Wolfpack, Tar Heels Lead 17 NC Programs
With Player(s) On Post-Cutdown NFL Rosters;
Beyond ACC, App State, ECU Also Productive


By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network
(last updated Sept. 4, 2024)

One day before the official start (Sept. 5) of the 2024 National Football League regular season, and just one week after the league’s required cut to 53 players on each team’s active roster, NC State and UNC led a parade of 17 North Carolina-based college programs with one or more players on NFL game-day rosters, practice squads and reserve lists.

While the numbers below remain fluid, as NFL teams continue to add, subtract and reclassify players daily, the Wolfpack (29) and Tar Heels (23) continue to represent the Old North State’s most productive professional football pipelines.

Here’s a state-wide snapshot, through Sept. 4:

NFL Players — College, NCAA Classification, Conference

29 — NC State, FBS, ACC
23 — North Carolina, FBS, ACC
17 — Duke, FBS, ACC
17 — Wake Forest, FBS, ACC
13 — Appalachian State, FBS, Sun Belt
8 — East Carolina, FBS, American
6 — Charlotte, FBS, American
3 — Campbell, FCS, CAA
3 — North Carolina A&T, FCS, CAA
2 — Fayetteville State, D2, CIAA
2 — Lenoir-Rhyne, D2, South Atlantic
2 — NC Central, FCS, MEAC
1 — Barton, D2, South Atlantic
1 — Elon, FCS, CAA
1 — UNC Pembroke, D2, Mountain East
1 — Western Carolina, FCS, SoCon
1 — Wingate, D2, South Atlantic

Impressively, the in-state list also includes a whopping 17 NFL rookies — including eight undrafted players — who made a 53-man active roster, led by five UNC products and three each from Duke and Wake Forest.

College-Position-Rookie, NFL Team (2024 Draft Status)

Duke OC Graham Barton, Buccaneers (first-round pick)
North Carolina RB British Brooks, Texans (undrafted free agent)
Wake Forest CB Caelen Carson, Cowboys (fifth-round pick)
Duke DT DeWayne Carter, Bills (third-round pick)
NC Central DB Brandon Codrington, Bills (undrafted free agent)
North Carolina CB Storm Duck*, Dolphins (undrafted free agent)
App State CB Tyrek Funderburk, Buccaneers (undrafted free agent)
North Carolina LB Amari Gainer, Raiders (undrafted free agent)
Barton WR Kameron Johnson, Buccaneers (undrafted free agent)
Wake Forest OG Michael Jurgens, Vikings (seventh-round pick)
North Carolina QB Drake Maye, Patriots (first-round pick)
Duke OL Jacob Monk, Packers (fifth-round pick)
Wake Forest S Malik Mustapha, 49ers (fourth-round pick)
NC State PK Brayden Narveson, Packers (undrafted free agent)
North Carolina WR Devontez Walker, Ravens (fourth-round pick)
NC State LB Payton Wilson, Steelers (third-round pick)
East Carolina DB Julius Wood, Titans (undrafted free agent)

*—finished college playing career at another school

The list of longest-tenured NFL players who previously played for in-state college programs includes former East Carolina defensive tackle Linval Joseph (Cowboys, 15th NFL season), former NC State quarterback Russell Wilson (Steelers, 13th), former App State punter Sam Martin (Bills, 12th), former Duke wide receiver Jamison Crowder (Commanders, 10th) and former Duke offensive lineman Laken Tomlinson (Seahawks, 10th).

NC College Products On 2024 NFL Rosters
(Including Practice Squads, Reserve Lists, As Noted)

NC State, ACC (29)

OC Garrett Bradbury, Vikings (6)
QB Jacoby Brissett, Patriots (9)
LB Bradley Chubb, Dolphins (7) — Reserve/PUP
P AJ Cole, Raiders (6)
DT Cory Durden, Rams (1) — Practice Squad
OT Ikem Ekwonu, Panthers (3) — (pictured above)
WR Kelvin Harmon, Cowboys (2) — Practice Squad
DT BJ Hill, Bengals (7)
RB Nyheim Hines, Browns (6) — Reserve/Non-Football Injury
DB Tanner Ingle, Rams (1) — Practice Squad
DL Justin Jones, Cardinals (7)
LB Vi Jones, Buccaneers (2) — Practice Squad
QB Devin Leary*, Ravens (R) — Practice Squad
DL TY McGill, 49ers (8) — Practice Squad
OL Dylan McMahon, Eagles (R) — Practice Squad
DL Alim McNeill, Lions (4)
WR Jakobi Meyers, Raiders (6)
DT Larrell Murchison, Rams (5) — Reserve/Injured
PK Brayden Narveson, Packers (R)
LB Germaine Pratt, Bengals (6)
DE James Smith-Williams, Falcons (5)
DE Kentavius Street, Falcons (6)
LB Drake Thomas, Seahawks (2)
WR Thayer Thomas, Vikings (1) — Practice Squad
OG Joe Thuney, Chiefs (9)
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling*, Bills (7)
LB Payton Wilson, Steelers (R)
QB Russell Wilson*, Steelers (13)
OG Chandler Zavala, Panthers (2)

North Carolina, ACC (23)

RB British Brooks, Texans (R)
WR Dyami Brown, Commanders (4)
RB Michael Carter, Cardinals (4) — Practice Squad
RB Ty Chandler, Vikings (3)
WR Josh Downs, Colts (2)
CB Storm Duck*, Dolphins (R)
OG Joshua Ezeudu, Giants (3)
DT Tomari Fox, Raiders (R) — Reserve/Injured
OLB Tomon Fox, Giants (2) — Practice Squad
LB Amari Gainer, Raiders (R)
LB Cedric Gray, Titans (R) — Reserve/Injured
WR Antoine Green, Lions (2) — Practice Squad
LB Cole Holcomb, Steelers (6) — Reserve/PUP
WR Mack Hollins, Bills (8)
QB Sam Howell, Seahawks (3)
CB Mike Hughes*, Falcons (7)
QB Drake Maye, Patriots (R)
OL Asim Richards, Cowboys (2)
S MJ Stewart, Texans (7)
LB Chazz Surratt, Jets (3)
QB Mitch Trubisky, Bills (8)
WR Devontez Walker, Ravens (R)
RB Javonte Williams, Broncos (4)

Duke, ACC (17)

OC Graham Barton, Buccaneers (R)
DB Josh Blackwell, Bears (3)
WR Jake Bobo, Seahawks (2)
DT DeWayne Carter, Bills (R)
CB Michael Carter II, Jets (4)
WR Jamison Crowder, Commanders (10)
LS Evan Deckers, Buccaneers (1)
OLB Victor Dimukeje, Cardinals (4)
LB Joe Giles-Harris, Patriots (2) — Practice Squad
TE Noah Gray, Chiefs (4)
LS Thomas Hennessy, Jets (8)
LB Shaka Heyward, Bengals (1) — Practice Squad
QB Daniel Jones, Giants (6)
OL Jacob Monk, Packers (R)
OL Lucas Patrick, Saints (8)
OLB Chris Rumph II, Chargers (4) — Reserve/Injured
OG Laken Tomlinson, Seahawks (10)

Wake Forest, ACC (17)

WR Alex Bachman, Raiders (1) — Practice Squad
OLB Boogie Basham, Giants (4)
S Jessie Bates III, Falcons (7)
CB Caelen Carson, Cowboys (R)
WR Greg Dortch, Cardinals (4)
QB Sam Hartman*, Commanders (R) — Practice Squad
OT Justin Herron, Saints (5) — Reserve/Injured
OG Michael Jurgens, Vikings (R)
LB Luke Masterson, Raiders (3)
S Malik Mustapha, 49ers (R)
WR AT Perry, Saints (2)
ILB Justin Strnad, Broncos (5)
DB Ja’Sir Taylor, Chargers (3)
OL Zach Tom, Packers (3)
NT Kobie Turner, Rams (2)
RB Kenneth Walker III*, Seahawks (3)
TE Blake Whiteheart, Browns (2) — Practice Squad

Appalachian State, Sun Belt (13)

LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, Bengals (5)
RB Darrynton Evans, Bills (5) — Reserve/Injured
CB Tyrek Funderburk, Buccaneers (R)
OLB Nick Hampton, Rams (2)
OT Anderson Hardy, Dolphins (1) — Practice Squad
OL Cooper Hodges, Jaguars (2)
LB D’Marco Jackson, Saints (3)
DB Shaun Jolly, Rams (3) — Practice Squad
OT Kendall Lamm, Dolphins (9)
P Sam Martin, Bills (12)
OL Ryan Neuzil, Falcons (3)
WR Jalen Virgil, Bills (3) — Practice Squad
OL Bucky Williams, Chargers (R) — Reserve/Injured

East Carolina, American (8)

WR Jaylen Johnson, Chargers (R) — Practice Squad
WR Zay Jones, Cardinals (8) — Reserve/Suspended
DT Linval Joseph, Cowboys (15)
CB Ja’Quan McMillian, Broncos (2)
QB Gardner Minshew II*, Raiders (6)
RB Keaton Mitchell, Ravens (2) — Reserve/PUP
OT D’Ante Smith, Bengals (4) — Reserve/Injured
DB Julius Wood, Titans (R)

Charlotte, American (6)

OL Nate Davis, Bears (6)
WR Grant DuBose, Dolphins (1)
LB Alex Highsmith, Steelers (5)
DT Larry Ogunjobi, Steelers (8)
OLB Markees Watts, Buccaneers (2)
LB Julius Weischof, Steelers (R) — Reserve/Injured

Campbell (FCS), CAA (3)

OL Mike Edwards, Bills (R) — Practice Squad
TE Julian Hill, Dolphins (2)
OT Tyler McLellan, Chargers (R) — Reserve/Injured

North Carolina A&T (FCS), CAA (3)

RB Tarik Cohen, Jets (6) — Reserve/Retired
OT Ricky Lee III, Vikings (2) — Practice Squad
OL Brandon Parker, 49ers (7)

Fayetteville State (D2), CIAA (2)

OT Kion Smith, Dolphins (2) — Reserve/Injured
CB Joshua Williams, Chiefs (3)

Lenoir-Rhyne (D2), South Atlantic (2)

S Kyle Dugger, Patriots (5)
WR Dareke Young, Seahawks (3)

NC Central (FCS), MEAC (2)

DB Brandon Codrington, Bills (R)
OL Nick Leverett, Patriots (4)

Barton (D2), South Atlantic (1)

WR Kameron Johnson, Buccaneers (R)

Elon (FCS), CAA (1)

OL Olisaemeka Udoh, Saints (6)

UNC Pembroke (D2), Mountain East (1)

DT Domenique Davis, Bengals (1) — Practice Squad

Western Carolina (FCS), SoCon (1)

WR David White Jr., Jaguars (R) — Reserve/Injured

Wingate (D2), South Atlantic (1)

P Ethan Evans, Rams (2)

*—finished college playing career at another school