MOBILE, Ala. – Jalen Tolbert added his name to one more list at the University of South Alabama as he became the eighth individual player to represent the football program at the Reese's Senior Bowl on Saturday. Tolbert's participation in the game also marked the first by an offensive player since Gerald Everett (2017).

The Mobile, Ala., native was able to work with the Detroit Lions coaching staff throughout the week leading up to one more time out on his home field – just the second time the event has been played on campus at Hancock Whitney Stadium – and competed for the American team.

Tolbert was targeted four times in the contest and finished with two catches for 24 with his longest reception coming on the American team's final drive of the first half, a 15-yard reception.

Tolbert will now continue preparations for the National Football League Draft, which is currently scheduled to be held April 28-April 30 at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, home of the Las Vegas Raiders, as he looks to join former Jaguars Gerald Everett (Seattle Seahawks) and Jeremy Reaves (Washington Commanders) on an active roster.  

The 6-foot-3 wide receiver has also been invited to participate at the NFL Combine held Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium held Tuesday, March 1 – Monday, March 7.

Tolbert concluded his collegiate career by being named the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year to become the first Jaguar ever to claim the award, and joining Reaves — who was voted the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 — as the only players in South's history to earn individual honors.  Tolbert also earned first-team all-conference as well after pacing the Sun Belt in catches, receiving yards, receiving yards per game and receptions per game — ranking third in yards per game and sixth in receiving yards nationally — after catching 82 passes for 1,474 yards and eight touchdowns this fall. 

He led the Jags in receiving yards in all 12 contests this past season, posting the most all-purpose yards by a wide receiver since the program's inception in 2009, while breaking his own school records for catches and receiving yards.  The junior set a new program mark with seven 100-plus receiving yard games, which included becoming the first player in the team's history to reach the mark in three straight games after accomplishing the feat against Appalachian State, Tennessee and Coastal Carolina to close out his career.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM TOLBERT'S POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE
Q: Talk about what you got out of this week and today.
A: I feel I was able to prove to myself that I'm able to play with the best of the best. That was a goal of mine coming into the week. I also wanted to have fun and enjoy the experience because I grew up coming to this game and it was fun for me to be able to experience some of the things I saw others do growing up."

Q: What was it like playing this game on your home field?
A: It was pretty cool. We had a lot of fans up in the stands and it felt normal. There wasn't any nervousness for me before the game. It was just an exciting feeling. 

Q: Did the experience turn out everything you expected it to be?
A: Honestly, it was more than I expected. Growing up and looking from the outside in, you never know what to expect. I just came to the game back then and asked them for gloves and enjoyed the moment, but being able to actually experience things from the interviews to meetings to walk through, along with being able to spending down time with the other players or quarterbacks from schools all over the country was more than I expected.

Q: Is there a player in the league right now that you say you're comparable to or that you look up to?
A: I kind of just watch everybody and try to put a little bit of everyone's film into me."

Q: How did facing a higher level of competition help you, especially from the stance that you were able to win so many of those reps all week? How did that feel?
A: It feels great because I love people talking about the level of competition I played against and I love being an underdog. It was fun to come out here and make people eat their words."

Q: Was there a difference in coaching styles this week from what you've been used to?
A: There's always going to be a difference just because of the level that you're going to, and it's different with the hashes and splits, but overall [Detroit's coaching staff] is disciplined and Coach Kane [Wommack] was big on discipline. [This week] we ran some of the same offensive concepts that I had had here [at South Alabama], so it was kind of easy to pick up on and relate stuff that I was used to running last year."

Q: How would you describe your progression throughout the week to now?
A: One thing I wanted to do was be consistent. I think I had a good first day of practice. I wouldn't say that I did but I'm hard on myself and I didn't think I practiced that well on Tuesday, but I came back out and felt I had a pretty good practice on Thursday. I just need to continue to be consistent and learn the new things I need to learn at the next level, and be able to put it all together."

Q: What do you feel you need to continue to work on as you get ready for the NFL Draft in April?
A: I think I can continue to work on every aspect of being a wide receiver of course; being able to sale different routes, because at the next level you need to be able to get separation. I just need to continue to work the route tree and get better.

Q: What do you think you gained most from the week after working with the different teams and in those meetings?
A: I feel I gained a lot of knowledge. There were a lot of things that I learned about myself from talking with them and I learned a lot of things about the next level from them. It was an exciting experience and I just soaked everything up I could.

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

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