Friday Featured Athlete - Indianapolis Colts Star Eric Ebron

Each Friday, Ultimate Autographs will feature one athlete that is part of the Ultimate Autographs lineup. This week's Friday Featured Athlete is 2018 Pro Bowl and Indianapolis Colts star tight end Eric Ebron.

Eric Ebron initially began his athletic career at North Providence High School in Rhode Island before moving to North Carolina and attending Ben L. Smith High School in Greensboro. While playing football in high school, Eric Ebron played both tight end and defensive end. Eric Ebron would score 10 touchdowns and have 13.5 sacks, proving to be a true impact player on both sides of the ball. Coming out of high school, Eric Ebron was rated as a 3-star recruit by Scout.com and Rivals.com.

He eventually committed to the University of North Carolina and played in 10 games, recording 10 receptions, 207 yards and a touchdown in his freshman year. Eric Ebron became more of a focal point in the Tar Heels offense by catching 40 passes for 625 yards and four touchdowns in his sophomore year. The receptions and receiving yards were a record for an UNC Tar Heels tight end. Eric Ebron continued to find success in his final season for the Tar Heels with 62 receptions, 973 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Eric Ebron was named a First-Team All-Atlantic Conference (ACC) and was a finalist for the John Mackey Award, given to the best tight end in college football.

Eric Ebron would forgo his final year of eligibility for the Tar Heels and declare for the 2014 NFL Draft. He would showcase his rare athleticism for a tight end by running the second-fastest 40-yard dash time at the combine and was considered one of the top prospects in the draft.

The Detroit Lions selected Eric Ebron with the 10th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. The selection was the highest for a Tar Heels football player at that point. 

Eric Ebron would struggle to climb the Detroit Lions depth chart as he was listed behind Brandon Pettigrew and Joseph Fauria his rookie year, and behind Brandon Pettigrew again for his second season. He would finally be No. 1 tight end for the Detroit Lions in 2016. Eric Ebron missed a few games due to injury but finished his first season as the starting tight end for the Detroit Lions with 61 receptions, 711 receiving yards and a touchdown.

He would again be the Detroit Lions' starting tight end in 2017 and finished the season with 53 receptions for 574 yards and four touchdowns. Following the 2017 NFL season, the Detroit Lions made the decision to release Eric Ebron from the team.

While with the Detroit Lions, Eric Ebron showed glimpses of the immense talent that made him a top 10 pick. But he also struggled with consistency on the field and injuries. It was widely believed a change of scenery would be best for the former top pick and he eventually found a fresh start with the Indianapolis Colts.

In just his first season with the Indianapolis Colt, Eric Ebron put up Pro Bowl caliber numbers with 66 receptions, 750 yards, and 13 receiving touchdowns. His 13 receiving touchdowns put him in a tie with Davante Adams for second among all players for the season. Eric Ebron's impressive performance in the 2018 NFL season helped lead the Indianapolis Colts to a 10-6 record and a playoff berth.

In the 2018 NFL Playoffs, the Indianapolis Colts defeated the division rival Houston Texans by a score of 21-7. The Indianapolis Colts were defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs in the following round but the future is bright with offensive weapons like TY Hilton, Eric Ebron, Marlon Mack and others surrounding franchise QB Andrew Luck.

Ultimate Autographs will be featuring current Indianapolis Colts stars Darius Leonard, Marlon Mack and Eric Ebron at the Incrediplex on Saturday, May 25 for an autograph signing event. Fans can meet, snag autographs and take photos with their favorite Colts players beginning at 2:00 pm.

The Incrediplex facility is located at 6002 Sunnyside Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46236. Ultimate Autographs will have unsigned product (footballs, mini helmets, custom jerseys, full-size helmets, photos) available to purchase at the venue if you are unable to purchase your own prior to the signing.

The autograph signing kicks off with Colts running back Marlon Mack at approximately 2:00 pm, followed by Colts tight end and 2018 Pro Bowler Eric Ebron at approximately 2:30 pm and 2018 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Darius Leonard will be appearing at approximately 3:00 pm.

Full information on the upcoming autograph signing event - https://ultimateautographs.com/collections/indianapolis-colts-autograph-signing-event