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NFL Owls – 15 Former FAU Players Dot Opening Week Rosters
9/10/2020 8:54:00 AM | Football
BOCA RATON, Fla. – With the 2020 NFL season gearing up to begin in full this weekend, a host of former Florida Atlantic University football players are littered across the league.
A total of 15 onetime Owls are part of 13 teams. Only one, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, features multiple FAU players, three to be exact. Nine Owls are part of a respective 53-man active roster on opening week, along with five practice squad members, and a player designated as reserve/injured as well.
Here is the breakdown of each active player and where they stand on their respective depth charts, along with their first game details (all times listed are Eastern):
#51 Azeez Al-Shaair | LB | San Francisco 49ers
- Al-Shaair played in 15 games last season as an undrafted rookie (the only UDFA to make the roster for the eventual 2019 NFC West champions – and NFC's No. 1 seed with a 13-3 mark). He has moved up the depth chart to be the 49ers' backup middle/"Mike" linebacker during this year's preseason camp, and due to ailments ahead of him, oftentimes worked with the "1's."
First game: vs. Arizona – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
#88 Harrison Bryant | TE | Cleveland Browns
- Bryant had a very successful first minicamp after being drafted by Cleveland in the fourth round of the 2020 draft. In fact, he earned the team's Maurice Bassett Award, given to the top rookie in training camp (read more about that here). The 2019 John Mackey Award winner is listed as the team's backup tight end heading into week one.
First game: at Baltimore – Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
#91 Trey Hendrickson | DE | New Orleans Saints
- Hendrickson is beginning his fourth season with New Orleans, coming off helping the Saints to a 13-3 record to win the NFC South a year ago. He had three starts among his 13 regular season appearances (with another start in the playoffs) in 2019. The Saints list him as the second team right defensive end, and he is looking to build on his 5.5 sacks last season, one of which came in the postseason.
First game: vs. Tampa Bay – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
#38 Buddy Howell | RB | Houston Texans
- Howell was yet another Owl that was part of a division winner last year, with the 10-6 AFC South champions. A special teams stalwart for the Texans in his two years with the team, he also earned head coach Bill O'Brien's seal of approval this offseason as the team's third running back behind David and Duke Johnson (no relation).
First game: at Kansas City – Tonight (Thursday Night Football on NBC), 8:20 p.m.
#34 Cre'von LeBlanc | CB | Philadelphia Eagles
- "Strap" returns to the Eagles for his third season with the squad, and fifth season in the league. He battled back from an early-season injury to play the team's final four regular season games last year, all necessary wins, propelling the team to the NFC East crown by just a game over the Dallas Cowboys. He drew the start in the Wild Card round as well.
First game: at Washington – Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX)
#41 Sharrod Neasman | S | Atlanta Falcons
- Neasman enters his fifth season as a pro, all with Atlanta, and is listed on the team's depth chart as a backup safety. He has played in 41 games in four years, and also contributes heavily to the Falcons' special teams unit, including as part of a career-high 73% of ST snaps a season ago (nine times tallying 80% or more in a game).
First game: vs. Seattle – Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX)
#42 James Pierre | DB | Pittsburgh Steelers
- Pierre faced an uphill battle as an undrafted rookie free agent with the Steelers' vaunted defense, but made the most of his camp opportunities and was the only UDFA named to the 53-man roster. He's listed behind three-time Pro Bowler Joe Haden as the team's second left corner.
First game: at New York Giants – Monday, 7:15 p.m. (first ESPN MNF game that night)
#26 Devin Singletary | RB | Buffalo Bills
- During his rookie campaign, the Bills – who finished 10-6 to earn an AFC Wild Card nod - utilized "Motor" more and more as the year went on. He had 106 rushing yards in Week 12, and totaled 775 on the year with a 5.1 per-carry average. In the team's playoff game, he had 134 total yards, second only to his 140 in Week 9. He's the No. 1 back for the squad heading into 2020.
First game: vs. New York Jets – Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
#57 Adarius Taylor | LB | Carolina Panthers
- After spending last year with the Browns, and playing 15 games, the Owls' elder statesman in the pros (heading into his seventh season) signed this offseason with Carolina – ironically his original team as well, as he was a rookie free agent with the squad in 2014. He is slotted as the backup middle linebacker on the Panthers' first depth chart.
First game: vs. Las Vegas – Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Additionally, John Franklin III, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, suffered a preseason injury and is part of the Bucs' reserve/injured list. In what would be his second year, Franklin is currently listed on the Tampa roster as a wide receiver. He has played there and as a defensive back in the NFL, while always also serving as a return specialist.
Five former Owls are part of four different teams' practice squads, a virtual necessity during these uncertain times. Those have been expanded to 16 per team this season, and each week, four are chosen as "protected" members, barred from being signed by other teams to their active roster before that week's games are played.
#93 Trevon Coley | DT | Arizona Cardinals
- Coley signed with the Cardinals in the offseason after spending 2019 with the Indianapolis Colts (and the previous two years in Cleveland). The fourth-year pro has 38 career games under his belt, with 29 starts.
#1 Greg Joseph | PK | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (** Protected)
- Joseph is the only one of the five PS Owls that is protected by his respective franchise. To finish out last year, and in this year's preseason camp, he was a member of the Tennessee Titans. The Bucs scooped him up quickly during last weekend's roster churn.
#36 Herb Miller | CB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Miller spent portions of last year on both the Kansas City Chiefs and Buccaneers' practice squads, as well as being an XFL draft pick of the St. Louis Battlehawks. His first NFL game appearance would be his debut.
#44 Rashad Smith | LB | Chicago Bears
- Smith turned heads in the Bears' camp as an undrafted rookie free agent, leading some outlets to predict he'd make the Opening Week roster. Though that did not turn out to be the case, he was brought back quickly to the team's practice squad.
Kerrith Whyte Jr. | WR/RB | Detroit Lions
- Whyte was a final-day cut of Pittsburgh, his second team last season (along with Chicago, who drafted him in the seventh round of the 2019 draft). He signed on Wednesday with Detroit to be a part of their PS, and has been listed by the team as both wide receiver and running back.
In addition to these 15 players, Brandin Bryant spent this preseason with the Miami Dolphins (after making his NFL debut last season with Cleveland), and Brandon Walton was in camp with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent (and briefly was on the team's practice squad before a transaction earlier this week). Both made it to roster cut day. Andrew Soroh, who like Miller was an XFL alum, had been signed in the offseason by the Kansas City Chiefs before being waived in late July.
Each Thursday, check back here on FAUSports.com to see how each Owl did each week, along with a preview of their respective team's next game.
A total of 15 onetime Owls are part of 13 teams. Only one, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, features multiple FAU players, three to be exact. Nine Owls are part of a respective 53-man active roster on opening week, along with five practice squad members, and a player designated as reserve/injured as well.
Here is the breakdown of each active player and where they stand on their respective depth charts, along with their first game details (all times listed are Eastern):
#51 Azeez Al-Shaair | LB | San Francisco 49ers
- Al-Shaair played in 15 games last season as an undrafted rookie (the only UDFA to make the roster for the eventual 2019 NFC West champions – and NFC's No. 1 seed with a 13-3 mark). He has moved up the depth chart to be the 49ers' backup middle/"Mike" linebacker during this year's preseason camp, and due to ailments ahead of him, oftentimes worked with the "1's."
First game: vs. Arizona – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
#88 Harrison Bryant | TE | Cleveland Browns
- Bryant had a very successful first minicamp after being drafted by Cleveland in the fourth round of the 2020 draft. In fact, he earned the team's Maurice Bassett Award, given to the top rookie in training camp (read more about that here). The 2019 John Mackey Award winner is listed as the team's backup tight end heading into week one.
First game: at Baltimore – Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
#91 Trey Hendrickson | DE | New Orleans Saints
- Hendrickson is beginning his fourth season with New Orleans, coming off helping the Saints to a 13-3 record to win the NFC South a year ago. He had three starts among his 13 regular season appearances (with another start in the playoffs) in 2019. The Saints list him as the second team right defensive end, and he is looking to build on his 5.5 sacks last season, one of which came in the postseason.
First game: vs. Tampa Bay – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
#38 Buddy Howell | RB | Houston Texans
- Howell was yet another Owl that was part of a division winner last year, with the 10-6 AFC South champions. A special teams stalwart for the Texans in his two years with the team, he also earned head coach Bill O'Brien's seal of approval this offseason as the team's third running back behind David and Duke Johnson (no relation).
First game: at Kansas City – Tonight (Thursday Night Football on NBC), 8:20 p.m.
#34 Cre'von LeBlanc | CB | Philadelphia Eagles
- "Strap" returns to the Eagles for his third season with the squad, and fifth season in the league. He battled back from an early-season injury to play the team's final four regular season games last year, all necessary wins, propelling the team to the NFC East crown by just a game over the Dallas Cowboys. He drew the start in the Wild Card round as well.
First game: at Washington – Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX)
#41 Sharrod Neasman | S | Atlanta Falcons
- Neasman enters his fifth season as a pro, all with Atlanta, and is listed on the team's depth chart as a backup safety. He has played in 41 games in four years, and also contributes heavily to the Falcons' special teams unit, including as part of a career-high 73% of ST snaps a season ago (nine times tallying 80% or more in a game).
First game: vs. Seattle – Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX)
#42 James Pierre | DB | Pittsburgh Steelers
- Pierre faced an uphill battle as an undrafted rookie free agent with the Steelers' vaunted defense, but made the most of his camp opportunities and was the only UDFA named to the 53-man roster. He's listed behind three-time Pro Bowler Joe Haden as the team's second left corner.
First game: at New York Giants – Monday, 7:15 p.m. (first ESPN MNF game that night)
#26 Devin Singletary | RB | Buffalo Bills
- During his rookie campaign, the Bills – who finished 10-6 to earn an AFC Wild Card nod - utilized "Motor" more and more as the year went on. He had 106 rushing yards in Week 12, and totaled 775 on the year with a 5.1 per-carry average. In the team's playoff game, he had 134 total yards, second only to his 140 in Week 9. He's the No. 1 back for the squad heading into 2020.
First game: vs. New York Jets – Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
#57 Adarius Taylor | LB | Carolina Panthers
- After spending last year with the Browns, and playing 15 games, the Owls' elder statesman in the pros (heading into his seventh season) signed this offseason with Carolina – ironically his original team as well, as he was a rookie free agent with the squad in 2014. He is slotted as the backup middle linebacker on the Panthers' first depth chart.
First game: vs. Las Vegas – Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Additionally, John Franklin III, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, suffered a preseason injury and is part of the Bucs' reserve/injured list. In what would be his second year, Franklin is currently listed on the Tampa roster as a wide receiver. He has played there and as a defensive back in the NFL, while always also serving as a return specialist.
Five former Owls are part of four different teams' practice squads, a virtual necessity during these uncertain times. Those have been expanded to 16 per team this season, and each week, four are chosen as "protected" members, barred from being signed by other teams to their active roster before that week's games are played.
#93 Trevon Coley | DT | Arizona Cardinals
- Coley signed with the Cardinals in the offseason after spending 2019 with the Indianapolis Colts (and the previous two years in Cleveland). The fourth-year pro has 38 career games under his belt, with 29 starts.
#1 Greg Joseph | PK | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (** Protected)
- Joseph is the only one of the five PS Owls that is protected by his respective franchise. To finish out last year, and in this year's preseason camp, he was a member of the Tennessee Titans. The Bucs scooped him up quickly during last weekend's roster churn.
#36 Herb Miller | CB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Miller spent portions of last year on both the Kansas City Chiefs and Buccaneers' practice squads, as well as being an XFL draft pick of the St. Louis Battlehawks. His first NFL game appearance would be his debut.
#44 Rashad Smith | LB | Chicago Bears
- Smith turned heads in the Bears' camp as an undrafted rookie free agent, leading some outlets to predict he'd make the Opening Week roster. Though that did not turn out to be the case, he was brought back quickly to the team's practice squad.
Kerrith Whyte Jr. | WR/RB | Detroit Lions
- Whyte was a final-day cut of Pittsburgh, his second team last season (along with Chicago, who drafted him in the seventh round of the 2019 draft). He signed on Wednesday with Detroit to be a part of their PS, and has been listed by the team as both wide receiver and running back.
In addition to these 15 players, Brandin Bryant spent this preseason with the Miami Dolphins (after making his NFL debut last season with Cleveland), and Brandon Walton was in camp with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent (and briefly was on the team's practice squad before a transaction earlier this week). Both made it to roster cut day. Andrew Soroh, who like Miller was an XFL alum, had been signed in the offseason by the Kansas City Chiefs before being waived in late July.
Each Thursday, check back here on FAUSports.com to see how each Owl did each week, along with a preview of their respective team's next game.
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