(STATS) – There was added reason this week for 6-foot, 320-pound Khalen Saunders to show off a handspring and back flip to his North teammates at the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
The NFL defensive tackle hopeful from Western Illinois is thrilled to be a new father.
Saunders departed Mobile, Alabama, on Thursday for a quick trip back to Chicago to join his fiancée, Ayanna, and meet their baby girl, Kambridge, who was born on Tuesday. The plan is for Saunders to return to the Senior Bowl on Friday and play in college football’s premier all-star game on Saturday.
On Thursday, Saunders tweeted a photo of his daughter and wrote, “Y’all look at this!! Look what we made! Head full of hair, big cheeks, big old eyes! Y’all can’t tell me my baby girl ain’t a cutie! I love you so much baby girl. Can’t wait to meet you.”
Ayanna’s due date was Jan. 31, but she went into early labor. Saunders said they agreed it was best for their financial future for him to take part in Senior Bowl activities and try to improve his draft stock.
The gymnastic moves at the Senior Bowl weren’t new. That longtime ability has earned him the label as the “World’s Biggest Cheerleader” on social media.
His Western Illinois career was worth flipping over. A first-team STATS FCS All-American in 2018, he totaled 127 tackles, 34½ tackles for loss, 18 sacks and six forced fumbles over his four seasons.
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