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2009 NFL Regular Season - HBCU Report |
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Thursday, September 10, 2009 |
By Lloyd Vance
As of September 5th, NFL rosters have been finalized for the start of the regular season. Once again, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have produced a considerable amount of talent that will be on display this season in the NFL.
Following in the tradition of Hall of Fame players Art Shell (Maryland Eastern Shore), Willie Lanier (Morgan State), Willie Davis (Grambling State), John Stallworth (Alabama A&M) and others, there are currently 44 talented former HBCU football players on NFL rosters -- includes injured reserve and practice squads. Several of the former HBCU players are considered high-impact players for their respective teams going into the 2009 NFL season including Indianapolis Colts safety Antoine Bethea (Howard), Jacksonville Jaguars former Pro Bowl corner back Rashean Mathis (Bethune-Cookman) and Green Bay Packers 11-year veteran receiver Donald Driver (Alcorn State).
Leading the way in terms of HBCU talent for the 2009 NFL regular season are the Jacksonville Jaguars (5), Detroit Lions (4), Dallas Cowboys (3), Indianapolis Colts (3), Minnesota Vikings (3) and Philadelphia Eagles (3). Surprisingly the Saints, Giants, Bears, Niners, Redskins, Raiders, Patriots, Chargers, and Seahawks don't have a single HBCU player on their current rosters.
Keep an eye on NFL game days for the following HBCU players:
Arizona Cardinals
29 Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, 6'2" 185, 4/7/1986, 2nd-year, Tennessee State
32 Greg Toler, CB, 6'0" 191, 1/2/1985, rookie, St. Paul's College (VA)
Atlanta Falcons
14 Eric Weems, WR, 5'9" 194, 7/4/1985, 2nd year, Bethune-Cookman
Baltimore Ravens
96 Lamar Divens, DT, 6'3" 338, 11/12/1985, 2nd year, Tennessee State
41 Frank Walker, CB, 5'11" 200, 8/6/1981, 7th year, Tuskegee
Buffalo Bills
29 Drayton Florence, CB, 6'0" 195, 12/19/1980, 7th year, Tuskegee
Carolina Panthers
21 Dante Wesley, DB, 6'1" 210, 4/5/1979, 8th year, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Cincinnati Bengals
24Geoffrey Pope, CB, 6'0" 186, 6/21/1984, 2nd year, Howard
Cleveland Browns
51 Alex Hall, LB, 6'5" 250 8/17/1985, 2nd year, St. Augustine's
Dallas Cowboys
92 Marcus Dixon, DE, 6'4" 285, 9/16/1984, 1st year, Hampton (Practice Squad)
97 Jason Hatcher, DE, 6'6" 304, 7/13/1982, 4th year, Grambling State
98 Curtis Johnson, DE, 6'3" 237, 2/16/1985, 2nd year, Clark Atlanta
Denver Broncos
75 Chris Baker, DE, 6'2" 326, 10/8/1987, rookie, Hampton
Detroit Lions
74 Damion Cook, OG, 6'5" 330, 4/16/1979, 9th year, Bethune-Cookman (injured reserve)
79 Sammie Lee Hill, DT, 6'4" 331, 11/8/1986, rookie, Stillman
24 Kalvin Pearson, FS, 5'10" 200, 10/22/1978, 5th year, Grambling State
Cletis Gordon, CB, 6'1" 205, 7/17/1982, 4th year, Jackson State
Green Bay Packers
36 Nick Collins, FS, 5'11" 207, 8/16/1983, 5th year, Bethune-Cookman
80 Donald Driver, WR, 6'0" 194, 2/2/1975, 11th year, Alcorn State
Houston Texans
12 Jacoby Jones, WR, 6'2" 206, 7/11/1984, 3rd year, Lane
Indianapolis Colts
41 Antoine Bethea, FS, 5'11" 203, 7/7/1984, 4th year, Howard
98 Robert Mathis, DE, 6'2" 245, 2/26/1981, 7th year, Alabama A&M
35 Chad Simpson, RB, 5'9" 216, 8/22/1985, 2nd year, Morgan State
Jacksonville Jaguars
Don Carey, CB, 5'11" 186, 2/14/1987, rookie, Norfolk State (Injured Reserve)
56 Justin Durant, OLB, 6'1" 240, 9/20/1985, 3rd year, Hampton
16 Nate Hughes, WR, 6'2" 195, 1/18/1985, 1st year, Alcorn State
27 Rashean Mathis, CB, 6'1" 193, 8/27/1980, 7th year, Bethune-Cookman
38 Brian Witherspoon, DB, 5'10" 180, 6/5/1985, 2nd year, Stillman
Kansas City Chiefs
22 Jackie Bates, DB, 5'10" 180, 10/12/1986, rookie, Hampton (Practice Squad)
40 Javarris Williams, RB, 5'10" 223, 4/8/1986, rookie, Tennessee State (Practice Squad)
Miami Dolphins
27 Will Billingsley, CB, 5'10" 195, 4/23/1984, 1st year, North Carolina A&T (Practice Squad)
70 Kendall Langford, DE, 6'6" 295 1/27/1986 2 Hampton
Minnesota Vikings
7 Tarvaris Jackson, QB, 6'2" 225, 4/21/1983, 4th year, Alabama State
11Jaymar Johnson, WR, 6'0" 176, 7/10/1984, 1st year, Jackson State
81 Visanthe Shiancoe, TE, 6'4" 250, 6/18/1980, 7th year, Morgan State
New York Jets
93 Marques Douglas, DE, 6'2" 290, 3/15/1977, 9th year, Howard
Philadelphia Eagles
67 Jamaal Jackson, C, 6'4" 330, 5/8/1980, 6th year, Delaware State
23 Dimitri Patterson, DB, 5'10" 190, 6/18/1983, 4th year, Tuskegee
54 Tracy White, LB, 6'0" 230, 4/14/1981, 7th year, Howard
Pittsburgh Steelers
33 Isaac Redman, RB, 6'0" 230, 11/10/1984, rookie, Bowie State (Practice Squad)
St. Louis Rams
24 Ronald Bartell, CB, 6'1" 205, 2/22/1982, 5th year, Howard
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
77 James Lee, OT, 6'4" 305, 8/17/1985, 2nd year, South Carolina State (Practice Squad)
Tennessee Titans
20 Nick Harper, CB, 5'10" 182, 9/10/1974, 9th year, Fort Valley State
16 Phillip Morris, WR, 6'3" 175, 7/2/1986, rookie, South Carolina State (Practice Squad)
Other notable free agents that were on rosters during 2009 NFL training camps (last team that they were with)
Onrea Jones, WR, 6'0" 202, 12/22/1983, 1st year, Hampton (Cardinals)
Lonnie Harvey, DT, 6'3" 342, 1/20/1987, rookie, Morgan State (Panthers)
Jamall Lee, RB, 6'1" 225 3/13/1987, rookie, Bishop (Panthers)
Pernell Phillips, DT, 6'0" 311, 4/5/1985, rookie, Central State (Ohio) (Bengals)
Charles Ali, FB, 6'2" 255, 8/23/1984, 3Rd year, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Browns)
Lee Robinson, OLB, 6?3" 245, 4/23/1987, rookie, Alcorn State (Broncos)
Rashod Moulton, 5'11" 184, 11/6/1980, 1st year, Fort Valley State (Broncos)
Chartric Darby, NT, 6'0" 302, 10/22/1975, 9th year, South Carolina State (Lions)
Brandon Torrey, OT, 6'4" 295, 5/18/1983, 1st year, Howard (Texans)
Michael Coe, CB, 6'0" 190, 12/17/1983, 3rd year, Alabama State (Colts)
Rudolph Hardie, DE, 6'2" 269, 10/8/1985 1st year, Howard (Colts)
Cecil Newton, C, 6'2" 310, 3/20/1986, rookie, Tennessee State (Jaguars)
Alfonso Boone, DE, 6'3" 305, 1/11/1976, 9, Central State (Ohio) (Chiefs)
Louis Ellis, NT, 6'2" 315, 10/7/1985, rookie, Shaw (Dolphins)
Greg Fassitt, CB, 5'11" 186, 4/4/1985, 1st year, Grambling State (Saints)
Cliff Louis, OT, 6'8" 315, 8/24/1984, 1st year, Morgan State (Giants)
Nevin McCaskill, OT, 6'4" 300, 12/29/1983, 1st year, Hampton (Jets)
Shaheer McBride, WR, 6'2" 205, 2/6/1985, 1st year, Delaware State (Eagles)
Cortez Hankton, WR, 6'0" 200, 1/20/1981, 6th year, Texas Southern (Buccaneers)
Alonzo Coleman, RB, 5'9" 210, 1/27/1984, 1st year, Hampton (Cowboys)
Marcus Benard, LB, 6'2" 256, 7/26/1985, rookie, Jackson State (Browns)
Jermaine McGhee, DE, 6'3" 242, 12/31/1983, rookie, Prairie View A&M (Bills)
Lloyd Vance is a Sr. NFL Writer for Taking It to the House and an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)
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