MOBILE, Ala. – With many National Football League teams beginning offseason workouts this weekend, two more former University of South Alabama football players have officially joined the professional ranks.

Montell Garner was included on the list of free agents officially signed by the St. Louis Rams Friday, while Wes Saxton was inked to a free-agent deal by the New York Jets franchise.  The duo join Brandon Bridge — who was offered a free-agent tryout by the Dallas Cowboys Wednesday — in signing with NFL squads since the conclusion of the 2015 draft.

A two-year starter at cornerback for USA, Garner earned honorable mention all-Sun Belt Conference accolades as a senior after posting 54 total stops, with 46 of those unassisted, while leading the team with nine passes broken up and two interceptions.  In addition, the Dallas, Texas, native, was credited with a career-best 4½ tackles for loss and also forced two fumbles.

He collected a season-high nine stops — including eight solo — at Louisiana-Lafayette, with one for a loss of three yards and a pass broken up as well, and was credited with seven tackles the following week at Arkansas State, with six of those unassisted.  Garner made six stops, with an assist behind the line of scrimmage, and broke up a pass in a victory over Texas State that helped the Jaguars become eligible to participate in a postseason bowl, matching that total with six tackles and a pass defended in the home opener against Mississippi State, while he finished with five tackles, including a sack for a seven-yard loss, returned an interception 59 yards for a touchdown and defended another pass in league win at Idaho.

Garner ended his Jaguar career tied for first in school history with 14 total passes broken up, and he is also tied for second in both interceptions (five) and second in interception return yards (108).

Saxton lettered three seasons for the Jags, playing in 12 of 13 games his senior year while starting nine times.  Limited by an injury suffered in an October victory over Troy, the resident of Hueytown, Ala., ended the campaign fourth on the team with 20 receptions while recording 155 yards.  Those totals included a season-best six catches against Mississippi State, as well as three receptions both in a win at Idaho and against Bowling Green at the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl.

As a junior in 2013, he was named first-team all-league after tying for the team lead with 50 catches while recording 635 yards; both figures were career-high totals.  Saxton was tied for fifth in the conference in receptions per contest and was eighth in receiving yards per outing — ranking among the top five tight ends nationally in both categories — was fourth on the team in all-purpose yards and was one of three players on the team to record 10 or more gains of 20-plus yards.  He collected a career-best 10 catches for 89 yards at Texas State and finished with a career-high 95 yards on six receptions in USA's game at Troy, while he had seven catches for 92 yards in win at Tulane and the following week posted four receptions for 91 yards in victory over Western Kentucky including a career-long 37-yard catch.

He paced Jaguar tight ends with 26 receptions, ranking fifth on the team overall, and was also fourth on the squad in receiving yards with 336 his first season with the program as well.

Saxton concluded his career fourth in school history with 96 receptions and 1,126 yards receiving, seventh with an average of 11.73 yards per catch and eighth with 1,126 all-purpose yards.  He is the second Jag to sign with the Jets, joining Courtney Smith; the latter participated in the organization's preseason camp in 2011.

There are currently four former USA football players taking part in NFL offseason practices, as Damond Smith was signed by the Arizona Cardinals during the offseason.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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