EDWARDSVILLE - Former Edwardsville High School football standout A.J. Epenesa, who was a standout defensive lineman at Iowa, was not selected in the first round of the 2020 National Football League Draft, which was held Thursday evening. The Draft, originally scheduled for Las Vegas, was turned into a virtual draft because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Epenesa, a 2016 graduate of Edwardsville High who was a star athlete in football, basketball and track for the Tigers, enjoyed a successful career for the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten, recording 26.5 sacks and 36 tackles for losses by the opposing offenses, forcing nine fumbles in leading Iowa to an overall 27-12 record, going 15-12 in the conference. He was also named Defensive MVP of the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl, a 49-24 win over Southern California in San Diego. In that game, Epenesa tied a school bowl record and his own career high with 2.5 sacks against Trojan offensive lineman Austin Jackson, who was selected number 18 by the Miami Dolphins.
In some mock drafts, Epenesa was projected as a late first round to early second round pick, with many seeing him going in the number 23 spot to the New England Patriots. However, the Patriots traded the pick to the Los Angeles Chargers, who used it to select linebacker Kenneth Murray of Oklahoma.
His Iowa teammate, offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs, was selected number 13 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, one of five Big Ten players selected in the first round, three of them being from Ohio State --- defensive end Chase Young, going number two by the Washington Redskins, cornerback Jeff Okudah, selected third by the Detroit Lions, and cornerback Damon Arnette, the number 19 pick by the Las Vegas Raiders --- and Michigan center Cesar Ruiz, who went to the New Orleans Saints as the 24th pick. The overall number one pick in this year's Draft was LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, who went to the Cincinnati Bengals.
The second and third rounds of the Draft will be held tomorrow, starting at 6 p.m., and will be televised by ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network. The final four rounds of the Draft will be held on Saturday, starting at 11 a.m.
It was also announced that Las Vegas will serve as host city for the 2022 NFL Draft to make up for the city not being able to host this year's event due to the pandemic. The 2021 Draft is scheduled to be held in Cleveland.
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