Thursday is the opening kickoff of the 2017 NFL season. The New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs go head-to-head in prime time.
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While the world awaits Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl champions, the game also pits two former West Alabama players against each other. The Patriots' Malcolm Butler and the Chiefs' Tyreek Hill are two of 90 DII football players ready for NFL action this year.
Some very notable names are now part of NFL rosters that once roamed the DII gridiron. Danny Woodhead has overcome injuries to become one of the best receiving backs in football. Jahri Evans of the Green Bay Packers is a six-time Pro Bowler and at one point, the fourth-rounder was the highest paid offensive lineman in the NFL. Evans joins Butler as two Super Bowl winners from the DII ranks.
Related: DII football players on 2018 NFL rosters
Here's a look at some more DII football by the numbers:
Roster breakdown:
90 -- Total DII football players in the NFL, including practice squad rosters.
6 -- The number DII players on the Carolina Panthers roster, most in the NFL. The Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams and New York Jets all roster five players.
5 -- The most players from one school represented, with Grand Valley State and California (PA) leading the way. West Alabama and Missouri Western State are behind with four.
3 -- The number of DII tight ends the Tennessee Titans have on its roster.
2 -- Total number of NFL teams without a DII football player on their roster: Cincinnati Bengals and Houston Texans.
Position Breakdown:
0 -- There are no DII quarterbacks on current NFL rosters.
18 -- Total DII defensive backs on NFL rosters, the most of any one position.
15 -- The number of DII wide receivers in the NFL, the most of any offensive position.
9 -- DII tight ends making an NFL squad, which is five more than running backs.
| Player | Position | DII school |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | ||
| John Brown | WR | Pittsburg State |
| Brittan Golden | WR | West Texas A&M |
| Jared Veldheer | T | Hillsdale |
| Atlanta Falcons | ||
| C.J. Goodwin | CB | California (PA) |
| Ryan Schraeder | T | Valdosta State |
| Baltimore Ravens | ||
| Brandon Carr | CB | Grand Valley State |
| Ryan Jensen | G/C | Colorado State-Pueblo |
| Matthew Juson | OLB | Grand Valley State |
| Brandon Williams | DT | Missouri Southern State |
| Danny Woodhead | RB | Chadron |
| Buffalo Bills | ||
| Andre Holmes | WR | Hillsdale |
| Deon Lacey | LB | West Alabama |
| Kharl Lee | TE | Bowie State |
| Cedric Thorton | DT | Southern Arkansas |
| Carolina Panthers | ||
| Alex Armah | FB | West Georgia |
| Charles Johnson | WR | Grand Valley State |
| L.J. McCray | S | Catawba |
| Zach Moore | DE | Concordia-St. Paul |
| Scott Simonson | TE | Assumption |
| Amini Silatolu | T | Midwestern State |
| Chicago Bears | ||
| Adam Shaheen | TE | Ashland |
| Eric Kush | WR | California (PA) |
| Jordan Morgan | OL | Kutztown |
| Cleveland Browns | ||
| Mike Jordan | DB | Missouri Western State |
| Jamie Meder | DL | Ashland |
| Dallas Cowboys | ||
| Jeff Heath | S | Saginaw Valley State |
| Chris Jones | P | Carson-Newman |
| Nate Theaker | G | Wayne State |
| Denver Broncos | ||
| Allen Barbre | G | Missouri Southern State |
| Detroit Lions | ||
| Armonty Bryant | DE | East Central |
| Dez Stewart | WR | Ohio Dominican |
| Green Bay Packers | ||
| Jahri Evans | G | Bloomsburg |
| Jeff Janis | WR | Saginaw Valley State |
| David Talley | LB | Grand Valley State |
| Donatello Brown | CB | Valdosta State |
| Indianapolis Colts | ||
| Pierre Desir | CB | Lindenwood |
| Denzelle Good | T/G | Mars Hill |
| Kenny Moore II | CB | Valdosta State |
| Grover Stewart | DT | Albany State |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | ||
| Keelan Cole | WR | Kentucky Wesleyan |
| Chris Ivory | RB | Tiffin |
| Matt Overton | LS | Western Washington |
| Chris Reed | OL | Minnesota State |
| Kansas City Chiefs | ||
| Tyreek Hill | WR | West Alabama |
| Ron Parker | DB | Newberry |
| Los Angeles Chargers | ||
| Austin Ekeler | RB | Western State |
| Sean McGrath | TE | Henderson State |
| Jeff Richards | DB | Emporia State |
| Tyrell Williams | WR | Western Oregon |
| Whitney Richardson | DE | Lane |
| Los Angeles Rams | ||
| Marqui Christian | DB | Midwestern State |
| Morgan Fox | DE | Colorado State-Pueblo |
| Matt Longacre | DE | Northwest Missouri State |
| Ethan Westbrooks | DL | West Texas A&M |
| Greg Zuerlein | K | Missouri Western |
| Miami Dolphins | ||
| William Hayes | DE | Winston-Salem State |
| Minnesota Vikings | ||
| C.J. Ham | FB | Augustana |
| Adam Thielan | WR | Minnesota State |
| New England Patriots | ||
| Malcolm Butler | DB | West Alabama |
| New Orleans Saints | ||
| Bryan Braman | LB | West Texas A&M |
| New York Giants | ||
| Janoris Jenkins | DB | North Alabama |
| New York Jets | ||
| Dylan Donahue | LB | West Georgia |
| Rontez Miles | S | California (PA) |
| Mike Pennel | DL | Colorado State-Pueblo |
| Edmond Robinson | LB | Newberry |
| Will Tye | TE | Stony Brook |
| Oakland Raiders | ||
| Tyrell Adams | LB | West Georgia |
| Erik Harris | S | California (PA) |
| Marquette King | P | Fort Valley State |
| Seth Roberts | WR | West Alabama |
| Philadelphia Eagles | ||
| Tre Sullivan | S | Shepherd |
| Billy Brown | TE | Shepherd |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | ||
| Matt Feiler | OT | Bloomsburg |
| Terrell Watson | RB | Azusa Pacific |
| Dudhaun Phillips | CB | Tarleton State |
| Marcus Tucker | WR | Northern Michigan |
| San Francisco 49ers | ||
| Brandon Fusco | OL | Slippery Rock |
| Seattle Seahawks | ||
| David Bass | DE | Missouri Western State |
| Dewey McDonald | LB | California (PA) |
| Michael Wilhoite | LB | Washburn |
| David Moore | WR | East Central |
| Tampa Bay Bucs | ||
| Brent Grimes | CB | Shippensburg |
| Leonard Wester | T | Missouri Western |
| Freddie Martino | WR | North Greenville |
| Tennessee Titans | ||
| Phillip Supernaw | TE | Ouachita Baptist |
| Delanie Walker | TE | Central Missorui |
| Victor Ochi | LB | Stony Brook |
| Jerome Cunningham | TE | Southern Connecticut |
| Washington Redskins | ||
| Junior Galette | LB | Stillman |
| Kevin Bowen | T | East Central |
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