April 2016. Illini linebacker/safety Clayton Fejedelem wasn’t sure he’d be drafted. After waiting days for something that was far from guaranteed to happen, Fejedelem was selected in the 7th round of the 2016 NFL Draft, No. 245 overall by the Cincinnati Bengals of the AFC North.
Seventh-round picks seldom make 53-man NFL rosters. The odds were stacked against the then-22-year-old from Lamont, Illinois.
Fejedelem’s numbers his senior year at Illinois in 2015 were eye-popping. He led the Illini in tackles with 140 that season to go along with two interceptions.