NIU players Ford, Lewis sign with NFL teams

Two football players who had standout careers at Northern Illinois, Tommy Lee Lewis and Perez Ford, have signed free agent contracts with NFL teams.

Ford, a Romeoville native, signed with the Oakland Raiders, and Lewis signed with the New Orleans Saints, according to NIU athletics officials.

Lewis, a 5-foot-7 returner/receiver, holds the Huskie career record with four kickoffs for touchdowns in his career. He also had 1,680 receiving yards for NIU.

Ford, an All-MAC defensive end, had 5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss last season. He finished his career with 129 tackles and 14 sacks, tied for 10th on NIU's all-time sack list.