By Madison Fessler and Dylan Lux / Jambar Contributors
There are two former Penguins currently on the National Football League 53-man rosters, but these athletes weren’t the only ones to make it to the big leagues.
Since the football program started in 1938, Youngstown State University has 31 players who have gone professional.
The first ever football player from YSU to make the NFL was standout center Sloko Gill. From the class of 1941, Gill played for the Detroit Lions in 1942.
Since 2000, the ’Guins have had 13 athletes play in the NFL, including former linebacker Tim Johnson, YSU class of 2000.
Johnson said playing at YSU gave him the spirit of the Mahoning Valley.
“Blue collar town, blue collar people, hard working people, steel town, people know how to make things happen. So being around that and learning what I had to learn with my teammates, colleagues and school, it just became something we all grew to love,” Johnson said.
Johnson was inducted into the YSU Hall of Fame in 2010 and said it was an honor to receive that recognition.
“It was [a] really great time for me and my family to reflect and look back on all the hard work put in and the great people [I’ve] been around the game with,” Johnson said.
Ron Strollo, executive director of Intercollegiate Athletics, said the athletes’ success benefits the university and is a big achievement for former students.
“First and foremost, we’re thrilled for those student athletes that competed and went to school here and now are having the success that they dreamed of for themselves and their family,” Strollo said. “For us it’s great publicity. It adds to not only the brand of our football program or athletics department, but also the university.”
Strollo spoke on the value of athletes accomplishing their goals.
“It’s unbelievably important to those young men and and it’s equally as important to our institution because we’re so proud of the accomplishments that they’ve had,” Strollo said.
Derek Rivers, defensive end from the class of 2016, was drafted by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft.
Rivers said it was a great experience being drafted to New England, as much of his family are fans of the Patriots and former quarterback, Tom Brady.
“My mom loves Tom Brady, so that was a huge thing,” Rivers said.
Rivers said there was so much for him to learn about football from former NFL coach Bill Belichick — even after being involved in the sport for many years.
“You think, ‘There’s only so much football that you can learn’ until you hear [Belichick] talk and you say ‘Wow, this is on another level,’” Rivers said.
Other athletes from Youngstown State transitioned into other roles in the NFL, besides just playing.
Donald D’Alesio, safeties coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, played at Youngstown State as a part of the 2014 class as a safety. He became a coach for YSU the year after his graduation.
D’Alesio was a defensive line coach for the ’Guins in the same year Rivers and defensive end Avery Moss were drafted into the NFL.
D’Alesio said it was exciting having two of his players get drafted to the big leagues, in just the first year of his coaching career.
“It was funny, because [Rivers] — who got drafted — I played with … right when I got done playing I started coaching,” D’Alesio said.
D’Alesio spoke on the hard-working nature of the players who were drafted under his tenure.
“It’s easy to coach when the best players are the hardest workers,” D’Alesio said. “[Rivers] and [Moss] alike were the exact same … they worked hard, they stayed after and they put in the work.”
D’Alesio, Johnson and Rivers said current athletes looking to go to the NFL should focus on playing in college, developing their skills and learning the game.