Education
A native of Cahokia, Illinois, Armstead attended Cahokia High School, where he was a letterman in football and track.
A native of Cahokia, Illinois, Armstead attended Cahokia High School, where he was a letterman in football and track.
He was drafted by the Saints in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arkansas–Pine Bluff. Armstead was named HBCU Top 30 Under 30, in July 2014
He grew from a 6-2, 250-pound offensive lineman as a junior to a 6-4, 300-pound senior, leading Comanches to an 11-2 record and league title, earning All-Southern Seven Conference and All-Class 5A selection.
In track & field, Armstead was named the News-Democrat Track & Field Athlete of the Year after capturing the state title in the shot put event with a 61 ft 5 in (1871980 m) throw.
He also threw the discus. Armstead enrolled in the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, where he played for the Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions football team from 2009 to 2012.
He was an All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) selection during his final three seasons at Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Track and field
Armstead was also on the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions track & field team, where he competed as a shot putter, discus thrower and hammer thrower.
He got a personal-record of 18.73 meters in the shot put at the 2012 National Collegiate Athletic Association West Regional, placing 10th.
At the 2012 Pepsi Florida Relays, he placed 4th in the discus throw with a career-best throw of 50.37 meters. 2013 NFL Draft
At the 2013 NFL Combine, Armstead ran a remarkably fast 4.71 sec 40-yard dash, which is the fastest 40 yard dash time of any offensive lineman at the combine since it first began in 1982. New Orleans Saints
Armstead was drafted in the third round, with the 75th overall pick, of the 2013 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints, making him the highest draft pick ever out of Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
The Saints signed Armstead to a four-year rookie contract on May 9, 2013.