Northern Illinois University Athletics

• Durable defensive lineman finished his career with 20 tackles for loss and 121 tackles in 49 career games with 43 starts.
• Three-time all-conference choice and four-year team captain. 

2023
• Started all 13 games for NIU in 2023 and repeated as Team MVP. 
• Named first team All-MAC by Phil Steele and earned second team honors from league coaches. 
• His 49 tackles were a career single season best and ranked fifth on the team.
• Also recorded season best 6.5 tackles for loss and four quarterback sacks.
• Twice tied his career high of six tackles in wins over Eastern Michigan (10-21) and Ohio (10-14).
• Added a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss in the EMU game. 
• Made five tackles at Nebraska (9-16), with two tackles for loss, and matched the total versus Ball State (11-7).
• Recorded his first career fumble recovery against Tulsa (9-23).
• Also posted sacks in NIU wins at Kent State (11-25) and Akron (10-7).
• Batted down a pair of passes - against Arkansas State (12/23) in the Camellia Bowl and versus WMU (11-14). 
• Semifinalist for the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award and Campbell Trophy. 
• Earned Academic All-MAC honors. 

2022
•    Huskies’ 2022 team MVP earned second team All-MAC honors from PFF and Phil Steele and was a third team All-MAC selection by league coaches.
•    Started all 12 games at defensive tackle and finished with a career high 28 total tackles with six tackles for loss, two sacks and two fumbles forced.
•    Made two tackles with half a sack in the season-opening win over Eastern Illinois (9-1).
•    Recorded four tackles with half a sack and a forced fumble at Kentucky (9-24).
•    Set the tone for NIU’s win at Eastern Michigan (10-15) by batting down and then intercepting a pass in the end zone for the Huskies’ first touchdown, the first of his career.
•    Made a season-high six tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup versus Central Michigan (11-2).
•    Registered a four-yard sack and forced a fumble in NIU’s win at Western Michigan (11-9).
•    Credited with six tackles, one for loss, against Miami (11-16).
•    Tallied full or partial tackles for loss at Tulsa (9-10) and versus Akron (11-26).
•    Add two stops and two quarterback hurries in the Ohio (10-22) and Akron games. 
•    Season long team captain.  

2021
•    Started all 14 games on the Huskie defensive line.
•    Totaled 25 tackles, 3.5 for loss with two quarterback sacks and a team-leading five hurries, broke up a pass and blocked a kick. 
•    Named to the All-MAC third team defense by league coaches and by Phil Steele.  
•    Made at least one tackle in 13 of 14 games. 
•    Amassed a career-high five stops with half a tackle for loss in the Huskies’ overtime win at Buffalo (11-17).
•    Broke up a pass and had a half tackle for loss versus Ball State (11-10).
•    Tallied four tackles and a hurry in the victory over Toledo (10-9). 
•    Recorded a sack on the second play of the game against Eastern Michigan (10-2) and had a sack versus Bowling Green (10-16).
•    Blocked Coastal Carolina’s first PAT attempt in the Cure Bowl game (12-17) and was in on a tackle for loss.   
•    Credited with three assists versus Wyoming (9-11). 
•    Began the season with two tackles, a solo and an assist, in the victory at Georgia Tech (9-4).
•    One of two underclassmen elected to serve as a team captain for the 2021 season. 

2020
• Played in all six games in 2020, making four starts.
• Finished ninth on the team with 19 tackles, eight solo, and two tackles for loss.
• Recorded four tackles in back-to-back games against Central Michigan (11-11) and Ball State (11-18).
• Earned his first career sack against Eastern Michigan (12-12).

2019
• Played in four games during redshirt season, one of 16 true freshmen to see playing time.
• Tallied two tackles, both solo and both tackles for loss.
• Saw his first action at Nebraska (9-14), recording a tackle for loss.
• Posted his second TFL against Eastern Michigan (11-19).

HIGH SCHOOL
• Three-year letterwinner named first team All-State by the Detroit Free Press and was a first team all-conference choice.
• Named Cass Tech’s defensive MVP.
• Played both defensive line and outside linebacker during his career.
• Helped lead the Technicians to a 10-1 record and Detroit Public League championship as a senior and to the district and regional titles his junior year.
• Cass Tech was 33-4, including the 2016 state championship, during his three seasons on varsity.
• Technicians defense recorded five shutouts in 2018, including four in a row.
• Forced and recovered a fumble in Detroit PSL championships game versus Detroit King HS.
• Made 42 tackles with two forced fumbles, one recovered, an interception and a blocked kick in 2018.
• Totaled 30 tackles, 12 solo, his junior season and tallied 15 stops as a sophomore.

PERSONAL
• Born on August 30 in Detroit, Mich.
• Son of Shelly Nevels-Ester and Craig Ester.
• Earned his bachelor's degree in communications in May 2023.