Wisconsin’s former star receiver celebrated a victory this week in the courtroom that was as big as any he had on the field.
Former Badgers wideout Quintez Cephus was found not guilty on two sexual assault charges by a Madison jury on Friday, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
“I’m happy,” Cephus told the paper. “I’ve had a lot of people here supporting me and my family. I’ve learned a lot through this situation. And I know this sounds crazy, but I think you grow through what you go through, and I’ve been able to grow a lot.”
Cephus testified during the trial that while he did have sex with two reportedly intoxicated women in April of 2018, he did not sexually assault them. A jury seemed to agree, taking just 45 minutes to reach a verdict in the case.
The Georgia native was one of the few threats in the passing game for the Badgers when he was on the field, recording 501 and six touchdowns as a sophomore in 2017. Wisconsin initially suspended him from the team after first learning of the allegations against him and the school eventually expelled him after he went through the student disciplinary process -- eventually prompting a (since dropped) lawsuit against the university over the process.
Cephus nor his lawyer didn’t comment on whether he would try to play football at an FBS school again but the news certainly opened the door to that being the case.