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Small School Success Stories
They may not come from big-time schools in major NCAA conferences, but their NFL contributions cannot go unnoticed. These productive players from small schools are proof-positive of the old adage, 'If you can play, the NFL will find you.'
"I tell all these guys when I talk to them, whether they are playing for some big school or some small school, I don't care where you came from," says Tennessee Titans GM Jon Robinson. "If you can play football, if you can buy into our philosophy, our style of football, then you can play for the Tennessee Titans."
Arizona running back David Johnson -- who last year led the NFL with 2,118 scrimmage yards and was named to his first Pro Bowl -- was drafted by the Cardinals in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft out of Northern Iowa.
NFL teams continue to scout at all levels looking to find talent. The Philadelphia Eagles traded up and used the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft to select quarterback Carson Wentz out of North Dakota State.
"The jump is a big jump no matter where you are coming from -- Division III, FCS, FBS, SEC -- it doesn't matter. Everyone is bigger, faster, stronger in the NFL. Obviously, we believe at the FCS level that there is a lot of good talent, and you are playing a lot of good competition." -- Carson Wentz
"I always had confidence in myself. The biggest thing is when I went to the Senior Bowl and I was able to size myself up against those guys. I didn't have a chance until I went to the Senior Bowl. But after the Senior Bowl, I knew for a fact I was going to be able to be successful." -- David Johnson
Most Productive & High-Profile Small-School Stars in the NFL Today
| Player | Team | College | Career Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| (Source: NFL) | |||
| S Mike Adams | Panthers | Delaware | Named to 2 Pro Bowls; led Colts with 79 tackles in 2016 |
| S Antoine Bethea | Cardinals | Howard | Three-time All-Star; started all 162 career games |
| CB Justin Bethel | Cardinals | Presbyterian | Three-time All-Star |
| CB Malcolm Butler | Patriots | West Alabama | Named to 2016 Pro Bowl; had game-sealing INT in SB XLIX |
| CB Brandon Carr | Ravens | Grand Valley State | 15 career INTs; started all 144 career games |
| WR Victor Cruz | Bears | Massachusetts | Set NYG season record with 1,536 receiving yards in 2011 |
| LS Zak DeOssie | Giants | Brown | Two-time All-Star as long snapper |
| QB Joe Flacco | Ravens | Delaware | Super Bowl XLVII MVP; club-record 182 career TD passes |
| LB Jerrell Freeman | Bears | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Has 100+ tackles in 4 of 5 career seasons |
| LB Junior Galette | Washington | Stillman | Recorded 10+ sacks in 2013 (12) and 2014 (10) |
| WR Pierre Garçon | 49ers | Mount Union | NFL-best 113 rec. in 2013; 600+ rec. yards in 8 of 9 seasons |
| CB Brent Grimes | Bucs | Shippensburg | Four-time All-Star; has 4+ INTs in each of past 4 seasons |
| DE William Hayes | Dolphins | Winston-Salem State | Second on team with 5 sacks last season; 34.5 career sacks |
| WR/RS Tyreek Hill | Chiefs | West Alabama | Led NFL with 3 return TDs (2 PR, 1 KR) as rookie last season |
| CB Janoris Jenkins | Giants | North Alabama | Named to 2017 Pro Bowl; has 13 career INTs |
| RB David Johnson | Cardinals | Northern Iowa | Led NFL in TDs (20) & scrimmage yards (2,118) in 2016 |
| FB Kyle Juszczyk | 49ers | Harvard | Named to 2017 Pro Bowl; has 6 career TDs |
| P Marquette King | Raiders | Fort Valley State | Ranked 2nd in AFC last season with 48.6 yard punt avg. |
| CB Josh Norman | Washington | Coastal Carolina | Has 49 passes defensed since 2014 tied for 2nd-most in NFL |
| CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie | Giants | Tennessee State | Had career-high & team leading 6 INTs last season |
| WR Adam Thielen | Vikings | Minn. State-Mankato | Led team with career-high 967 rec. yards in 2016 |
| TE Julius Thomas | Dolphins | Portland State | Two-time All-Star; posted 12 TD receptions in 2013 & 2014 |
| FB Mike Tolbert | Bills | Coastal Carolina | Named to 3 Pro Bowls, incl. each of past 2 (2016 & 2017) |
| K Adam Vinatieri | Colts | South Dakota State | Three-time All-Star; has 4 Super Bowl victories |
| TE Delanie Walker | Titans | Central Missouri | Two-time All-Star; has 800+ rec. yards in each of past 3 seasons |
| S Lardarius Webb | Ravens | Nicholls State | Has 13 career INTs, incl. at least 1 in each of past 7 seasons |
| QB Carson Wentz | Eagles | North Dakota State | Passed for 3,782 yards & 16 TDs as rookie in 2016 |
| RB Charcandrick West | Chiefs | Abilene Christian | Led Chiefs with 634 rush yards in 2015 |
| RB Danny Woodhead | Ravens | Chadron State | Has 16 rec. TDs since 2012, most by NFL RB |
| LB Paul Worrilow | Lions | Delaware | Led Falcons in tackles in 3 of past 4 seasons |
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