Quincy, Ill. – Just before graduating with his MBA, offensive lineman BJ Wilson signed a free agent contract with the Carolina Panthers to become Quincy University's first NFL signee.
 
Wilson had an exuberant career with the Hawks, receiving All-GLVC honors in the last three seasons, including two first-team honors in 2022 and the spring 2021 season. The Florrisant, Missouri, native helped pave the offense to two top-three finishes in the GLVC for total yards across the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
 
Head coach Gary Bass says, "BJ is a coach's dream not just from a talent perspective but his character. He has done everything with excellence while at QU in every way possible. His leadership abilities are second to none and he is the type of player and young man that you can never replace. He currently holds the school record for most starts made by a QU football player at 45. He was a 5-year starter because of COVID and received multiple watchlist spots."
 
Wilson earned spots on three watchlists this fall, including the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000, D2Football.com, and Reese's Senior Bowl. Of the 29 Division II players selected for the Shrine Bowl 1000, BJ Wilson was the only representative from the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
 
"This is a great moment for our program and proves to anyone and everyone that if you are good enough you will be found. I think it gives current and future players confidence that if they play at a high enough level, they have opportunities after college to continue to pursue their passion of playing football," Coach Bass said.
 
"At QU I have always been blessed to be put in a position to meet a lot of different types of people and have had success at building connections with those people. The ability to create connections is one of the most transferable skills at the next level," Wilson said when looking back at his time at Quincy. "I'm most excited to keep getting better and learn from those with more experience than me, so I can take my game to the next level."
 
The Carolina Panthers went 7-10 last season, finishing second in the NFC South. The Panthers added 19 men to its roster during the 2023 NFL Draft, including 13 undrafted free agents just days after the draft. Carolina added Wilson after its rookie mini camp. Wilson is the only Panthers signee in the 2023 class that hails from a Division II school.
 
"We just wanted BJ to get a chance to show everyone else that he could play at a high level being from a small D2 school regardless of where it was. For me personally, signing with the Panthers is special because I am from North Carolina and played college ball forty minutes from Charlotte. I can't wait to see his career develop and for everyone else to see the type of player he is," said Coach Bass.
 
The Quincy University community is proud of BJ Wilson and is excited to see where this next chapter of life takes him!