SAN ANTONIO — UTSA offensive lineman Spencer Burford and cornerback Tariq Woolen have been named to the 2021-22 NFL Players Association Collegiate Bowl Big Board.
Earlier this month, the duo earned spots on the Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List.
Burford earned second-team all-conference and first-team Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas College honors last season after appearing in 11 games and drawing 10 starts at right or left tackle. The San Antonio Wagner High School product helped the offense break UTSA single-season records for rushing yards (2,585), rushing yards per game (215.4), yards per rush (5.21) and rushing touchdowns (24) last fall. He allowed just three hits on the quarterback and four sacks in 388 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
Burford helped the Roadrunners pile up a program-record 624 yards of offense, including a school-record 443 on the ground, in a 49-17 win over North Texas in the 2020 regular season finale. He started at left tackle in the 52-21 victory over UTEP, helping the Roadrunners tally 600 yards of offense, and he drew the starting nod at right tackle and helped the offense pile up 330 rushing yards in the 51-48 double-overtime win at Texas State in the season opener.
Woolen appeared in 11 contests and made seven starts at cornerback last fall in his first full season on the defensive side of the ball. He registered 35 tackles, including 20 solo stops, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, and also posted four pass breakups, two quarterback hurries and one interception. The Fort Worth native earned the start in the season opener and logged five tackles, including a sack for a 10-yard loss, and one QB hurry in the 51-48 double-overtime win at Texas State. He made five stops and broke up four passes in the 24-10 win over SFA and he had five tackles and his first career pick in the 37-35 victory against Middle Tennessee. Woolen turned in a season-high six stops against No. 16 Louisiana in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
A former wide receiver who owns 24 catches for 263 yards and a touchdown as a Roadrunner, Woolen posted eye-opening numbers this summer during strength and conditioning testing. He leaped 11 feet, five inches in the broad jump and clocked a time of 4.34 second in the 40-yard dash in which he hit 23.33 miles per hour. Earlier this month, he was tabbed No. 6 out of 101 players on Bruce Feldman's annual Freaks List.
The NFL Players Association will produce the 10th annual NFLPA Collegiate Bowl game at the historic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. Since 2011, the NFLPA Bowl has provided senior NFL prospects with an exceptional platform to showcase their talents to all 32 NFL teams as well as a one-of-a-kind experience that educates participants about the business of football. In the past two years alone, 87 NFLPA Bowl participants have been invited to the NFL Combine and 58 were drafted by NFL clubs.
Season and single-game tickets for UTSA's 2021 home schedule are on sale now. Please call or text 210-458-UTSA (8872) or click here.
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