December 4, 2014
BLUFFTON, Ohio - A pair of Bluffton University seniors will lace up their cleats again on Sunday, Dec. 7 (10 AM) when they travel to Miami, Fla., for the 2014 National Bowl at Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium. The National Bowl Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game consisting of top players from non-FBS schools and it precedes the 2 PM FCS Bowl. Standouts Jack Tomlinson (Westerville/South) and Donovan Brown (Cincinnati/Purcell Marian) will continue Bluffton's tradition of wide receivers displaying their talents in post-season senior bowls. Shawn Frost was invited to the D3 Senior Classic in Salem, Va. following his senior campaign in 2013.
The National Bowl Game showcases All-American and all-conference seniors from around the nation that travel to the game from over 30 states representing over 400+ Division 2,3, and FCS schools. Players travel to the game from as far as Texas, Arkansas, Oregon, Colorado, Michigan, Utah, South Dakota and more. The National Bowl is the elite and only current post-season all star game to focus on players below D1/FBS that get the opportunity to play in front of several NFL and CFL scouts.
The game has been attended by scouts from the NFL's St Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, the CFL's Montreal Alouettes, AFL's Cleveland Gladiators, and Philadelphia Soul. With its location in Miami, it hopes to gain additional scouts. All 32 NFL teams receive and review the National Bowl game film and the game has been touted by the Sports Agents Blog as a secret weapon for smaller school prospects.
It took senior Jack Tomlinson just one season to make a formidable impression on the conference and the Bluffton record books. The wide receiver was named First Team All-Heartland Conference after hauling in a Bluffton record-tying 62 receptions, including 10 against the rival Yellow Jackets in the season finale. His four receiving touchdowns established a new Bluffton record and ranks 2nd all-time for the Heartland Conference. His 936 receiving yards place him 3rd on Bluffton's single season list (3rd in the HCAC this season). He also ended 2nd all-time with eight receiving touchdowns for the season, behind Donovan Brown's 10 in 2013. For his efforts against Defiance, Tomlinson was named the HCAC Player of the Week, while his one-handed grab against Mount St. Joseph earned Play of the Week honors in the conference.
Donovan Brown secured his second straight All-HCAC honor after being named Honorable Mention All-Heartland Conference. Brown hauled in 33 catches for 513 yards (15.5 yards per catch), including seven touchdowns, after setting a Bluffton single-season record with 10 as a junior. His 1,358 career receiving yards place him 7th all-time at Bluffton, while his 18 touchdowns are 2nd to Andy Nowlin's school-record 20 receiving scores. Brown finished 5th in the HCAC with his 15.5 yards per reception.
-BEAVERS-