Five former Blinn College football players will be in NFL training campus for the first time this summer.
Linebacker Alex Elkins, who continued his playing career at Oklahoma State University after two years at Blinn College, recently signed a free agent contract with the Detroit Lions. Linebacker Justin Tuggle, who followed in Cam Newton's shoes as the Buccaneers' starting quarterback in 2010, reportedly signed with the Houston Texans after playing at Kansas State University.
Running back Khiry Robinson has been invited to the New Orleans Saints' mini-camp, safety Luke Anderson has been invited to the Washington Redskins' and wide receiver Darrin Moore will be at the Dallas Cowboys' mini-camp.
A 6-3, 230-pound safety, Elkins had never played football prior to attending a Blinn tryout, but he recorded 73 tackles as a sophomore before going on to Oklahoma State, where he earned honorable mention All-Big 12 Conference honors in 2011 and was an Academic All-Big 12 selection in 2012.
Tuggle transferred to Blinn from Boston College and led the Buccaneers to a win at the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl, where he was named the game MVP after piling up 218 total yards, including 140 passing. Prior to the 2011 Cotton Bowl, Kansas State moved the 6-3, 237-pound Tuggle from quarterback to linebacker, the position where his father Jessie was named to five NFL Pro Bowls for the Atlanta Falcons.
Robinson, a 6-0, 220-pounder who played safety at Blinn, ran for 1,654 yards and 15 touchdowns at West Texas A&M last season, good for 124.7 yards per game. He also caught 38 passes for 430 yards and four touchdowns.
Anderson, a 5-10, 195-pound product of Southlake Carroll High School, recorded 49 tackles in 11 games last season.
Moore, a 6-4, 216-pound receiver, was second-team All-Big 12 Conference last season after catching a team-leading 92 passes for 1,032 yards and 13 touchdowns for Texas Tech last season.
The Blinn football program has won four national titles and was the first team to win back-to-back NJCAA national championships in 1995 and 1996.
