Jalen Milroe

Football Alexandra Smith

42 Former NFF Scholar-Athletes Earn NFL Spots as 2025 Season Kicks Off

Six Campbell Trophy® recipients highlight the group, with players on 26 different teams and 11 quarterbacks leading all positions.

Thirty-seven former NFF National Scholar-Athletes/William V. Campbell Trophy® finalists appear on NFL rosters with an additional five players on practice squads as the 2025 regular season begins this week.

The group includes six recipients of the Campbell Trophy®: The Detroit Lions' Jack Campbell (Iowa - 2022), Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert (Oregon - 2019), Baltimore Ravens' Charlie Kolar (Iowa State - 2021), Seattle Seahawks' Jalen Milroe (Alabama - 2024), Denver Broncos' Bo Nix (Oregon - 2023) and Las Vegas Raiders' Christian Wilkins (Clemson - 2018); six Pro Bowlers; and six first-round picks.
 
The total includes six members of the most recent NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class presented by Fidelity Investments: Tahj Brooks (Cincinnati Bengals – Texas Tech), Jaxson Dart (New York Giants – Ole Miss), Dillon Gabriel (Cleveland Browns – Oregon), Ashton Gillotte (Kansas City Chiefs – Louisville), Jack Kiser (Notre Dame – Jacksonville Jaguars), and Jalen Milroe (Seattle Seahawks – Alabama).

The Atlanta Falcons lead all NFL teams with five NFF National Scholar-Athletes on their roster, including Troy Andersen [Reserve] (Montana State – 2021), JD Bertrand (Notre Dame – 2023), Kirk Cousins (Michigan State – 2011), Jordan Fuller (Ohio State – 2019), and Easton Stick [Practice Squad] (North Dakota State – 2018). 

Twenty-six NFL teams boast at least one former NFF National Scholar-Athlete, led by the Falcons with five, and the Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, and Los Angeles Chargers with three each. The 49ers, Browns, Lions, Raiders, Ravens, Steelers, and Texans each feature two NFF National Scholar-Athletes on their rosters.
 
The list contains 11 quarterbacks, leading all positions. QB Kirk Cousins (Michigan State – 2011) is the most experienced NFF National Scholar-Athlete on the list in the NFL as he enters his 15th season.

The 42 NFF National Scholar-Athletes on NFL rosters or practice squads are:
(School and year honored listed in parentheses)
 
Arizona Cardinals
Zay Jones, WR (East Carolina, 2016)
 
Atlanta Falcons
Troy Andersen†, LB (Montana State, 2021)
JD Bertrand, LB (Notre Dame, 2023)
Kirk Cousins, QB (Michigan State, 2011)
Jordan Fuller, S (Ohio State, 2019)
Easton Stick**, QB (North Dakota State, 2018)

Baltimore Ravens
Charlie Kolar*, TE (Iowa State, 2021)
Cooper Rush, QB (Central Michigan, 2016)

Buffalo Bills
DeWayne Carter†, DT (Duke, 2023)

Cincinnati Bengals
Tahj Brooks, RB (Texas Tech, 2024)
Dalton Risner, OL (Kansas State, 2018)
Seth McLaughlin**, C (Ohio State, 2024)
 
Cleveland Browns
Dillon Gabriel, QB (Oregon, 2024)
Zak Zinter, G (Michigan, 2023)

Dallas Cowboys
Cooper Beebe, G (Kansas State, 2023)

Denver Broncos
Sam Ehlinger**, QB (Texas, 2020) 
Matt Henningsen†, DE (Wisconsin, 2021)
Bo Nix*, QB (Oregon, 2023) 

Detroit Lions
Jack Campbell*, LB (Iowa, 2022)
Aidan Hutchinson, DE (Michigan, 2021)

Houston Texans
Braxton Berrios, WR (Miami [FL], 2017)
Jackson Woodard**, LB (UNLV, 2024)

Jacksonville Jaguars
Jack Kiser, LB (Notre Dame, 2024)

Kansas City Chiefs
Mike Caliendo, OL (Western Michigan, 2021)
Ashton Gillotte, DL (Louisville, 2024)
Drue Tranquill, LB (Notre Dame, 2018)

Las Vegas Raiders
Thomas Booker IV, DL (Stanford, 2021) 
Christian Wilkins*, DL (Clemson, 2018) 
 
Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert*, QB (Oregon, 2019)
Ladd McConkey, WR (Georgia, 2023)
Elijah Molden, DB (Washington, 2020)

Minnesota Vikings
Walter Rouse, OT (Stanford, 2022)

New England Patriots
Jack Gibbens, LB (Abilene Christian/Minnesota, 2020)

New Orleans Saints
Taysom Hill, QB (BYU, 2016)

New York Giants
Jaxson Dart, QB (Ole Miss, 2024)

New York Jets
Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT (Penn State, 2023)

Pittsburgh Steelers
Zach Frazier, C (West Virginia, 2023)
Max Scharping, OL (Northern Illinois, 2018)
 
San Francisco 49ers
Jake Brendel, C (UCLA, 2015)
Adrian Martinez**, QB (Kansas State, 2022)
 
Seattle Seahawks
Jalen Milroe*, QB (Alabama, 2024)

Tennessee Titans
Tyler Lockett, WR (Kansas State, 2014)
 
*NFF William V. Campbell Trophy® recipient
** Practice Squad
 † Reserve
 
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