Former FCS Players Abound on 2021 NFL Rosters

FCS programs are again filling NFL rosters, with over 140 players on 2021 season-opening rosters and nearly 40 more signed to practice squads as of Thursday.

NFL teams figure to keep adjusting rosters with opening night one week away.

There are many high-profile players from FCS programs, including the likes of quarterbacks Carson Wentz (Indianapolis Colts, North Dakota State), Jimmy Garoppolo (San Francisco 49ers, Eastern Illinois) and Trey Lance (49ers, North Dakota State), running backs David Johnson (Houston Texans, Northern Iowa) and James Robinson (Jacksonville Jaguars, Illinois State), wide receiver Cooper Kupp (Los Angeles Rams, Eastern Washington), fullback Kyle Juszczyk (San Francisco 49ers, Harvard), offensive tackle Terron Armstead (New Orleans Saints, Arkansas-Pine Bluff), linebackers Darius Leonard (Indianapolis Colts, South Carolina State) and Foye Oluokun (Atlanta Falcons, Yale), and defensive backs James Bradberry (New York Giants, Samford) and Jeremy Chinn (Carolina Panthers, Southern Illinois).

Wentz is currently on the Colts’ reserve/COVID-19 list and not listed on their active roster. His return would give North Dakota State a ninth player, the most among FCS programs. Delaware and Northern Iowa would follow with six players each.

Following were former FCS players on NFL rosters (non-practice squads) on Thursday:

Arizona Cardinals (4)

Robert Alford (reserve/COVID-19), DB, Southeastern Louisiana; Chase Edmonds, RB, Fordham; Josh Miles, OL, Morgan State; Chris Streveler, QB, South Dakota

Atlanta Falcons (4)

Brandon Copeland, LB, Penn; Jaeden Graham (reserve/injured), TE, Yale; Cameron Nizialek, P, Columbia; Foye Oluokun, OL, Yale

Baltimore Ravens (5)

Chris Board, LB, North Dakota State; Nick Boyle, TE, Delaware; Khalil Dorsey (reserve/injured), CB, Northern Arizona; L.J. Fort (reserve/injured), LB, Northern Iowa; Patrick Ricard, FB/DL, Maine

Buffalo Bills (4)

Spencer Brown, OT, Northern Iowa; Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State; Taiwan Jones, RB, Eastern Washington; Siran Neal, CB, Jacksonville State

Carolina Panthers (4)

Jeremy Chinn, S, Southern Illinois; Darryl Johnson, DE, North Carolina A&T; Trent Scott, OL, Grambling State; Julian Stanford, LB, Wagner

Chicago Bears (6)

Jesper Horsted, TE, Princeton; DeAndre Houston-Carson, DB; Caleb Johnson, LB, Houston Baptist; Bilal Nichols, DL, Delaware; Lachavious Simmons, OL, Tennessee State; Nsimba Webster, WR, Eastern Washington

Cleveland Browns (7)

Stephen Carlson, WR, Princeton; Connor Davis, TE, Stony Brook; Drew Forbes, OL, Southeast Missouri; Jamie Gillan, P, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Montrel Meander, LB, Grambling State; Greg Senat, OL, Wagner; JC Tretter, OL, Cornell

Dallas Cowboys (2)

Jabril Cox, OLB, North Dakota State; Ty Nsekhe, OT, Texas State

Denver Broncos (7)

Jacob Bobenmoyer, LS, Northern Colorado; Mike Ford, DB, Southeast Missouri; Jonas Griffith, LB, Indiana State; Shelby Harris, DE, Illinois State; Sam Martin, P, Appalachian State; Eric Saubert, TE, Drake; Diontae Spencer, WR, McNeese

Detroit Lions (7)

Tim Boyle (reserve/injured reserve), QB, Eastern Kentucky; KhaDarel Hodge, WR, Prairie View A&M; Tom Kennedy, WR, Bryant; Dean Marlowe, S, James Madison; Bobby Price, S, Norfolk State; Kalif Raymond, WR, Holy Cross; Nick Williams, DE, Samford

Green Bay Packers (3)

Dominique Dafney, TE, Indiana State; Robert Tonyan, TE, Indiana State; Billy Turner, OL, North Dakota State   

Houston Texans (5)

Kamu Grugier-Hill, LB, Eastern Illinois; Tytus Howard, OL, Alabama State; David Johnson, RB, Northern Iowa; Andre Roberts, WR/RS, The Citadel; Tremon Smith, DB, Central Arkansas             

Indianapolis Colts (6)

Julien Davenport, OL, Bucknell; Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State; George Odum, S, Central Arkansas; Luke Rhodes, LS, William & Mary; Carson Wentz (reserve/COVID-19), QB, North Dakota State; Chris Williams, DT, Wagner

Jacksonville Jaguars (4)

Jamal Agnew, WR, San Diego; James O’Shaughnessy, TE, Illinois State; Aaron Patrick, DE, Eastern Kentucky; James Robinson, RB, Illinois State

Kansas City Chiefs (3)

Daurice Fountain, WR, Northern Iowa; Jerick McKinnon, RB, Georgia Southern; Khalen Saunders, DT, Western Illinois

Las Vegas Raiders (1)

Brandon Parker, OL, North Carolina A&T

Los Angeles Chargers (4)

Nasir Adderley , S, Delaware; Donald Parham Jr., TE, Stetson; Ryan Smith (reserve/COVID-19), CB, North Carolina Central; Easton Stick, QB, North Dakota State

Los Angeles Rams (6)

Jamil Demby (reserve/injured), OL, Maine; Michael Hoecht, DL, Brown; Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington; Troy Reeder, LB, Delaware; Robert Rochell, DB, Central Arkansas; Jonah Williams, DL, Weber State

Miami Dolphins (2)

Elijah Campbell, DB, Northern Iowa; Albert Wilson, WR, Georgia State

Minnesota Vikings (3)

Ben Ellefson, TE, North Dakota State; Michael Pierce , DT, Samford; Oli Udoh, OL, Elon

New England Patriots (2)

Justin Bethel, DB, Presbyterian; Kendrick Bourne, WR, Eastern Washington

New Orleans Saints (4)

Terron Armstead, OT, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Ethan Greenidge (reserve/injured), OL, Villanova; Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova; Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton

New York Giants (5)

C.J. Board, WR, Chattanooga; James Bradberry, CB, Samford; Keion Crossen, DB, Western Carolina; Kyle Murphy, OL, Rhode Island; Elerson Smith, DE, Northern Iowa

New York Jets (4)

Daniel Brown, TE, James Madison; John Franklin-Myers, DL, Stephen F. Austin; Greg Van Roten, OL, Penn; Quincy Williams, LB, Murray State

Philadelphia Eagles (5)

Joe Flacco, QB, Delaware; Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State; Javon Hargrave, DT, South Carolina State; Rick Lovato, LS, Old Dominion; Alex Singleton, LB, Montana State

Pittsburgh Steelers (3)

Joe Haeg, OL, North Dakota State; Miles Killebrew, LB, Southern Utah; Christian Kuntz, LB/LS, Duquesne

San Francisco 49ers (9)

Tom Compton, OL, South Dakota; Ross Dwelley, TE, San Diego; Samson Ebukam, DE, Eastern Washington; Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, Eastern Illinois; Davontae Harris, CB, Illinois State; Kyle Juszczyk, FB, Harvard; Zach Kerr, DL, Delaware; Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State; Jaquiski Tartt, S, Samford

Seattle Seahawks (3)

Jason Myers, PK, Marist; Ryan Neal, S, Southern Illinois; Tyler Ott, LS, Harvard

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8)

Cameron Brate, TE, Harvard; Chris Cooper, S, Stony Brook; Dee Delaney, CB, The Citadel; Cam Gill, LB, Wagner; Troymaine Pope, RB, Jacksonville State; Aaron Stinnie, OL, James Madison; Earl Watford (reserve/COVID-19), OL, James Madison; Josh Wells, OL, James Madison

Tennessee Titans (8)

B.J. Bello (reserve/injured), LB, Illinois State; Nick Dzubnar (reserve/COVID-19), LB, Cal Poly; Corey Levin, OL, Chattanooga; Anthony Firkser, TE, Harvard; Kendall Lamm, OL, Appalachian State; Dillon Radunz, OL, North Dakota State; Derick Roberson, OLB, Sam Houston; Chester Rogers, WR, Grambling State

Washington Football Team (3)

DeAndre Carter, WR, Sacramento State; Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Harvard; Taylor Heinicke, QB, Old Dominion

Stats Perform research analyst Chase Weight contributed to this story.