Sebastian Vargas Escobar carries with him the pride of his Colombia homeland
CARBONDALE, Ill. — His full name won’t fit on the back of his jersey, but Saluki cornerback Sebastian Vargas Escobar wants the world to know how proud he is of his family name and his Colombia homeland.
“I do it for them, to make them proud with the last name on my back,” said Vargas Escobar, whose jersey reads ‘Vargas E.’ on the back. “Colombia is just an amazing place. That's the motherland.”
Vargas Escobar was born in Cali, Colombia, but moved with his parents to Florida when he was six years old. It wasn’t long before he discovered football.
“I grew up playing soccer on the streets of Colombia, but I came here and there’s this sport called football,” he laughed. “Everybody's so excited and the energy is so cool. My stepdad put me into flag football. I scored the first time I touched the ball and that was it. I just loved it.”
His playing career is filled with twists and turns. At Oviedo High School (FL), his primary position was wide receiver, and he caught 50 passes including nine touchdowns his senior year. He credits his training with A.J. Coney for helping him blossom into a college prospect.
Vargas Escobar originally committed to Central Florida, but after UCF’s coaching staff left for Tennessee, he ended up spending a year at New Mexico Military Institute. His next stop was Laney College in California, and that’s where he was spotted by the University of Florida.
The Gators offered him a preferred walk-on opportunity in 2023 and moved him to cornerback. Gainesville is also where he picked up a new nickname, “Bash.” After a season at Florida learning the finer points of playing corner, Vargas Escobar was itching for an opportunity to put his talents to use.
“I wanted to play important snaps at the Division I level — at cornerback or receiver, wherever they wanted me,” he said.
A family friend connected him with Nick Hill, and Vargas Escobar arrived at SIU in 2024. He started four games his first season with the Salukis and had a season-high four tackles at BYU. Although he played in every game in 2025, Vargas Escobar was hindered by a stress fracture in his foot.
“I wasn't healthy last year,” he admitted. “It was a lingering injury and guys passed me up. Credit to everybody that was balling. Toward the end of the season, I started playing my best ball.”
In the season-ending win at Illinois State last year, Vargas Escobar recorded his first-career interception. It was a bitter-sweet moment, because he was uncertain whether it was his final college football game or if the NCAA would grant him an extra year of eligibility.
“I had the faith of a mustard seed, but I had a feeling in my gut, it was like, this can't be the end,” he recalled. “Especially after my pick against Illinois State — this is not how my career is supposed to end.”
Vargas Escobar was in the transfer portal awaiting his fate and training with J.K. Elite in Florida, when he finally received approval in May. He promptly reached out to Hill about returning to Carbondale.
“When I didn't know whether I had an extra year, he was always checking in on me, seeing how my process was going,” Vargas Escobar said. “I have a great relationship with Coach Hill. He's always helped me see ways I could become a better person, have a better attitude and change my perspective.”
The Salukis had already completed spring ball, where starting cornerback jobs were claimed by Gavin Shepard and Cam Cason, so there were no guarantees regarding playing time.
“I think being away from the team in the spring, you kind of go through a humbling process,” Hill said. “You really have an appreciation of playing the game and not wasting a day. Since he’s been back, you can tell how much Bash loves being here.”
Vargas Escobar is playing his best football in 2026, leading the team with two interceptions and earning high marks on Pro Football Focus.
He spends extra time in film study and said his interception at Illinois happened because he recognized a formation he’d seen the Fighting Illini use against Duke the week before. Vargas Escobar knew exactly what route star wide receiver Collin Dixon was going to run and positioned himself to intercept a Katin Houser pass in the end zone.
“I tried to bait the quarterback and it worked,” he smiled.
Although he’s not starting, Vargas Escobar said he’s happy to do whatever the team needs.
“I wouldn't call myself a corner,” he said. “I call myself a defensive back. You could put me in the deep half, in zone, in man. I’ll just look at my keys, play to my strengths and trust my instincts. Just believe in yourself and go make the play.”
Vargas Escobar’s favorite NFL player is New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who hails from La Tricolor, Colombia. While he’d love to join Gonzalez in the league, he knows he’s a long-shot at best.
Instead, he expects to finish his MBA in December and eventually start his own business in Colombia.
Vargas Escobar plans to grow cacao, which is the base for all chocolate, and coffee beans, on the land his grandfather owned before he passed away. Then, he’ll export them to the U.S.
“The soil is amazing in South America,” he said. “I’m going to carry on my grandfather’s legacy, along with all my cousins.”
He hopes to have the business up and running within a few years and is looking for a mentor to guide him through the importing process and how to get licensing approval to sell goods internationally.
“I definitely have an entrepreneurial mindset,” Vargas Escobar concluded. “I love my family in Colombia. I want to give back, leave people closer to God and just be a better version of myself day in and day out.”
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