Mid-American Conference

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As the NFL opens the 2018 regular season with the Atlanta Falcons at the defending Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night, the Mid-American Conference is well represented across NFL rosters as clubs open regular season play this weekend.  Currently there are 71 former MAC students on NFL active rosters to begin the 2018 season.

Last year the MAC had nine former students named to the 2018 NFL Pro Bowl -- wide receiver Antonio Brown (Central Michigan)-Pittsburgh; quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (Miami)-Pittsburgh, running back Kareem Hunt (Toledo)-Kansas City, fullback Roosevelt Nix (Kent State)-Pittsburgh, defensive end Khalil Mack (Buffalo)-Oakland, punter Brett Kern (Toledo)-Tennessee, offensive tackle Joe Staley (Central Michigan)-San Francisco 49ers, offensive guard Brandon Brooks (Miami)-Philadelphia and offensive guard T.J. Lang (Eastern Michigan)-Detroit.  

Earlier this summer the NFL Network came out with its list of the current Top 100 players in the NFL.  The MAC was represented with four players in the top 33 -- No. 2 wide receiver Antonio Brown (Central Michigan) of the Pittsburgh Steelers; No. 16 defensive end Khalil Mack (Buffalo) recently acquired by the Chicago Bears; No. 18 quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (Miami) of the Pittsburgh Steelers; and No. 33 running back Kareem Hunt (Toledo) of the Kansas City Chiefs.

This past May the MAC had five draft selections in the 2018 NFL Draft.  In three of the last six 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 (71):
Player, Years Experience, School

Arizona (1)
LB Gabe Martin-Injured Reserve; 2nd year; Bowling Green
  
Baltimore (1)
WR Willie Snead; 4th year; Ball State
  
Carolina (1)
OL Taylor Moton; 2nd year; Western Michigan
 
Chicago (1)
LB Khalil Mack; 5th year; Buffalo
 
Cincinnati (2)
DB Darius Phillips; Rookie; Western Michigan
TE Mason Schreck; 2nd year; Buffalo
 
Cleveland (2)
DB T.J. Carrie; 5th year; Ohio
LB Justin Currie-Injured-Reserve; 2nd year; Western Michigan
 
Dallas (3)
S Kavon Frazier; 3rd year; Central Michigan
LB Justin March-Lillard; 4th year; Akron
QB Cooper Rush; 2nd year; Central Michigan
 
Denver (1)
K Brandon McManus; 5th year; Temple
 
Detroit (6)
LB Nick Bellore; 8th year; Central Michigan
WR Kenny Golladay; 2nd year; Northern Illinois
OL T.J. Lang; 10th year; Eastern Michigan
DB Rolan Milligan-Practice Squad; 1st year; Toledo
K Matt Prater; 12th year; Central Florida
TE Michael Roberts; 2nd year; Toledo
 
Green Bay (4)
RB Darius Jackson; 3rd year; Eastern Michigan
RB Joel Bouagnon-Practice Squad; 1st year; Northern Illinois
DB Quinten Rollins-Injured-Reserve; 4th year; Miami (Ohio)
DL Muhammad Wilkerson; 8th year; Temple
 
Houston (1)
OL Greg Mancz; 3rd year; Toledo
 
Indianapolis (1)
DE Tarell Basham; 2nd year; Ohio
 
Jacksonville (2)
LB Blair Brown; 2nd year; Ohio
DB Barry Church; 9th year; Toledo
 
Kansas City (4)
OL Eric Fisher; 6th year; Central Michigan
RB Kareem Hunt; 2nd year; Toledo
OL Ryan Hunter-Practice Squad; Rookie; Bowling Green
OL Andrew Wylie; 1st year; Eastern Michigan
 
Los Angeles Chargers (3)
DB Jahleel Addae; 6th year; Central Michigan
LB Jatavis Brown; 3rd year; Akron
TE Antonio Gates; 16th year; Kent State
  
Miami (2)
LB Quentin Poling-Practice Squad; Rookie; Ohio
OL Josh Sitton; 11th year; Central Florida
 
Minnesota (3)
WR Chad Beebe-Practice Squad; Rookie; Northern Illinois
TE Tyler Conklin; Rookie; Central Michigan
OT Storm Norton-Practice Squad; 1st year; Toledo
 
New England (1)
WR Julian Edelman; 10th year; Kent State
 
New Orleans (1)
WR Tommylee Lewis; 3rd year; Northern Illinois
 
N.Y. Giants (4)
DB Sam Beal-Injured Reserve; Rookie; Western Michigan
OL John Greco; 11th year; Toledo
WR Alonzo Russell-Practice Squad; 1st year; Toledo
DT Kristjan Sokoli-Injured Reserve; 2nd year; Buffalo
 
N.Y. Jets (1)
OL Brian Winters; 6th year; Kent State
 
Oakland (2)
DB Rashaan Melvin; 6th year; Northern Illinois
LB Tahir Whitehead; 7th year; Temple
 
Philadelphia (2)
OL Brandon Brooks; 7th year; Miami (Ohio)
DL Joe Ostman-Practice Squad; Rookie; Central Michigan
 
Pittsburgh (8)
LB Keion Adams-Practice Squad; 2nd year; Western Michigan
DE Ola Adeniyi -Injured Reserve; Rookie; Toledo
WR Antonio Brown; 9th year; Central Michigan
RB Jarvion Franklin-Practice Squad; Rookie; Western Michigan
FB Roosevelt Nix; 4th year; Kent State
OL Chukwuma Okorafor; Rookie; Western Michigan
QB Ben Roethlisberger; 15th year; Miami (Ohio)
DL L.T. Walton; 4th year; Central Michigan
 
San Francisco (2)
OT Joe Staley;  12th year; Central Michigan
DB Jimmie Ward; 5th year; Northern Illinois
 
Seattle (2)
WR Brandon Marshall; 13th year; Central Florida
OL Elijah Nkansah-Practice Squad; Rookie; Toledo
 
Tampa Bay (3)
WR Sergio Bailey-Injured-Reserve; Rookie; Eastern Michigan
DL Demone Harris-Practice Squad; Rookie; Buffalo
DL Pat O’Connor-Practice Squad; 1st year; Eastern Michigan
 
Tennessee (7)
WR Corey Davis; 2nd year; Western Michigan
RB David Fluellen; 2nd year; Toledo
P Brett Kern; 11th year; Toledo
OL Josh Kline; 6th year; Kent State
WR Tajae Sharpe; 3rd year; UMass
LB Robert Spillane-Practice Squad, Rookie; Western Michigan
QB Logan Woodside-Practice Squad; Rookie; Toledo