KANSAS CITY -- Trey Pipkins, a five-time All-American offensive tackle from the University of Sioux Falls and now a member of the Los Angeles Chargers, has been named to the D2Football.com 2010-19 All-Decade Team, according to an announcement by the website today (April 7).
 
Pipkins, who was named to the second team at offensive tackle, was among 50 players selected. To be eligible, a student-athlete must have played during any season from 2010-19 and completed eligibility before the 2020 season while also being an All-American by D2Football.com during that period. Thirty-five of the players selected were on an active roster of of the NFL. Pipkins, who was selected in the third round of the 2019 draft by the Chargers, was one of 16 players drafted. 

 

Pipkins, who played at USF from 2015-18, was the first-ever USF position player and second overall drafted into the NFL. Pipkins was chosen with the 27th pick of the third round and 91^st selection overall. Brian Hansen, the director of the FCA in South Dakota, was drafted as a punter by the New Orleans Saints in the ninth round of the 1984 draft, which was some 35 years ago.  Pipkins, a three-time All-NSIC selection, played in 13 games with three starts during the 2019-20 season for the Chargers.  

Not only was Pipkins, USF's first-ever position player drafted into the NFL but was the first-ever USF student-athlete to compete at the NFL Scouting Combine.

At USF, Pipkins was one of the nation's top offensive lineman at 2018. Pipkins was a USF sports management graduate (2017) and played a key role as USF earned three postseason berths and compiled a 37-11 overall record during his time with the USF program. Pipkins finished third in the balloting for the Upshaw Award (DII Offensive Lineman of the Year), and was earlier named to the D2Football.com (first team), and Associated Press (first team) and the D2CCA (second team) All-American teams. 
 
Selected one of four team captains for USF, Pipkins was named to the D2Football.com and The Podyum preseason All-American teams. In the 2018 season, Pipkins was named first team all-league for the first time on one of the league's top offensive line units. USF, which ranked fifth in the league in scoring at 33.8 points per game, led the NSIC and ranked fifth in NCAA DII in rushing at 274.2 yards per game. The Cougars ranked seventh nationally in yards per play (6.98), led the NSIC and ranked 14th in NCAA DII in total offense with 466.5 yards per game. Pipkins also blocked for Harlon Hill Award finalist Gabriel Watson, who led the nation in rushing yards per game (177.9 yards per game, school record 1,957 rushing yards) and rushing touchdowns (26). In 2018, Pipkins graded at 91.7 percent (651 positive reps in 710 plays) with 90.5 knockdowns in 2018. He also was a leader on the offensive line in 2016, when as a sophomore, he helped Harlon Hill trophy candidate Max Mickey set a then school record of 1,765 yards with 19 TDs. 
 
Pipkins, who had 234.5 knockdowns in 43 career starts, allowed just one sack this year and two in his career.  A two-time Academic All-NSIC performer, he had a 90 percent grade in 10-of-11 games with a season-high of 96 percent vs Minot State and graded 94.5 percent against Wayne State, 92.4 percent vs No. 1 Minnesota State and 92.1 percent from Winona State, both road games.