Carson-Newman's Westfield inks priority free agent NFL contract with Colts
STORY COURTESY OF CARSON-NEWMAN ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Carson-Newman All-American wide receiver Braxton Westfield (Simpsonville, S.C.) has signed a priority free agent contract with the Indianapolis Colts.
"I am beyond excited for Braxton and his family," Carson-Newman head football coach Mike Clowney said. "We are grateful for the opportunity to have coached him. It has been wonderful watching him grow as a player and as a man of God. We wish him the best moving forward and eagerly look forward to watching him on Sundays."
The Simpsonville, S.C.-native is the 44th Eagle all-time to move on to the NFL. Three of Carson-Newman's last five players to go to the NFL have started their careers in Indianapolis. Linebacker Larry Lumpkin (2011) and safety Anthony Baskin (2013) both signed free agent contracts with the Colts.
"The work isn't finished. It's just beginning," Westfield said. "I'm thankful for my time at Carson-Newman and the investment the coaches here made in me. I'll always reflect warmly on my time in Jefferson City. Now I can't wait to get started in Indianapolis."
Westfield becomes the fifth Eagle to join the organization and the third since its move to Indiana. Tommy Jones signed with the organization when it was in Baltimore in 1970. All-Pro Sanders Shiver was a fifth-round pick in 1976, again when the organization was in Maryland.
Strangely enough, for a program known historically for its running backs and offensive linemen, C-N's last three players to head to the NFL have all been wide receivers. Kevin Snead was picked up by the New York Giants in 2016, while Dorren Miller played with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Philadelphia Eagles after his playing career concluded on the banks of Mossy Creek in 2017.
With 44 NFL players all-time, Carson-Newman has the second-most NFL players of any Division II institution outside of Texas A&M Kingsville and the Javelinas' 51. C-N's 44 NFLers are more than the rest of the South Atlantic Conference combined. The other active institutions in the league have a combined 36 pro players.
Westfield earned All-American honors from Don Hansen's Football Gazette as a senior, becoming the football program's first All-American receiver since 1978 and its 128th All-American all-time.
Considering Carson-Newman's four decades of option football, it should come as little surprise that Westfield is only Carson-Newman's fifth All-American wide receiver and the first since Tank Black (1978). Black, Tim George (1972) and Tom Jones (1968 and 1969) would all also go on to sign with NFL teams.
Carson-Newman's 128 All-Americans are the most in the South Atlantic Conference.
Westfield also went back-to-back as a first-team All-SAC selection and all-region honoree. He is the only Carson-Newman football player in program history who has three consecutive 100-yard receiving days.
Westfield closed out his career with a bang, earning TSWA State Offensive Player of the Week honors. He snared five passes for 162 yards in the Eagles' 61-23 win at Catawba in the regular season finale.
The senior tied the single-game C-N record with three receiving touchdowns in the contest. All three of his touchdown grabs came in a 27-point third quarter and 40-point second half for C-N.
They covered 33, 61 and 37 yards.
His three-score day gave him 21 for his career to match him for fourth all-time with Tank Black.
All told, Westfield snagged five passes for 162 yards and the three scores. The 162 yards are the 11th-highest single-game total in Carson-Newman history.
His 886 yards receiving as a senior are sixth all-time and the most in the option-era. Westfeld finished his Carson-Newman career with 1,752 yards – the seventh-most in school history and the third-most in the option era.
The senior led the league in receptions per game, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns – a sure fire sign that the underworld has cooled given an Eagle hasn't led the league in any of those categories in the last 12 years.
Westfield's 5.0 catches per game also registers as a school record. His 55 catches are the most in the option era and the sixth-most all-time.