Football Southern Conference

Four Appalachian State Football Players were Signed to Free Agent Contracts by NFL Teams

BOONE, NC -- Appalachian State football players WR Troy Albea, DL Jamie Lovern, TE Daniel Wilcox and OL Billy Young were all signed to free agent contracts by NFL teams Sunday night after the 2001 Draft.

Albea signed with the Indianapolis Colts, Lovern with the Carolina Panthers, Wilcox with the New York Jets and Young with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Earlier in the day, fellow Mountaineer Corey Hall was draf ted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round.

Albea had one of the best seasons in Appalachian history for a receiver in 2000. He caught 65 passes for 931 yards, third-best and fifth-best, respectively, in school history. He caught 10 touchdown passes to become only the third Mountaineer to catch more than nine in a season. In just two years at Appalachian, the first primarily as a running back, the Lincolnton, Ga. native recorded 87 receptions for 1,228 yards, both among the 10 best in ASU history. The transfer from Georgia Military College was named All-Southern Conference in 2000 and closed his career with an 11-catch, 177-yard performance in the I-AA semifinals.

Lovern was a potential all-American before suffering a season-ending knee injury in the fourth game of the year. He finished his career with 153 tackles and 10 sacks. The Chesterfield, Va. native was named All-Southern Conference in 1998 and 1999.

Wilcox, who made the switch f rom wide receiver to tight end for his senior year, earned All-Southern Conference and All-American honors after making 46 catches for 740 yards and seven scores. For his two-year career, the Atlanta, Ga. native had 1,028 receiving yards on 66 catches, 10 for touchdowns. The transfer from Georgia Military College recorded four 100-yard receiving games in 2000.

Young played 2,210 offensive line plays in his four years, sixth-most in school history. His total of 1,017 plays in 200 0 is the second-most by a Mountaineer and he lead the team with 34 pancake blocks. The Browns Summit, N.C. native was named All-Southern Conference and All-American after the 2000 season.