Héctor Zepeda
{{Short description|Mexican gridiron football player (born 1997)}}
{{family name hatnote|Zepeda|Hernández|lang=Spanish}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Héctor Zepeda
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_team =
| number =
| position = Offensive lineman
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1997|11|1}}
| birth_place = Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lbs = 297
| high_school = Instituto México
(Tijuana)
| college = ITESM Monterrey
| cfldraftyear = 2022G
| cfldraftround = 1
| cfldraftpick = 8
| pastteams =
- Ottawa Redblacks ({{CFL Year|2024}})*
| status = Active
| cflstatus = Global
| highlights =
- ONEFA champion (2022)
- CONADEIP champion (2019)
| cfl = hector-zepeda/168620/
}}
Héctor Andrés Zepeda Hernández (born 1 November 1997) is a Mexican professional football offensive lineman. He played college football at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM), where he won two national championships with the Borregos Salvajes Monterrey. He was selected to participate in the National Football League (NFL)'s International Player Pathway Program (IPPP) in 2022 and 2023. Zepeda was also drafted by the Ottawa Redblacks in the first round of the 2022 CFL Global Draft.
Early life
Zepeda was born in Ensenada, Baja California, and moved to Tijuana soon afterward due to his father's job.{{cite news|url=https://www.elimparcial.com/tijuana/tijuana/Hector-Zepeda-bajacaliforniano-que-apunta-a-la-NFL-20220111-0037.html|title=Héctor Zepeda, bajacaliforniano que apunta a la NFL|work=El Imparcial|first=Heriberto|last=Muñoz|date=11 January 2022|access-date=24 December 2022|language=es}} He played indoor soccer and basketball as a child.{{cite news|url=https://www.mediotiempo.com/futbol-americano/nfl/hector-zepeda-se-siente-privilegiado-de-estar-en-el-international-pathway-nfl|title='Me siento privilegiado'; Héctor Zepeda buscará llegar a la NFL a través del International Pathway|work=Medio Tiempo|date=21 January 2022|access-date=24 December 2022|language=es}} He also competed in sport shooting, winning a gold medal in the 13–14-year-old category at the 2011 {{ill|Olimpiada Nacional|es}} (National Olympics).{{cite news|url=https://www.maximoavance.com/2022/01/quien-es-hector-zepeda-10-datos-que-debes-conocer-del-nuevo-jugador-mexicano-en-el-ipp-de-la-nfl/|title=¿Quién es Héctor Zepeda?|work=Máximo Avance|first=Gabriel|last=Pacheco|date=11 January 2022|access-date=24 December 2022|language=es}}{{cite news|url=https://www.elvigia.net/deportes/2011/5/12/mata-baja-california-pjaros-tiro-44147.html|title=Mata Baja California dos pájaros de un tiro|work=El Vigía|date=12 May 2011|access-date=24 December 2022|language=es}} Zepeda began playing American football at the age of 14; his middle school physical education teacher convinced him to join the team, which he coached.{{cite news|url=https://www.milenio.com/deportes/americano/mexicano-hector-zepeda-suma-programa-internacional-nfl|title=¡Un mexicano más! Héctor Zepeda se suma a programa internacional de NFL|work=Milenio|first=Michel|last=Cruz|date=29 November 2022|access-date=24 December 2022|language=es}} He subsequently played football in high school at the Instituto México in Tijuana. He was selected to an {{abbr|OEFA|Organización Estudiantil de Fútbol Americano de Baja California}} all-star team that defeated Borregos Prepa Tec 28–0 in the third annual Tazón OEFA-CONADEIP in 2014.{{cite news|url=https://www.elimparcial.com/tijuana/deportelocal/Lista-de-jugadores-de-BC-que-se-enfrentaran-al-TEC-es-revelada-20141128-0015.html|title=Lista de jugadores de BC que se enfrentarán al TEC es revelada|work=El Imparcial|first=Daniel|last=Iglesias|date=28 November 2014|access-date=24 December 2022|language=es}}
College career
Zepeda received a scholarship to play college football with the Borregos Salvajes Monterrey, representing the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM). He played the guard, tackle and center positions. Zepeda helped the Borregos Salvajes win the 2019 Liga Premier CONADEIP championship. After graduating in 2021, he returned to play another season in 2022 and helped the team win the Liga Mayor ONEFA championship.{{cite news|url=https://www.americanfootballinternational.com/nfl-international-player-pathway-spotlight-hector-zepeda-ol-mexico/|title=NFL International Player Pathway spotlight: Hector Zepeda, OL, Mexico|work=American Football International|date=18 December 2022|access-date=25 December 2022}}
Professional career
In October 2021, Zepeda attended an NFL International Combine held in Monterrey.{{cite news|url=https://www.americanfootballinternational.com/monterrey-mexico-hosts-second-nfl-international-combine/|title=Monterrey, Mexico genial hosts of second NFL International Combine|work=American Football International|first=Alex|last=Malchow|date=25 October 2021|access-date=24 December 2022}} His performance earned him an invitation to participate in the National Football League (NFL)'s International Player Pathway Program (IPPP) in 2022 alongside 12 other prospects.{{cite news|url=https://www.americanfootballinternational.com/nfl-international-player-pathway-spotlight-hector-zepada-ol-mexico/|title=NFL International Player Pathway spotlight: Hector Zepada, OL, Mexico|work=American Football International|first=Alex|last=Malchow|date=15 January 2022|access-date=24 December 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://receptor.com.mx/2022/01/11/hector-zepeda-tercer-mexicano-en-tres-anos-que-va-por-el-sueno-de-la-nfl/|title=Héctor Zepeda, tercer mexicano en tres años que va por el sueño de la NFL|work=Receptor|date=11 January 2022|access-date=24 December 2022|language=es}} Two of his former teammates at ITESM, Isaac Alarcón and Alfredo Gutiérrez, had been signed to NFL teams after participating in the program in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Zepeda spent 10 weeks training in Arizona before participating alongside other IPPP players Arizona State University's Pro Day on 14 March 2022.{{cite news|url=https://www.telediario.mx/deportes/basquetbol/hector-zepeda-revela-jugadores-seguir-rumbo-nfl|title=Héctor Zepeda revela sus modelos a seguir como jugador rumbo a la NFL|work=Telediario.mx|first=José|last=Villalva|date=19 January 2022|access-date=25 December 2022|language=es}}{{cite news|url=https://www.americanfootballinternational.com/the-nfls-international-player-pathways-best-shine-at-arizona-states-pro-day/|title=The NFL's International Player Pathway's best shine at Arizona State's Pro Day|first=Alex|last=Malchow|date=17 March 2022|access-date=24 December 2022}} However, no team signed him.{{cite news|url=https://espndeportes.espn.com/futbol-americano/nota/_/id/11376796/hector-zepeda-y-una-segunda-oportunidad-para-llegar-a-la-nfl|title=Héctor Zepeda y una segunda oportunidad para llegar a la NFL|work=ESPN Deportes|first=Víctor|last=Álvarez|date=16 December 2022|access-date=24 December 2022|language=es}} The following month, Zepeda was drafted by the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the eighth overall pick in the 2022 CFL Global Draft.{{cite press release|url=https://www.ottawaredblacks.com/2022/05/03/redblacks-take-three-in-2022-cfl-global-draft/|title=Redblacks take three in 2022 CFL Global Draft|publisher=Ottawa Redblacks|date=3 May 2022|access-date=24 December 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.maximoavance.com/2022/05/zepeda-es-elegido-por-la-cfl/|title=Zepeda es elegido por la CFL|work=Máximo Avance|first=Luis|last=Alonso|date=3 May 2022|access-date=24 December 2022|language=es}} He chose to return to Mexico to play in the 2022 college season.
In October 2022, Zepeda once again attended an NFL International Combine, this time held in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.{{cite news|url=https://www.jornada.com.mx/2022/11/30/deportes/a07n1dep|title=Seleccionan a Héctor Zepeda en programa internacional de la NFL|work=La Jornada|date=3 November 2022|access-date=25 December 2022|language=es}} He was selected to the International Player Pathway Program for the second year in a row, being named along with 10 other athletes as a member of the 2023 class. Zepeda was selected by the Galgos de Tijuana with the 20th overall pick in the 2024 Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA) draft, but did not play with the team.
On 28 February 2024, Zepeda signed with the Ottawa Redblacks.{{cite news|url=https://www.bgmsportstrax.com/2024/02/28/ottawa-redblacks-sign-offensive-lineman-hector-zepeda/|title=Ottawa Redblacks sign offensive lineman Hector Zepeda|work=BGMSportsTrax|first=Michael|last=Heiman|date=28 February 2024|access-date=24 July 2024}} Following training camp, he accepted a position on the team's practice roster.{{cite news|url=https://www.ottawaredblacks.com/2024/06/02/redblacks-transactions-june-1-2024/ |title=Redblacks transactions: June 1, 2024 |publisher=Ottawa Redblacks |date=1 June 2024}}
Personal life
Zepeda is the first member of his family to have played American football, and his parents did not know much about it when he began.{{cite news|url=https://espndeportes.espn.com/futbol-americano/nota/_/id/9807346/nfl-mexicano-hector-zepeda-international-program-plantilla-equipo|title=De un medio para estudiar a las puertas de la NFL, el camino de Héctor Zepeda en el fútbol americano|work=ESPN Deportes|first=Víctor|last=Álvarez|date=19 January 2022|access-date=25 December 2022|language=es}} Zepeda used the #79 jersey in college to honor his grandfather, who died at the age of 79. He earned his undergraduate degree in industrial and systems engineering before enrolling in the Master of Finance program at the EGADE Business School in 2021.{{cite news|url=https://egade.tec.mx/en/blog/hector-zepeda-egade-student-and-tec-american-football-player-spotted-nfl|title=Héctor Zepeda, EGADE Student and Tec American Football Player Spotted by the NFL|publisher=EGADE Business School|first=José Ángel|last=De la Paz|date=13 January 2021|access-date=24 December 2022}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.ottawaredblacks.com/players/hector-zepeda/168620/ Ottawa Redblacks bio]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zepeda, Hector}}
Category:Mexican players of American football
Category:Mexican players of Canadian football
Category:American football offensive linemen
Category:Canadian football offensive linemen
Category:Borregos Salvajes Monterrey players
Category:International Player Pathway participants
Category:Ottawa Redblacks players