Grambling State defensive back Ray Estes has announced he is entering the NFL draft.
In a statement posted to his Twitter account Tuesday, Estes thanked his mother, Tamara Williams-Cunningham, saying, “You mean everything to me and the main reason I strive for the most unlimited measures.”
Offering thanks to head football coach P.J. Fleck and the University of Minnesota, where he played his first two collegiate seasons out of high school, he stated, “my career in the Big Ten has taught me lessons that are still with me today.”
“A special shout-out to Coach [Broderick] Fobbs & the entire G-Nation. The end of my collegiate days on and off the field has been bittersweet, but to end one chapter to open another one?” He said, recognizing the previous Grambling coaching regime. “I did not see myself doing it at no other HBCU! With all that said, I Reyondous Slime Estes, will be declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft! Making myself a part of this year’s draft class.”
THANK YOU ALMIGHTY! 03/13/2023. pic.twitter.com/mJGKaqcXgm
— Rey Estes (@reyondousestes) February 15, 2023
As a senior at East St. Louis High School (Illinois), where he played quarterback, Estes threw for 2464 yards and 26 touchdowns and added another 515 yards and eight scores, leading the Flyers to a 14-0 record and a state championship. He played his first two collegiate seasons at the University of Minnesota, where he played defensive back, redshirting his freshman year in 2017 and seeing action against Indiana the next season in 2018.
Estes spent a season at Riverside Community College (CA), where he recorded 32 tackles and five interceptions.
In his three seasons at Grambling, he appeared in 25 games, racking up 75 tackles ( 59 solo, 16 assisted), two interceptions, one tackle for loss, 16 passes defended, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.
Estes is part of a very strong crop of defensive backs in this year’s draft, with CBS Sport’s Emory Hunt tabbing him as one of several smaller college defensive difference makers and pro prospects.
