Five Former Eagle Players Make Initial NFL Rosters
9/10/2020 1:23:00 PM | Football
Record-number expected on opening-day rosters
Georgia Southern will open the season with five players on active rosters, the most since having six making the initial list in 2017. Additionally, 1/16 of all starting NFL kickers in Week 1 played their college ball in Statesboro as rookie Tyler Bass (Bills) and Younghoe Koo (Falcons) won their respective jobs. Two rookies made NFL rosters, Bass in Buffalo and cornerback Kindle Vildor in Chicago. And of note, four of the five players weren't on the 2019 opening day roster of their current team.
Here's a list of all five will be playing this week:
Tyler Bass, PK, Buffalo Bills
Game 1: vs. New York Jets
Sunday • 1 PM • CBS
Matt Breida, RB, Miami Dolphins
Game 1: at New England
Sunday • 1 PM • CBS
Younghoe Koo, PK, Atlanta Falcons
Game 1: vs. Seattle
Sunday • 1 PM • FOX
Jerick McKinnon, RB, San Francisco 49ers
Game 1: vs. Arizona
Sunday • 4:25 PM • FOX
Kindle Vildor, CB, Chicago Bears
Game 1: at Detroit
Sunday • 1 PM • FOX
Of note: Ukeme Eligwe (Raiders) opted out of the season due to COVID-19 concerns and Donald Rutledge Jr. (Colts) and JJ Wilcox (Falcons) were waived by their respective teams on cut-down day last Saturday.
Eagles in the NFL History
The following former Georgia Southern players saw action in at least one NFL regular-season game, were with a team for a full season or made the 2020 roster and are scheduled to play this year:
TYLER BASS, PK
Buffalo Bills (2020-present)
ROB BIRONAS, PK
Tennessee Titans (2005-13)
MATT BREIDA, RB
San Francisco 49ers (2017-19)
Miami Dolphins (2020-present)
UKEME ELIGWE
Kansas City Chiefs (2017)
New York Giants (2018)
Las Vegas Raiders (2019)
DARIUS EUBANKS
Minnesota Vikings (2013)
Cleveland Browns (2013-15)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2015)
Dallas Cowboys (2016)
EDWIN JACKSON, LB
Indianapolis Colts (2015-17)
YOUNGHOE KOO, PK
Los Angeles Chargers (2017)
Atlanta Falcons (2019-present)
JERICK McKINNON, RB
Minnesota Vikings (2014-17)
San Francisco 49ers (2018-present)
EARTHWIND MORELAND
New York Jets (2000)
Cleveland Browns (2001-03)
New England Patriots (2004)
ADRIAN PETERSON, RB
Chicago Bears (2002-09)
FRED STOKES, DE
Los Angeles Rams (1987-88; 1993-94)
Washington Redskins (1989-92)
St. Louis Rams (1995)
New Orleans Saints (1996)
KIWAUKEE THOMAS, CB
Jacksonville Jaguars (2000-04)
Miami Dolphins (2005)
Buffalo Bills (2006-07)
J.J. WILCOX, S
Dallas Cowboys (2013-16)
Pittsburgh Steelers (2017)
Indianapolis Colts (2018)
Atlanta Falcons (2019)
ANTWIONE WILLIAMS, LB
Detroit Lions (2016)
Minnesota Vikings (2017)
KINDLE VILDOR, CB
Chicago Bears (2020-present)
DAVID YOUNG
Jacksonville Jaguars (2003)
New York Jets (2003)
