Armstead, Hepburn are only HBCU picks in NFL Draft

NEW YORK (BP) -- They were all-league standouts for their teams in their respective conferences. 

Subsequently they were invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in February to show their talents.

Now less than two months after that weekend in Indianapolis, Florida A&M linebacker Brandon Hepburn and Arkansas-Pine Bluff offensive tackle Terron Armstead got the call that every college football player waits for.

These pair of HBCU athletes are now headed to the National Football League.

It began last Friday when the three-time All-SWAC selection and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff lineman was selected the No. 75 pick overall in the third round by the New Orleans Saints during the 2013 NFL Draft.

The 6-foot-5, 306 pound Armstead becames the 504th player from a SWAC member institution taken in the NFL Draft and the first player since 2011.  To cap his collegiate career, he helped lead UAPB to the 2012 SWAC Football Championship title, its second conference title overall in football. 

UAPB finished first in the SWAC in rushing offense (204.7 ypg) and second in sacks against. In his senior season, he started all 12 games, playing in a total of 32 games during his career.

At the 2013 NFL Combine, Armstead ran a remarkably fast 4.71 sec 40-yard dash, which is the fastest 40 yard dash time of any offensive lineman at the combine since it first began in 1982.
Armstead is also an eight-time individual champion in indoor and outdoor track & field.

Then on Saturday, Hepburn was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the seventh round as the 245th  pick overall. He became the second FAMU Rattler gridder to be drafted in three years as former Rattler defensive back Curtis Holcomb was selected in the seventh round by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2011 draft.

The 2012 season was probably the most memorable season for Hepburn as he was award to the All State/AFCA Good Works team, the first member in FAMU football history and the first HBCU player to be selected in the history of the award. 

In addition, he earned second team All-MEAC honors and was a Preseason All-MEAC selection.   He finished the season as the team leading tackler with 86 tackles (60 UA, 26 Asst.), 9.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, seven pass breakups, one fumble recovery and one force fumble.

Hepburn finishes his career at FAMU with 163 career  tackles (109 UA, 54 Asst); 15.0  tackles for loss,  11 pass breakups, two force fumbles, one fumble recovery and  7.5 sacks.