NATCHITOCHES – All-American and Academic All-American Northwestern State tight end Justin Aldredge, who projects as a fullback in pro football, has been invited by the New Orleans Saints to participate next weekend in their first mini-camp.
 
Aldredge has not signed a free agent contract and could do so with another NFL team, but if not, the 5-11, 232-pounder will head to New Orleans to work out with the Saints.
 
A versatile athlete, Aldredge (5-11, 232) was an undersized tight end for the Demons, starting his final three years on offense after playing linebacker as a freshman.  A special teams standout, he is a rugged, physical player with great hands and athleticism. 
 
A magna cum laude graduate in business/accounting (3.90 grade point average) who was first-team Capital One Academic All-America and made the Beyond Sports Network FCS All-America team, Aldredge is the top receiving tight end in school history and 11^th overall with 86 catches for 1,131 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 13.2 yards per catch. He added 13 rushing attempts for 59 yards and two touchdowns, one a 33-yarder from the tailback slot to clinch a win last fall at Texas State.
 
As a senior Aldredge led the Demons in catches (39) and receiving yards (514), ranking in the top 10 in Southland Conference in both categories. He ended his career with streak of at least one reception in 15 consecutive games and grabs in 32 of his 33 games (all starts) at tight end.
 
At NSU's March 29 Pro Day, Aldredge ran a 4.64 40, had a 36.5 inch vertical leap, led all participants with a 7.02 time in the three-cone/L-drill,  recorded 18 reps in the bench press and had a 10-1 broad jump. His father Corwyn Jr. and grandfather Corwyn Sr. both played in the NFL, with his grandfather earning All-America honors as a Demon and his father receiving first-team All-Southeastern Conference recognition at Mississippi State.

Justin Aldredge
Northwestern State (La.)
Fullback • 5-11 • 232 • 4L
Natchitoches, La. • Cedar Creek HS (Ruston, La.)

Jersey No. 3
 
2011 Beyond Sports Network All-America 2^nd Team
2011 Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America 1^st Team
2011 FCS Athletics Directors Association Academic All-Star Team
2011 Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District VI 1^st Team
2011 SLC All-Academic Football Team
2011 All-Louisiana 2^nd Team
2011 All-Southland Conference 1^st Team
2011 Preseason All-SLC 1^st Team
2010 FCS Athletics Directors Association Academic All-Star Team
2010 All-SLC 2^nd  Team
2010 ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District VI 1^st  Team
2010 SLC All-Academic Football Team
2010 Wild Demon Club Honor
2009 All-SLC Honorable Mention
 
Versatile athlete who projects as a fullback at the professional level. Was an undersized tight end/H-back for the Demons, starting his final three years at TE after playing linebacker as a freshman.  A special teams standout. Rugged, physical player with great hands and athleticism.  Magna cum laude graduate in business/accounting who was Academic All-America and made one All-America team. Played at Northwestern State under former LSU defensive coordinator Bradley Dale Peveto, the Demons' head coach in Aldredge's final 3 seasons. Sam Houston State DC Scott Stoker was NSU's head coach in 2007 and signed him.  At NSU's March 29 Pro Day, Aldredge ran a 4.64 40, had a 36.5 inch vertical leap, led all participants with a 7.02 time in the three-cone/L-drill,  recorded 18 reps in the bench press and had a 10-1 broad jump. Father and grandfather both played in the NFL.
 
Demons' NFL History: Current Buffalo Bills CB Terrence McGee (2004 Pro Bowl KR) and Philadelphia Eagles OT Demetress Bell continue a rich tradition of productive pro players out of Northwestern State. Bell was NSU's last NFL Draft pick (7^th round, 2008, Buffalo) and has started for the past three years for the Bills at LT.  McGee is the eighth Demons' alumnus to reach the Pro Bowl. Pro Football  Hall of Fame TE Jackie Smith (Cardinals, 1966-70) headlines the group, which includes QB Bobby Hebert (Falcons, 2003), RB John Stephens (Patriots, 1988), WR Mark Duper (Dolphins, 1983, 1984, 1986), RB Joe Delaney (Chiefs, 1981), FB Charlie Tolar (Oilers, 1961, 1962) and WR Charlie Hennigan (Oilers, 1961-65).  S Mike Green is the only previous Demons alumnus to have played for Seattle (2006-07). Saints DL coach Bill Johnson and Eagles strength coach Barry Rubin are former Demon football players.
 
Career Stats:  44 games, 86 catches, 1,131 yards, 10 TDs, 13.2 yards per catch. Also 13 rushes for 59 yards, 2 TDs
 
            2011: 39 catches, 514 yards, 2 tds, 13.2 yards per catch, 46.7 ypg … 7 rushes, 47 yards, 1 TD, a game-clinching 33-yard run up the gut from the tailback position at Texas State in the fourth quarter … 3 tackles on special teams … led Demons in catches and receiving yards, ranking in top 10 in Southland Conference in both categories … ended career with streak of at least one reception in 15 consecutive games and grabs in 32 of his 33 games (all starts) at tight end … set school single-season record for a tight end, ranking 8^th on school season receptions list, and his 86 career receptions total is 11^th overall in school history, best ever for a tight end … voted by teammates the Joe Delaney Memorial Leadership Award for offense as permanent team captain … caught a 32-yard td among 3 catches for 97 yards in opening win over Division II power Delta State … 7 catches, 58 yards at LSU to lead Demons, including a 25-yarder off a fake punt … led team with 3 catches for 48 yards in 34-0 win at Nicholls … topped team with 6 grabs for 84 yards vs. McNeese State … 3-54 with a 37-yard td catch in 51-17 romp over Southeastern Louisiana … 4-59 vs. Southland champ and FCS finalist Sam Houston State … 4-45 in season-ending loss to Stephen F. Austin.
            2010: NSU Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year... played in all 11 games with 10 starts and ranked third on the team with 22 catches... hauled in 289 yards receiving and led the squad with four td grabs... tied for the team lead with four touchdowns and shared second with 24 points scored... had at least one catch in all but one game... tied a career-high with four receptions at Southeastern Louisiana (season-best 64 yards receiving) with a touchdown... had two td grabs in the season-opener at Air Force and had his fourth touchdown catch of the season against Nicholls on Nov. 13 after he pulled down three receptions... had three catches for 44 yards against Sam Houston State on Oct. 30... longest grab was a 35-yarder against Samford.
 
            2009: All-SLC Honorable Mention... moved from linebacker to tight end/H-back in spring practice... played in all 11 games compiling 328 yards on 25 receptions, which ranked third on the team in both categories…scored four receiving touchdowns, the highest for the team… also scored one rushing touchdown versus Nicholls…season high 98 receiving yards on four catches versus Nicholls…two touchdown catches against Sam Houston as well as touchdowns against Houston and Nicholls…longest reception of 53 versus Nicholls…caught at least one pass in eight straight games from Sept. 5 through Oct. 31 and had at least one reception in 10 of 11 games… had four catches for 60 yards against Texas State… three catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns against Sam Houston…two catches for 39 yards against McNeese.
            2008:  Played in 11 games and compiled five tackles with a forced fumble… has two tackles against Southeastern Oklahoma… had solo stops versus Cal Poly and Nicholls State, where he also forced a fumble.
            2007:  Redshirted
            Aldredge in High School:  Named first-team sports writers All-State at linebacker… first-team All-State Class A coaches both at linebacker and quarterback … Bert Jones Offensive Player of the Year for Lincoln Parish (including Class 5A power Ruston HS and Class A Grambling HS)… Academic All-State… News-Star first-team Northeast Louisiana as an athlete and Shreveport Times All-Area linebacker… first-team All-District and Academic All-District at quarterback and linebacker… District 2-A Offensive MVP… “Overall Team MVP”… Accounted for 6,002 yards in total offense and 88 touchdowns (56 rushing, 30 passing, 2 defensive) in his career while making 170 tackles … First all-time at Cedar Creek in points scored (386), second in passing (2,872 yards), and fourth in rushing (3,014 yards)… career 6.3 rushing average on 478 attempts … ran for 1,678 yards and 24 touchdowns while adding 17 more two-point conversions for a school-record 190 points in his senior season for the Cougars … 58 career touchdowns … ran for 1,139 yards and 27 TDs as a junior …  lettered four years in football, three years in basketball and track, and one year in baseball and tennis… played on district champion baseball team.
            Aldredge's Personal:  Only son of Corwyn and Missy Aldredge… his dad coached him at Cedar Creek HS, and retired from that position in the  spring of 2010… mother is a professor at NSU…     father played for Mississippi State in college and Tampa Bay in the NFL and was a nationally-ranked junior in the javelin... sister Ashley will be a javelin thrower for the Lady Demons...... grandfather Corwyn Sr. was named a member of NSU's Top 100 players of the century list in 2007… magna cum laude graduate with a 3.90 GPA in business/accounting.
 
Aldredge's Career Stats - Defense
Year    G          T          A          Tot      TFL     Sack    FF        FR       Int       PBU     Blk
2008   11        2          3          5          0          0          1          0          0          0          0
 
Aldredge's Career Stats - Offense
Year    G          Rec.     Yards  TD       Long   Avg.     Avg./G                        Rush   Yards  TD
2008   11        0          0          0          0          0          0                      0          0          0
2009   11        25        328     4          53        13.1     29.8                 4          6          1
2010   11        22        289     4          35        13.1     26.3                 2          6          0
2011   11        39        514     2          40        13.2     46.7                 7          47        1
Totals 44        86        1131   10        53        2.0       13.2                 13        59        2
 
Game Highs
Receptions – 7 at LSU (Sept. 10, 2011)
Yards - 98 at Nicholls (4 catches, Nov. 14, 2009)
TDs - 2 at Air Force (Sept. 4, 2010)