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Wildcats Alum Hicks Plays in The Spring League’s Mega Bowl, Pursues NFL Career

6/24/2021 2:04:00 PM

By: Chris Myers
HOUSTON, Texas – One former Wildcats lineman played in a championship last weekend as he is taking steps to pursue his dream of playing football at the high level. Fort Valley State offensive line alum Darrius Hicks completed his time improving his craft and skills in The Spring League by blocking in the 'Mega Bowl.'
 
Hicks was part of the Jousters offensive unit for the past seven-plus weeks. His team led the Mega Bowl last Saturday held in Houston's Rice Stadium the entire game until the Linemen scored the game-winning touchdown with 52 seconds left for the come from behind victory, 26-23.
 
The Spring League is an eight-team elite professional football development league. It is open to any player who was draft eligible during a previous year's NFL draft, is eligible to participate. The Spring League provides film, statistics, and other player data to the National Football League and all of its member clubs. The Spring League hopes to establish an "official" relationship with the NFL in the near future.
 
"I really enjoyed it (his playing in the league)," said Hicks. "I took advantage of the coaching staff, which had years in the league (NFL) and some of the players, who had been in the NFL before. I made a point to get under their wing to see how they (the players who had been in the NFL before) practiced and what they did after practice. I gained a lot from them and practicing with them along with competing against some of the defensive players who had also been in the league."

 
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The Spring League was divided into a two Divisions with the North's four teams based in Indianapolis, while the South teams being in Houston, Texas. The League had a six-week regular season with the top team of each Division meeting in the Mega Bowl last Saturday – the South's Jousters and Hicks (4-2) played the North's Linemen (5-1). The games were televised on Fox, FS1 and FS2 with the league's online presence found at: TheSpringLeague.com.
 
"The League is an opportunity for some who have been in the NFL to get back in or an opportunity like myself to get a chance to showcase our talent. Unlike most years, I was only able to have one Pro Day (to work out for NFL scouts) held at Mercer (University) due to CoVid," pointed out Hicks.
 
The 6-4, 302-pound offensive lineman explained what the schedule he went through on most weeks in his time as part of the Jousters.
 
"We played either on Friday or Saturday depending on the schedule (each team played the other three teams of its Division two times over the six weeks). We would watch film on Sunday and then have Monday off, before we would go back to practice for the next game starting on Tuesday," said Hicks.
 
Players in The Spring League received housing and meals, but no additional compensation was provided.
 
"I haven't been part of a pro contract, yet so I didn't go from getting paid to not," told the former Wildcat about only receiving housing and meals.
 
With The Spring League's season is over, the three-time All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (2017-19) lineman now turns his attention quickly to his next steps on his quest to don an NFL jersey.
 
"Competing in The Spring League, the film gets evaluated by NFL and CFL scouts. Some players are making highlight tape on their own. Some players have already been picked up out of The Spring League by NFL teams," said Hicks. "My agent takes your film to NFL teams and have a team right now, which has shown some interest."
 
The FVSU grad, though, isn't putting all his professional football future hopes into one option.
 
"If the NFL doesn't work out, I still have the chance to go overseas and play," explained the Camilla, Ga., native. "Slade (Jarman – former FVSU quarterback and 2019 SIAC Offensive Player of the Year) and I will go to France to a league there and we should hear within the next month (on the availability of going due to any further CoVid restrictions on travel) about going."
 
Hicks does have a career after his potential professional football one. He earned his FVSU bachelor's degree in biology in the spring of 2020. The former Wildcat is working on his clinical hours towards going to graduate school to eventually become a Physician's Assistant.
 
The talented on-the-field and off-the-field Hicks has a bright future. The offensive lineman is driven to pursue his NFL goal on the field, but he is ready to continue using what he learned away from the Wildcat Stadium field on the FVSU campus when his playing days come to an end into a long and successful career helping others in the medical field.
 
 
 
 
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