Tulane, Southeastern players head to NFL

Tulane sends two
to New York Giants
NEW ORLEANS — Two more members of the Tulane University football team are headed to the NFL as seniors Sean Donnelly and Matt Marfisi will look to play their way onto the New York Giants roster.
Donnelly signed an undrafted free agent contract while Marfisi was extended an invitation to the team’s mini-camp. The duo joins former teammates Lorenzo Doss and Taurean Nixon who were each drafted by the Denver Broncos on Saturday.
Donnelly is a 6-8, 307-pound offensive tackle from Pelham, New York. He was a four-year letterman who appeared in 42 games with 36 starts during his career. His pass protection helped Tulane quarterbacks surpass the 300-yard plateau six times, including a pair of 400-yard efforts, and helped pave the way for seven 100-yard rushers — including two 200-yard plus performances — as a starter.
This past season, he started all 12 games at right tackle as a senior and helped the offense average 346.8 yards per game (145.5 rushing, 201.2 passing). His efforts up front led to a pair of 200-yard rushing performances, 254 at Tulsa and 231 at Duke, and he played an instrumental role in Tulane, throwing for a season-best 301 yards at East Carolina.
During his junior campaign, he started all 13 games at right tackle, helped Tulane to a 7-6 overall record and appearance in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl and was named third-team All-Conference USA by College Sports Madness and honorable mention All C-USA by the league coaches and media members.
A four-year letterman from Tomball, Texas, Marfisi is a 6-6, 259-pound tight end who produced 27 catches for 221 yards (8.2 average) and a touchdown on offense while handling deep snapping duties for 65 punts to go with five tackles (1 solo, 4 assists) during his career. Marfisi played in 49 games with 31 starts.
During his final season, he played in all 12 games with six starts and caught two passes for 17 yards. Marfisi posted a solo tackle on special teams vs. Southeastern Louisiana and at Houston while recovering a fumble vs. Cincinnati on Oct. 31. He also handled snapping duties for 21 punts, four PAT attempts and three field goal tries.
His best season came as a redshirt-freshman in 2011 when he played in all 13 games with eight starts and hauled in one touchdown and was eighth in receiving yards (131) and tied for eighth in catches (13).
The Giants’ roster already features a pair of former Green Wave standouts in offensive tackle Troy Kropog, a four-year veteran, and running back Orleans Darkwa, who is entering his second year in the NFL.
—Online: www.tulanegreenwave.com

SLU players head to NFL mini-camp
HAMMOND — Four former Southeastern Louisiana football players received National Football League rookie mini-camp invites after the 2015 NFL Draft wrapped up on Saturday.
Former Lions quarterback Bryan Bennett signed with the Indianapolis Colts, while linebacker Isiah Corbett inked with the Washington Redskins.
Linebacker Drew Misita will participate in mini-camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers, while wide receiver Chris Malott will get a chance with the Green Bay Packers. All four were huge contributors to SLU winning the last two Southland Conference championships and making its first two NCAA FCS playoff appearances.
Bennett, a native of Granada Hills, California, finished his Southeastern career as one of the most decorated players in school history after transferring in from Oregon prior to the 2014 season. He was named the Southland Player of the Year as a junior and league Offensive Player of the Year as a senior, while earning first team All-Southland and All-Louisiana both seasons.
As a Lion, Bennett threw for 5,522 yards and 39 touchdowns, while also rushing for 1,715 yards and a career school-record 36 scores. He greatly enhanced his pro prospects by competing in the Senior Bowl and receiving an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine, joining former Lion defensive back and current Atlanta Falcon Robert Alford as the only Lions to accomplish either feat since the program returned in 2003.
Corbett, who hails from Belle Glade, Florida, established himself as one of the team’s top defenders in his two seasons after transferring from Coahoma Community College. As a senior, he was an All-America selection by the Sports Network and Associated Press, as well as earning first team All-Southland and All-Louisiana accolades.
Corbett was one of the leaders of a Southeastern defense that led the league in scoring defense (17.4 points per game) and total defense (295.2 yards per game). He led SLU with 12 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and four interceptions. He was also an outstanding student, earning Southland Conference Football Student-Athlete of the Year honors.
Misita was a perfect partner for Corbett in the Lion linebacker corps. While Corbett was the team’s top pass rusher, Misita was a force in the run game. The Amite native was second on the team with 87 tackles as a senior, including four sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss.
Misita steadily improved over his four seasons in Hammond out of Oak Forest Academy. After finishing with nine tackles as a freshman, he increased those totals to 43 as a sophomore, 78 as a junior and 87 as a senior.
Malott, a native of The Woodlands, Texas, impressed with his athleticism throughout his four years with the Lions. His most productive season came as a senior, as he caught 14 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns.
Online: www.lionsports.net