Courtney Jackson and Tui Faumuina-Brown shined during their time in a Gateway football uniform.
Neither skipped a beat at the next level — Jackson at Syracuse and Arkansas State and Faumuina-Brown at UConn.
Their impact was significant up to and including the final games of their collegiate careers, bowl victories at the end of last month.
Jackson and Arkansas State prevailed over Bowling Green, 38-31, in the 68 Ventures Bowl in Mobile, Ala., while Faumuina-Brown helped lead UConn to a 27-14 triumph over North Carolina in the Fenway Bowl at Boston’s Fenway Park.
Now, both seek good fortune at the professional level. Jackson and Faumuina-Brown recently declared for the NFL Draft and are in the early stages of the process that will lead them to an opportunity at the highest level of football.
“So many times, we relish the opportunity to talk about the good part of sports,” Gateway coach Don Holl said.
“I always think back to when they were playing for Gateway and made play after play after play and always gave us a really good chance to win football games. We watched them develop into solid collegiate prospects. Now, it is so easy with so many media outlets and channels dedicated to broadcasting college games that we would try to watch them play as much as possible. It was exciting to watch them and see all the success they had. Without question, we be rooting them on and hoping they will get the opportunity to play on Sundays.”
Many of the college players hoping to make the jump to professional football post declarations to the draft. With those announcements come reflection on the past four or five years of work with teammates and coaches while thanking all those people along the way who made it possible.
For Jackson and Faumuina-Brown, like many other pro prospects in the same position, the training doesn’t stop as they want to put out the best possible package for coaches and scouts over the next couple of months.
The NFL Draft is set for April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisc., and will be broadcast live on ESPN.
As in years past, seven rounds will be used for teams to select the players they hope will lead them to playoff glory and the chance to raise the Lombardi Trophy.
After the draft is over, all 32 NFL teams will bolster their numbers by signing several undrafted players to free agent contracts.
Jackson and Faumuina-Brown hope to hear their names called during the draft, but they know that they will have an overall chance to make their dreams a reality.
Faumuina-Brown started all 13 games for the second consecutive season to lead the UConn defensive unit.
The linebacker had a career season in 2024, posting 91 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks. He also had an interception, seven pass breakups and a forced fumble.
He finished his career playing 47 games, with 174 tackles, 14.5 TFLs and 5.5 sacks.
Jackson, who played his final two collegiate seasons at Arkansas State after transferring from Syracuse, always has been a dangerous punt returner.
Bowling Green found that out in the 68 Ventures Bowl as he returned a first-quarter punt 60 yards for a touchdown to stake Arkansas State to a 10-0 lead.
Jackson was named the game’s Special Teams MVP.
It was his second punt return TD this season.
He also concluded his final collegiate season with 42 receptions for 494 yards and a pair of scores
Jackson and Faumuina-Brown hope to continue the tradition of Gateway graduates and others who have put on the Gators uniform who also have played in the NFL.
Gateway and Penn State graduate Jaquan Brisker started at defensive back for the Chicago Bears this fall before being placed on injured reserve with a concussion.
Robert Hainsey, who started at Gateway and finished his high school days at IMG Academy in Florida before earning a scholarship to Notre Dame, has started 35 games at center for Tampa Bay since being drafted by the Bucs in the 2021 third round.
Montae Nicholson was a fourth-round pick at safety by Washington in 2017, and he played three seasons in D.C.
Justin King also was a fourth-round pick, a 2008 selection by the St. Louis Rams. King played four years in St. Louis and part of one season in Indianapolis.
Bob Buczkowski, a defensive end who played collegiately at Pitt, was a first-round pick by the Los Angeles Raiders in 1986. He played four seasons with the Raiders, Phoenix Cardinals and Cleveland Browns.
Joel Williams played parts of one season at tight end for the Miami Dolphins in 1987.
Mortty Ivy suited up at linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2011.