FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Four Former NE10 Players Take Talent to Pro Level.
MANSFIELD, Mass. – Teams around the National Football League begin training camp this week, as four former standouts from the Northeast 10 Conference prepare to take the field – some for the first time in their professional careers.
Scott Simonson, Zach Triner and Deonte Harris – three former Assumption players – join LIU Post's Jake Carlock as the league's representation for the coming NFL season. Carlock played his entire collegiate career in the NE10, prior to the Pioneers moving up to Division I for the 2019-20 season.
Harris and Carlock are the two new additions this season, as the pair were signed as undrafted free agents after the conclusion of the NFL Draft in April. Both quickly made an impression on their respective teams, as Harris signed with the New Orleans Saints and Carlock with the New York Giants.
Harris, arguably the most prolific return specialist in NCAA history, was a two-time AFCA All-American at Assumption, breaking the Division II career record for combined return touchdowns with 14. He totaled over 3,000 return yards while averaging 32.6 yards per kickoff return with six touchdowns and 20.4 yards per punt return with eight touchdowns.
Carlock, the reigning NE10 Defensive Player of the Year, is coming off one of his most productive collegiate seasons with the Pioneers – totaling a team-high 67 tackles, including 12 for a loss, and four sacks. He also accounted for two interceptions, a team-best 11 pass breakups and three fumble recoveries.
In February, Simonson re-signed with the Giants after playing in all 16 games during the 2018 season. He totaled nine receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown, the first of his career, in his first season with the Giants. Simonson entered the NFL as a rookie free agent in 2014 with the Oakland Raiders and later spent two seasons with the Carolina Panthers.
At Assumption, Simonson was a two-time All-American and All-Conference performer. He played in 36 games with 31 starts and had 104 receptions for 1,537 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Triner, a defensive lineman during his time at Assumption, has made the transition to long snapper – signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to begin training camp this season. Over the past two years, he has been signed by the New York Jets and Green Bay Packers.
A transfer from Siena, Triner spent three seasons at Assumption from 2012-14. He played in 25 games, accumulating 66 total tackles (28 solo) with 8.5 sacks, 14 tackles for a loss and three forced fumbles.
The NFL season officially begins on Thursday, September 5, with Week 1 games being played that weekend. The Giants open at the Cowboys, the Buccaneers host the 49ers and the Saints take on the Texans as part of a Monday Night Football doubleheader.
(PC: @scottysimes80/Instagram)
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 15 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 student-athletes compete in conference championships, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.