Courtesy of North Carolina Central Athletic Communications


DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central men's basketball alum Jibri Blount, the 2019-20 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Player of the Year, has signed a professional contract to continue his athletic career on the gridiron with the Miami Dolphins, the organization announced on Thursday.
 
Blount had an illustrious career at NCCU that was capped by him becoming the third Eagle to be named MEAC Player of the Year. He appeared in 55 games with 31 starts in two seasons, and tallied 838 points with 400 rebounds to average 15.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He racked up 13 double-doubles in his senior campaign in 2019-20, and ranked 22nd in NCAA Division I in steals with 68.
 
Blount will move from snagging rebounds as a forward to catching passes as a tight end.
 
"It was a surreal moment getting the call," Blount said. "I'm excited to be able to join an organization like this that has great leadership and is moving in the right direction. It means the world to me that they were willing to bring me in and give me a chance."
 
Blount finished sixth all-time at NCCU in a single season with 596 points, fifth in field goals with 216, fifth in rebounds with 294, fourth in steals with 68, fifth in total minutes with 1,141, and fourth in minutes per game. He's also the only person to reach those points, rebounds, and steal totals at NCCU in a single-season in program history. He also ranked second in the MEAC with 19.2 points per game, third in rebounding with 9.5, and fifth in field goal percentage at 52.5.
 
Blount will follow his father and his brothers onto the football field, including NCCU alum Khalid Blount (Pittsburgh, Pa.) who suited up in maroon and gray in 2018 and 2019. His father Mel was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989 after playing 200 games in 14 seasons as a defensive back with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is currently ranked 13th all-time in the NFL with 57 career interceptions, and won four Super Bowls.
 
Blount's older brother, Akil, played linebacker at Florida A&M for four years from 2012-15, and played 43 games with 207 career tackles with the Rattlers before also signing with the Dolphins in 2016.
 
"I've always loved football, and it has always been in my blood," Blount said. "The way that I played basketball came from a football mentality growing up, and I prided myself on playing a physical brand of basketball. Football has always been in my heart, so making the transition won't be tough, and I'm excited to get to work. I plan on being a sponge and learning from the guys in front of me and the coaching staff when I get to Miami, and take this time to develop my game and go as hard as I can."
 
The Miami Dolphins compete in the AFC East Division in the NFL, and the franchise remains the holder of the only undefeated season in league history when the 1972 squad went 14-0 on the way to the first of back-to-back Super Bowl titles. Last season, the Dolphins went 10-6 and finished second in their division.
 
"I'm thankful for my HBCU and the experience that I had there," Blount said. "I'll always love North Carolina Central University, and I look forward to getting back to campus to visit. I'm thankful for the whole Eagle Nation."