CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As the NFL opens the 2019 regular season with the Green Bay Packers at the Chicago Bears on Thursday, Sept. 5th, the Mid-American Conference is well represented across NFL rosters as clubs open regular season play this weekend. Currently there are 70 former MAC students on NFL active rosters to begin the 2019 season and many are making a significant impact at the professional level.
Former Kent State quarterback Julian Edelman was named Super Bowl MVP as part of the New England Patriots 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, 2019 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Edelman finished with a game high 10 receptions for 141 yards. Edelman, a nine-year NFL veteran with the Patriots, won his third Super Bowl with New England and became the first former MAC student athlete to be named NFL Super Bowl MVP. He also became only the seventh wide receiver in NFL history to be named Super Bowl MVP. The victory came over the Los Angeles Rams, who are led by head coach Sean McVay, who played wide receiver for the Miami RedHawks from 2004-07, earning the team’s Scholar Athlete Award in 2007.
Last year the MAC had five former students named to the 2019 NFL Pro Bowl -- wide receiver Antonio Brown (Central Michigan)-Pittsburgh; offensive tackle Eric Fisher (Central Michigan)-Kansas City; defensive end Khalil Mack (Buffalo) - Chicago; punter Brett Kern (Toledo)-Tennessee, and offensive guard Brandon Brooks (Miami)-Philadelphia.
Also, last year Miami alum QB Ben Roethlisberger led the NFL in passing yards with 5,129 yards for Pittsburgh during the regular season. His 34 touchdowns ranked fourth in the NFL. Central Michigan alum WR Antonio Brown led the NFL in receiving touchdowns with 15 touchdowns for Pittsburgh.
This past May the MAC had nine draft selections in the 2019 NFL Draft. In three of the last seven NFL Drafts the MAC has been represented with a top five overall selection. In 2017, Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis was selected as the fifth overall selection in the first round by the Tennessee Titans. In 2014, Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack was the fifth overall selection by the Oakland Raiders in the 2014 NFL Draft and in 2013, Central Michigan offensive tackle Eric Fisher became the first MAC football player to be selected as the overall No. 1 selection in the NFL Draft.
Former Mid-American Conference Players on Active NFL Rosters: (70 as of Sept. 4, 2019)
Players, Years Experience, MAC School
Atlanta (2)
WR Christian Blake, Practice Squad, 1st year, Northern Illinois
DL Steven Means, Injured-Reserve, 5th year, Buffalo
Baltimore (1)
WR Willie Snead, 5th year, Ball State
Buffalo (2)
TE Nate Becker, Practice Squad, Rookie, Miami (Ohio)
DB Cam Lewis, Practice Squad, Rookie, Buffalo
Carolina (2)
OL Taylor Moton, 3rd year, Western Michigan
OL Kitt O’Brien, Injured-Reserve, 1st year, Ball State
Chicago (1)
LB Khalil Mack, 6th year, Buffalo
Cincinnati (2)
DB Darius Phillips, 2nd year, Western Michigan
TE Mason Schreck, Practice Squad, 3rd year, Buffalo
Cleveland (2)
DB T.J. Carrie, 6th year, Ohio
RB Kareem Hunt, 3rd year, Toledo
Dallas (4)
S Kavon Frazier, 4th year, Central Michigan
WR Jon’Vea Johnson, Injured-Reserve, Rookie, Toledo
LB Justin March, 5th year, Akron
QB Cooper Rush, 3rd year, Central Michigan
Denver (1)
K Brandon McManus, 6th year, Temple
Detroit (3)
WR Kenny Golladay, 3rd year, Northern Illinois
DB Rashaan Melvin, 7th year, Northern Illinois
K Matt Prater, 13th year, Central Florida
Green Bay (1)
DB Ka’Dar Hollman, Rookie, Toledo
Houston (4)
DB Jahleel Addae, 7th year, Central Michigan
DB Xavier Crawford, Rookie, Central Michigan
OL Greg Mancz, 5th year, Toledo
OL Max Scharping, Rookie, Northern Illinois
Indianapolis (2)
LB Jamal Davis, Practice Squad, Rookie, Akron
DB Rolan Milligan, Practice Squad, 1st year, Toledo
Jacksonville (1)
OL Ka’John Armstrong, Practice Squad, Rookie, Eastern Michigan
Kansas City (4)
OL Eric Fisher, 7th year, Central Michigan
OL Ryan Hunter, 1st year, Bowling Green
WR Cody Thompson, Practice Squad, Rookie, Toledo
OL Andrew Wylie, 2nd year, Eastern Michigan
Los Angeles Chargers (1)
LB Jatavis Brown, 4th year, Akron
Los Angeles Rams (1)
WR JoJo Natson, 3rd year, Akron
Minnesota (3)
WR Chad Beebe, 2nd year, Northern Illinois
TE Tyler Conklin, 2nd year, Central Michigan
OL Josh Kline, 7th year, Kent State
New England (1)
WR Julian Edelman, 11th year, Kent State
N.Y. Giants (1)
DB Sam Beal, Injured-Reserve, 2nd year, Western Michigan
N.Y. Jets (3)
DE Tarell Basham, 3rd year, Ohio
DB Kyron Brown, Practice Squad, Rookie, Akron
OL Brian Winters, 7th year, Kent State
Oakland (3)
WR Antonio Brown, 10th year, Central Michigan
DE Maxx Crosby, Rookie, Eastern Michigan
LB Tahir Whitehead, 8th year, Temple
Philadelphia (2)
OL Brandon Brooks, 8th year, Miami (Ohio)
DL Joe Ostman, Injured-Reserve, 1st year, Central Michigan
Pittsburgh (9)
DE Ola Adeniyi, 2nd year, Toledo
LB Ulysees Gilbert III, Rookie, Akron
WR Diontae Johnson, Rookie, Toledo
FB Roosevelt Nix, 5th year, Kent State
OL Chukwuma Okorafor, 2nd year, Western Michigan
QB Ben Roethlisberger, 16th year, Miami (Ohio)
LB Tuzar Skipper, Rookie, Toledo
DB Trevon Mathis, Practice Squad, Rookie, Toledo
LB Robert Spillane, Practice Squad, 1st year, Western Michigan
San Francisco (2)
OT Joe Staley, 13th year, Central Michigan
DB Jimmie Ward, 6th year, Northern Illinois
Seattle (2)
LB Nick Bellore, 9th year, Central Michigan
LB Justin Currie, Practice Squad, 2nd year, Western Michigan
Tampa Bay (3)
DL Demone Harris, 1st year, Buffalo
WR Scott Miller, Rookie, Bowling Green
DB Sean Murphy-Bunting, Rookie, Central Michigan
Tennessee (6)
WR Corey Davis, 3rd year, Western Michigan
RB David Fluellen, 3rd year, Toledo
P Brett Kern, 12th year, Toledo
WR Tajae Sharpe, 4th year, UMass
QB Logan Woodside, Practice Squad, 1st year, Toledo
WR Papi White, Practice Squad, Rookie, Ohio
Washington (1)
DL Treyvon Hester, 3rd year, Toledo
