NORFOLK, Va. – Jeremy Cox, Jonathan Duhart and Tim Ward have reached undrafted free agent agreements with NFL teams following the NFL Draft over the weekend. Cox signed with the Los Angeles Chargers, Duhart with the Detroit Lions and Ward with the Kansas City Chiefs. Isaiah Harper has received a rookie mini camp tryout with the Los Angeles Rams.
ODU’s four players currently on NFL teams (prior to this year’s NFL Draft), Rashaad Coward (Bears), Taylor Heinicke (Panthers), Rick Lovato (Eagles) and Zach Pascal (Colts) were all undrafted free agents. Oshane Ximines became the first Monarch drafted this year, taken in the third round, 95thoverall by the New York Giants, while Travis Fulgham was taken in the sixth round, 184thoverall by the Detroit Lions.
Cox had 103 carries for 453 yards and five touchdowns in 2018 as a senior. He had a memorable night in the win over No. 13 Virginia Tech, carrying 20 times for 130 yards, two touchdowns, including the game-clinching 40-yard touchdown in the 49-35 triumph over the Hokies.
For his career, Cox ranks second in school history with 2,175 yards and also rushed for 23 touchdowns.
Duhart led Conference USA with 74 receptions and finished third in the league with 1,045 yards and nine touchdowns. He teamed with Travis Fulgham to become the first ODU teammates to record 1,000 receiving yards in the same season. He earned second-team All-Conference USA honors.
He finished tied for second in C-USA with five, 100-yard receiving games, all five coming consecutively. He caught a career-high nine passes for 142-yards and three touchdowns in the win over No. 13 Virginia Tech.
A native of Midlothian, Virginia, Duhart ranks fourth in school history in career receptions with 183, receiving yards with 2,664 and touchdown catches with 28.
Ward had a career-high 41 tackles as a senior, while notching 3.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss. He recorded 125 tackles, 14 sacks and 30.5 tackles for loss in his career. In Ward’s first game as a true freshman in 2015, he registered the game-clinching interception to defeat Eastern Michigan.
Harper caught 55 passes this season for 479-yards and a touchdown, while averaging 21.8-yards per kick return. He returned a punt 74-yards for a touchdown in the win over VMI.
A native of Chesapeake, Harper was a two-time first-team All-Conference USA kick returner, earning second-team punt returners in 2018. In 2017, Harper was named C-USA Special Teams Player of the Year after finishing 10th in FBS with a 29.1-yard kick return average and three kick return touchdowns.
For his career, Harper caught 112 passes for 1,143 yards and two touchdowns.