DeMaundray Woolridge in 2009.
Penny signed with the Arizona Cardinals in 2016 as an undrafted free agent. He was waived and signed on the practice squad shortly after. He received a reserve contract in 2017 after being on the practice squad his whole rookie season. He scored his first NFL touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams and finished with two rushing touchdowns to end the season. After the season concluded, in 2018, Penny was put on the Cardinals practice squad but the New York Giants signed Penny 18 days later.
In the 2018 season, Penny recorded eight receptions for 50 receiving yards, and he had seven carries for 25 rushing yards. Penny resigned with the Giants in 2019 and finished the season with 15 carries for 39 rushing yards. On March 12, Penny signed a two-year contract extension with the Giants.
Mike Iupati
Iupati currently plays for the Seattle Seahawks after joining the team in 2019. Iupati played for the Vandals from 2006-2009 as a left guard. He became an impact player on the offensive line for the Vandals in his sophomore season and earned second-team All-WAC recognition during his junior year.
As a senior, Iupati was named on the preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award. The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best college football interior lineman and the Lombardi Award is awarded by the Lombardi Foundation annually to the best college football player, regardless of position based on performance, leadership, character and resiliency. He was listed as No.9 for Rivals.com’s preseason interior lineman power ranking.
Iupati played 807 snaps with 49 knockdowns, 21 pancake blocks and did not allow a quarterback sack. At the time, Iupati helped the Vandals reach their first winning season since 1999 and their first bowl game win since 1998. Iupati was named one of the finalists for the Outland Trophy and was a consensus for being named an All-American and first-team All-WAC. He was the first Idaho player to be named an All-American since John Yarno in 1976 and the first WAC player to receive the honor since Ryan Clady in 2007.
Iupati was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers as the 17th selection in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. Iupati signed a five-year, $18.25 million with $10.8 million guaranteed contract with the 49ers. In his rookie year, Iupati made the 2012 All-Pro first team and was selected as a Pro Bowl starter. Iupati started in Super Bowl XLVII. In 2015, Iupati signed with the Arizona Cardinals on a five-year, 40 million dollar deal. In the 2015 season, he was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl and Second-Team All-Pro. Injuries plagued his next three seasons and in 2019, he signed with the Seahawks.
Benson Mayowa
Mayowa currently plays as a right defensive end for the Seattle Seahawks. In the 2020 season, Mayowa has started in all three games for the Seahawks. He sacked Atlanta Falcons quarterback, Matt Ryan, in week one and has tackles, one pass defended, two quarterback hits and one fumble recovery.
Mayowa played for the Vandals from 2009-12 and recorded 67 tackles (47 solo tackles), 11 sacks, 11 forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in 45 games played. Mayowa joined the Seattle Seahawks in 2013 as an undrafted free agent after participating as a tryout at rookie minicamp. He only played two games that season as he was declared inactive for the rest of the season and was released by the team in 2014.
He went on to play for the Oakland Raiders twice, once in 2014-15 and another time in 2019, the Dallas Cowboys, the Arizona Cardinals and he returned to Seattle in 2020. In his NFL career, Mayowa has played in 89 games recording six passes defended, six forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, 21 sacks, 135 combined tackles, 35 tackles for loss, 43 quarterback hits and one safety.
Kaden Elliss
Elliss currently plays for the New Orlean Saints as a linebacker. The Saints picked up Elliss as the 244th overall pick in the 2019 draft. He missed the majority of his rookie year due to injury. In the 2020 season, Elliss was named the starter in the Saints’ home opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Elliss has recorded one tackle so far in his NFL career. Elliss played for the Vandals from 2015-18. He finished his Vandal career with 48 tackles for loss (fifth all-time among Vandals) and 288 tackles (13th all-time among Vandals). He had the most tackles for loss for the Vandals since 2000, also recorded seven sacks, five interceptions, six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries during his Vandal career.
Jeff Cotton
Cotton is currently a member of the Los Angeles Chargers’ practice squad. Cotton signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and is the newest Vandal to join the NFL.
Cotton played for the Vandals from 2018-19. He played in 21 games for the Vandals recording 137 receptions, ran 1797 yards and 14 touchdowns. He hauled in a 73 yard touchdown reception in his senior season, the longest for a Vandal since 2016. He also returned 16 kickoffs for 318 yards with a 43 yard kickoff return being his longest.
Armin Mesinovic can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @arminmesinovic