When the WVU football team needed a leader, KJ Dillon stepped up to fill the role.
Karl Joseph’s knee injury was a huge blow to the Mountaineers early in the 2015 season. Joseph’s intangibles on defense speak for themselves and those attributes earned him a first round selection in the 2016 NFL Draft.
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In Joseph’s absence, Dillon stepped up to lead the defense. And, just two days after Joseph was drafted by the Oakland Raiders, Dillon went to the Houston Texans.
With the 159th selection, the Texans got Dillon in the fifth round. That was just six spots away from another former Mountaineer as Wendell Smallwood went 153 to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Dillon, a humble person on and off the field, knows how fortunate he is to be going from Apopka, Fla. to the NFL.
Now, comes the hard questions.
"I wonder if they got in and out in Houston."
Apparently, according to one Twitter user, Whataburger is the fast food of choice in Houston, not In-And-Out.
Still, Dillon looks to come in with the Texans and make an impact right away.
In his senior year at West Virginia, Dillon had career highs in tackles (45) and yards in tackles for a loss (21). In his career, Dillon finished with 125 tackles in 48 career games. He had five interceptions and two forced fumbles.
His legacy with the Mountaineers will stem from the way he rallied the team when Joseph was unable to play. Dillon’s interactions with the media were personal and humble. He never got a big head, he just got down to work to help make the team better.
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Everything came to fruition for Dillon after a Senior Day victory over Iowa State at Milan Puskar Stadium. He picked off a pass in the Mountaineers’ 30-6 win over the Cyclones.
“I’m thankful and happy that I had the chance to get one last interception on Mountaineer Field,” Dillon said. “It’s emotion, man. I had to fight back tears pregame and I was too excited to cry after the game.”
It’s a safe bet that Dillon was overcome with emotion when he saw his name called by the Texans.