NC Players on AFC East Rosters
As we push closer and closer to team camps in the NFL, let’s look at the North Carolina athletes that have found their way onto NFL rosters. We will start with the AFC East:
BUFFALO BILLS
Ross Cockrell -CB -Duke
Edawn Coughman -OT -Shaw
TJ Graham -WR -NC State
Manny Lawson -OLB -NC State
Thaddeus Lewis -QB -Duke
DaNorris Searcy -SS -North Carolina
Mario Williams -DE -NC State
It seems almost natural for Manny Lawson and Mario Williams to be teaming up to take down opposing quarterbacks. Graham offers playmaking in the return game. Searcy finally morphed into that big safety mold that he was recruited for at North Carolina.
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MIAMI DOLPHINS
Derrell Johnson -OB -East Carolina
What’s the deal Miami Dolphins? Don’t you like our talent? Perhaps this is the reason the Dolphins had such dysfunction last season.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Justin Jones –TE –East Carolina
Asa Watson –TE –NC State
Reese Wiggins –WR –East Carolina
Hmm, wonder why New England is bringing so many tight ends to camp? Can’t seem to put my finger on it. I’m sure it will come to me.
Jun 17, 2014; Florham Park, NJ, USA; New York Jets running back Chris Johnson (21) during minicamp at Atlantic Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
NEW YORK JETS
Tommy Bohanon –FB –Wake Forest
Josh Bush –FB –Wake Forest
Quinton Coples –OLB/DE –North Carolina
Chris Johnson –RB –East Carolina
Calvin Pace –LB –Wake Forest
Zach Thompson –DE –Wake Forest
The Jets belie a trend that I am curious about. Note that the Jets have four players from the Jim Grobe era Wake Forest football teams. That would suggest to me that Rex Ryan and his coaching are comfortable with the kind of players Grobe produced at fullback and on defense. Buffalo has a similar trend, but with ACC players in general (and thus not quite noticeable here). This likely goes back to Doug Marrone’s days coaching Syracuse.
That is it for the AFC East. We’ll see if moving geographically has any bearing on where our guys end up.