Eastern Michigan Athletics
Four Eagles to Take Part in College Gridiron Showcase
1/8/2019 5:45:00 PM | Football
Harris, Leatiota, Rachwal, and Wiegers are making the trip to Texas to showcase their talents
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Four Eastern Michigan University football players are traveling to Fort Worth, Texas, for the 2019 College Gridiron Showcase this week at McNair Stadium, Jan. 5-9. Representing EMU with a chance to gain exposure from scouts and experts from around the country will be defensive lineman Jeremiah Harris (Lambertville, Mich.-Bedford Senior), offensive lineman Jimmy Leatiota (San Jose, Calif.-Wilcox-College of San Mateo), linebacker Kyle Rachwal (Lapeer, Mich.-Lapeer East), and quarterback Tyler Wiegers (Lake Orion, Mich.-Detroit Country Day-Iowa).
CGS is a college postseason showcase for NFL Draft-eligible players across all college football divisions. CGS selects via a panel of football experts. Players come in for five days and four nights to be evaluated by professional football league scouts. The players receive professional coaching, mentoring, life coaching and seminars that will benefit them as they move forward in their professional lives in or out of football.
A two-time captain and leader of Eastern's defensive efforts, Harris started 12 of the team's 13 games in 2018. He racked up 64 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and five sacks. His five sacks were tied for 12th-most in the MAC. The Lambertville, Mich. native has also blocked a kick, intercepted a pass, forced a fumble, and recovered a fumble. Harris, a two-time Wuerffel Award Watch list member, recorded a career-high 3.0 sacks in EMU's regular season finale at Kent State, Nov. 23, tying the program record for single-game sacks. Overall, Harris tied the EMU record with seven forced fumbles and is the all-time leader in games played at 52 .
Leatiota, a team captain and two-time Outland Trophy candidate, started 11 games on the offensive line for the Eagles this season. Leading the way up front, Leatiota helped EMU to the second-highest passing efficiency and fifth-best passing offense in the conference at 226.7 yards per game. Twice awarded All-MAC honors, he was selected as a candidate for the 2018 Polynesian Player of the Year.
A Second Team All-Mid-American Conference selection in 2018, Rachwal notched 127 tackles, 10 TFLs, five quarterback hurries, and a pair of interceptions for the stout EMU defense. He became just the 25th player in school history to record more than 115 stops in a single season, while ranking fifth in the MAC in tackles per game at 9.8. In his final season, Rachwal joined the 300 career tackles club against Army, Oct. 27. The senior led the Eagles defense with 14 stops on the day, becoming just the 17th player in school history to record 300-or-more tackles in a career. Overall, the Lapeer, Mich. native had 347 (147 solo, 200 assist) tackles, the ninth-most by any Eagle.
Spending just one year as an Eagle after transferring from the University of Iowa, Wiegers provided an offensive spark. In 12 games under center, Wiegers threw for 1,887 yards. One of the most effective quarterbacks in the nation, his 64.8 percent completion percentage (171-of-265) was top in the MAC and the 20th-best of any quarterback in the NCAA. Wiegers threw 11 touchdowns and just three interceptions en route to leading EMU to it's first winning conference season since 1995.
Since 2015, 380 CGS participants have had an opportunity to extend their careers through the NFL draft, free agency, rookies camp invitations and tryouts. Furthermore, 2018 saw eight CGS alumni drafted in the CFL draft. Last year, more than 150 pro scouts were in attendance with 115 NFL Scouts from 30 of the 32 teams. From that, 60 percent of CGS players each year receive NFL opportunities.
For more information about the College Gridiron Showcase, please visit cgsallstar.com.
CGS is a college postseason showcase for NFL Draft-eligible players across all college football divisions. CGS selects via a panel of football experts. Players come in for five days and four nights to be evaluated by professional football league scouts. The players receive professional coaching, mentoring, life coaching and seminars that will benefit them as they move forward in their professional lives in or out of football.
A two-time captain and leader of Eastern's defensive efforts, Harris started 12 of the team's 13 games in 2018. He racked up 64 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and five sacks. His five sacks were tied for 12th-most in the MAC. The Lambertville, Mich. native has also blocked a kick, intercepted a pass, forced a fumble, and recovered a fumble. Harris, a two-time Wuerffel Award Watch list member, recorded a career-high 3.0 sacks in EMU's regular season finale at Kent State, Nov. 23, tying the program record for single-game sacks. Overall, Harris tied the EMU record with seven forced fumbles and is the all-time leader in games played at 52 .
Leatiota, a team captain and two-time Outland Trophy candidate, started 11 games on the offensive line for the Eagles this season. Leading the way up front, Leatiota helped EMU to the second-highest passing efficiency and fifth-best passing offense in the conference at 226.7 yards per game. Twice awarded All-MAC honors, he was selected as a candidate for the 2018 Polynesian Player of the Year.
A Second Team All-Mid-American Conference selection in 2018, Rachwal notched 127 tackles, 10 TFLs, five quarterback hurries, and a pair of interceptions for the stout EMU defense. He became just the 25th player in school history to record more than 115 stops in a single season, while ranking fifth in the MAC in tackles per game at 9.8. In his final season, Rachwal joined the 300 career tackles club against Army, Oct. 27. The senior led the Eagles defense with 14 stops on the day, becoming just the 17th player in school history to record 300-or-more tackles in a career. Overall, the Lapeer, Mich. native had 347 (147 solo, 200 assist) tackles, the ninth-most by any Eagle.
Spending just one year as an Eagle after transferring from the University of Iowa, Wiegers provided an offensive spark. In 12 games under center, Wiegers threw for 1,887 yards. One of the most effective quarterbacks in the nation, his 64.8 percent completion percentage (171-of-265) was top in the MAC and the 20th-best of any quarterback in the NCAA. Wiegers threw 11 touchdowns and just three interceptions en route to leading EMU to it's first winning conference season since 1995.
Since 2015, 380 CGS participants have had an opportunity to extend their careers through the NFL draft, free agency, rookies camp invitations and tryouts. Furthermore, 2018 saw eight CGS alumni drafted in the CFL draft. Last year, more than 150 pro scouts were in attendance with 115 NFL Scouts from 30 of the 32 teams. From that, 60 percent of CGS players each year receive NFL opportunities.
For more information about the College Gridiron Showcase, please visit cgsallstar.com.
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