NORMAL, Ill. - Former Illinois State standout wide receiver Eyad Salem may not have had his name called in last weekend's National Football League Draft, but his dreams of playing in the NFL are still alive after he was invited by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to participate in their rookie minicamp this weekend.
Salem was a First-Team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection following his senior season in 2009, after setting new school and league single-season records with 92 receptions. The Elgin, Ill., native also led the conference in receiving yards (943), yards per game (85.7) and receptions per game (8.4) and ranked fourth in the country among players in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in receptions per game (8.36) and 15th in receiving yards per game (85.73).
After transferring to Illinois State from Division II Minnesota State-Moorhead in 2006, Salem went on to have a record-setting career with the Redbirds. He currently ranks second in career receptions (186) and fourth in receiving yards (2,246) and receiving touchdowns (18) at Illinois State. During his three-year career, Salem averaged 5.64 receptions per game, the most by any receiver in school history.
Salem will attempt to become the fourth Illinois State alum to make a current NFL roster, joining his roommate Tom Nelson (Cincinnati), Walter Mendenhall (Buffalo) and Laurént Robinson (St. Louis).
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