CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As the NFL opens the 2021 regular season with the Dallas Cowboys visiting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday, Sept. 9th, the Mid-American Conference is well represented across NFL rosters as clubs open regular season play. Currently there are 66 former MAC student-athletes on NFL active rosters to begin the 2021 season and many are making a significant impact at the professional level.
Last year the MAC had three former student-athlets named to the 2021 NFL Pro Bowl -- Indianpolis OT Eric Fisher (Central Michigan), Chicago LB Khalil Mack (Buffalo), Seattle ST Nick Bellore (Central Michigan). In addition, Tampa Bay WR Antonio Brown (Central Michigan), WR Scotty Miller (Bowling Green), S Sean Murphy-Bunting (Central Michigan), LB Patrick O'Connor (Eastern Michigan) and S Javon Hagan (Ohio) celebrated a Super Bowl Championship.
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.
This past April, the MAC had four draft selections in the 2021 NFL Draft. In three of the last eight 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 MAC Student-Athletes on Active NFL Rosters: (66 as of Sept. 9, 2021)
Arizona Cardinals
Jonathan Ward, RB, Central Michigan (2)
Brian Winters, OL, Kent State (9)
Atlanta Falcons
Christian Blake, WR, Northern Illinois (3)
Steven Means, DE, Buffalo (7)
Tajaé Sharpe, WR, UMass (6)
Baltimore Ravens
N/A
Buffalo Bills
Reggie Gilliam, FB, Toledo (R)
Tommy Doyle, OT, Miami (R)
Quintin Morris, TE, Bowling Green (R)
Cam Lewis, CB, Buffalo (2)
Carolina Panthers
Taylor Moton, OT, Western Michigan (5)
Giovanni Ricci, TE, Western Michigan (1)
Cincinnati Bengals
Darius Phillips, CB, Western Michigan, (4)
# Mason Schreck, TE, Buffalo, (4)
Chicago Bears
Khalil Mack, LB, Buffalo (8)
Xavier Crawford, DB, Central Michigan (3)
# Jon'Vea Johnson, WR, Toledo (2)
Cleveland Browns
Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo (5)
# Jordan Steckler, T, Northern Illinois, (1)
# JoJo Natson, WR, Akron (5)
Dallas Cowboys
Tarell Basham, DE, Ohio (5)
Cooper Rush, QB, Central Michigan (4)
# Kyron Brown, CB, Akron (3)
Detroit Lions
N/A
Denver Broncos
LeVante Bellamy, RB, Western Michigan (2)
Green Bay Packers
# Ray Wilborn, LB, Ball State (1)
Houston Texans
Max Scharping, OL, NIU (3)
# Antonio Phillips, CB, Ball State, (R)
Indianapolis Colts
T.J. Carrie, CB, Ohio (8)
Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan, (9)
Danny Pinter, G, Ball State, (2)
Kansas City Chiefs
Andrew Wylie, G, Eastern Michigan (4)
# Demone Harris, DE, Buffalo, (3)
Las Vegas Raiders
Max Crosby, DE, Eastern Michigan (3)
Malcolm Koonce, DE, Buffalo, (R)
Willie Snead, WR, Ball State, (7)
Los Angeles Chargers
Storm Norton, T, Toledo, (2)
# Ryan Hunter, G, Bowling Green, (1)
Los Angeles Rams
N/A
Miami Dolphins
Greg Mancz, OL, Toledo (6)
Minnesota Vikings
Tyler Conklin, TE, Central Michigan (4)
K.J. Osborn, WR, Buffalo (2)
New York Giants
Sam Beal, CB, Western Michigan (3)
Kenny Golladay, WR, Northern Illinois (5)
New York Jets
Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan, (5)
# Isaiah Williams, OL, Akron (1)
New Orleans Saints
# Ka’dar Hollman, CB, Toledo (3)
Pittsburgh Steelers
Ulysees Gilbert III, ILB, Akron, (3)
Dionte Johnson, WR, Toledo (3)
Chukwuma Okorafor, OL, Western Michigan, (4)
Ben Roethlishberger, QB, Miami, (18)
Robert Spillane, LB, Western Michigan, (3)
Philadelphia Eagles
Brandon Brooks, OG, Miami (10)
^ Tyree Jackson, TE, Buffalo (1)
# Kayode Awosika, OL, Buffalo (R)
San Francisco 49ers
Jaylon Moore, OL, Western Michigan (R)
Jimmie Ward, DB, Northern Illinois (8)
Seattle Seahawks
Nick Bellore, LB, Central Michigan (11)
Dee Eskridge, WR, Western Michigan (R)
# Cody Thompson, WR, Toledo (1)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Antonio Brown, WR, Central Michigan (1)
Scotty Miller, WR, Bowling Green (3)
Sean Murphy-Bunting, CB, Central Michigan (3)
Patrick O’Connor, DL, Eastern Michigan (3)
Tennessee Titans
Ola Adeniyi, OLB, Toledo (4)
Bret Kern, P, Toledo (14)
Logan Woodside, QB, Toledo, (2)
Washington Football Team
Jaret Patterson, RB, Buffalo (R)
# Evin Ksiezarczyk, OT, Buffalo (1)
# Practice Squad
^ Reserve/Opt-Out/Pup/IR
