For five former NIU football players, the culmination of their college careers happened over the weekend in three different postseason college football games.

Senior outside linebacker Jordan Delegal played for the North team in the Battle of Florida All Star game Saturday and his team, coached by former Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden, crushed the South 51-3.

Delegal, who went to high school in Florida at Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory started at safety and didn’t miss his chance to impress scouts. Delegal recorded seven tackles, one for a loss, one pass break up and returned an interception 29 yards that led to a North field goal.

Delegal said it was an experience he would never forget.

“It was a great experience,” Delegal said. “There was never a dull moment. Words can’t express how much of a magical blessing it was to play in that game.”

Delegal now has an agent and is prepared to take his game to the next level. He said he’ll play for whoever gives him the opportunity.

“Any opportunity is a great opportunity,” Delegal said. “I’ve had some lucky breaks, I’ve gone through some rough times, so all I really need is a shot, one opportunity and I know I have the ability to succeed.”

Former NIU quarterback Chandler Harnish played under former NFL coach Brad Childress for the West All-Stars in the 87th annual East vs. West Shrine game in St. Petersburg, Fla. where the West rallied to beat the East 24-17 at Tropicana Field.

The redshirt senior completed eight of 14 passes for 52 yards with one interception while running for seven yards on six carries. Harnish’s one-yard touchdown run in the second quarter was the first West score of the game.

The postseason games are basically an audition for the NFL, especially the East/West Shrine game, where Harnish went through extensive interviews with scouts.

“Every scout from every team was there and I sat down and talked with nearly every team,” Harnish said. “There was obviously pressure to perform and play well, but the interview process wasn’t a big deal to me. I haven’t really wrapped my head around my future in professional football, but I would do anything for an opportunity to play in the NFL.”

Former Huskies center Scott Wedige, middle linebacker Pat Schiller and left tackle Trevor Olson all participated in the Astroturf NFLPA Collegiate Bowl played at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles, Calif.

Wedige and Schiller both played for the American team, which lost to Olson’s National team, 20-14.

In all three games played over the weekend, all five NIU athletes got to experience playing against some of the best competition they had yet seen, something they all talked about as a dawning realization that they were not in division one football anymore.

“There was a ton of talent on the field, everyone had a lot of knowledge,” Wedige said. “The defensive line I played against was extremely fast, and it was definitely a realization that you were at the next level.”