The first Sunday of the NFL’s 2021 season will kick off with 123 players from Alabama high schools and colleges on the active rosters of the NFL’s 32 teams.
That’s one fewer player than on the first Sunday of the 2020 season. The two seasons would be the same if the New Orleans Saints had not released former Auburn standout Montravius Adams on Saturday, the day before their opening game.
The NFL practice squads include 30 players with Alabama football roots. NFL rules allow each team to elevate two players from its practice squad each week for game action. Two players from the state already have been elevated for Sunday’s games – former Homewood High School running back Ameer Abdullah by the Minnesota Vikings and former Alabama defensive tackle Damion Square by the Chicago Bears.
There also are 14 players from Alabama high schools and colleges on the various reserve lists on the first Sunday. Seven of them could be activated this season.
In all, the 32 NFL rosters contain 167 players with Alabama football roots.
The Tennessee Titans have the most players from Alabama high schools and colleges on their active roster with nine. The Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots also have nine state players apiece on their rosters, but the Raiders have seven on the active roster, one on the practice squad and one on injured reserve and the Patriots have six on the active roster and three on reserve lists.
Every NFL team has at least one player with Alabama football roots, although in the cases of the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Chargers, one is all they have.
Of the 167, 71 played at Alabama, 31 at Auburn, 10 at UAB, four at Samford, two apiece at South Alabama, Troy and West Alabama and one each at Alabama State, Jacksonville State and North Alabama.
Seventy-nine of the 167 played at Alabama high schools. With three, Oxford has the most alumni among the 65 state high schools represented on NFL rosters.
The current NFL players with Alabama football roots include 38 defensive backs (21 cornerbacks and 17 safeties), 25 offensive linemen (11 tackles, eight centers and six guards), 23 defensive linemen, 21 wide receivers, 17 linebackers, 14 running backs, 10 edge rushers, seven quarterbacks, five tight ends, two fullbacks, two kickers, two long snappers and two punters.
Denver Broncos strong safety Kareem Jackson enters the 2021 season as the most experienced of the players with Alabama football roots. He has played in 161 NFL regular-season games.
Thirty-three of the 167 enter the 2021 season with no regular-season experience in the NFL, including linebacker K.J. Britt from Oxford High School and Auburn, who played in his first NFL game on Thursday night, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicked off the campaign with a victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
The players from Alabama high schools and colleges on NFL rosters include:
Arizona Cardinals
· Rodney Hudson, center, B.C. Rain
· Deionte Thompson, safety, Alabama
Atlanta Falcons
· Marlon Davidson, defensive tackle, Greenville, Auburn
· T.J. Green, safety, Sylacauga
· Josh Harris, long snapper, Auburn
· Calvin Ridley, wide receiver, Alabama
· Reserve/injured: AJ McCarron, quarterback, St. Paul’s Episcopal, Alabama
Baltimore Ravens
· Anthony Averett, cornerback, Alabama
· Bradley Bozeman, center, Handley, Alabama
· Marlon Humphrey, cornerback, Hoover, Alabama
· Practice squad: Josh Bynes, linebacker, Auburn
Buffalo Bills
· Mario Addison, defensive end, Tarrant, Troy
· Siran Neal, defensive back, Eufaula, Jacksonville State
· Levi Wallace, cornerback, Alabama
· Practice squad: Josh Thomas, safety, Montgomery Academy
Carolina Panthers
· Deonte Brown, guard, Austin, Alabama
· Derrick Brown, defensive tackle, Auburn
· Trent Scott, offensive tackle, Lee-Huntsville
· Practice squad: Spencer Brown, running back, Mortimer Jordan, UAB
· Practice squad: Mike Horton, guard, Auburn
· Reserve/injured: Thomas Fletcher, long snapper, Alabama
Chicago Bears
· Angelo Blackson, defensive tackle, Auburn
· Eddie Jackson, safety, Alabama
· Darnell Mooney, wide receiver, Gadsden City
· Lachavious Simmons, offensive lineman, Selma
· Practice squad: Damion Square, nose tackle, Alabama
Cincinnati Bengals
· Evan McPherson, kicker, Fort Payne
· C.J. Uzomah, tight end, Auburn
· Jonah Williams, offensive tackle, Alabama
· Practice squad: Tony Brown, cornerback, Alabama
Cleveland Browns
· Ronnie Harrison, safety, Alabama
· Chris Hubbard, offensive tackle, UAB
· Anthony Schwartz, wide receiver, Auburn
· Jedrick Wills Jr., offensive tackle, Alabama
· Mack Wilson, linebacker, Carver-Montgomery, Alabama
· Practice squad: Nick Mullens, quarterback, Spain Park
Dallas Cowboys
· Amari Cooper, wide receiver, Alabama
· Trevon Diggs, cornerback, Alabama
Denver Broncos
· Kareem Jackson, safety, Alabama
· Jerry Jeudy, wide receiver, Alabama
· Malik Reed, outside linebacker, Dothan
· Patrick Surtain II, cornerback, Alabama
· Practice squad: Saivion Smith, cornerback, Alabama
· Practice squad: Seth Williams, wide receiver, Paul Bryant, Auburn
Detroit Lions
· Trey Flowers, outside linebacker, Columbia
· Logan Stenberg, guard, James Clemens
· Nick Williams, defensive tackle, Minor, Samford
· Reserve/injured: Shaun Dion Hamilton, linebacker, Carver-Montgomery, Alabama
· Reserve/injured: Da’Shawn Hand, defensive lineman, Alabama
Green Bay Packers
· Za’Darius Smith, outside linebacker, Greenville
Houston Texans
· Nico Collins, wide receiver, Clay-Chalkville
· Zach Cunningham, inside linebacker, Pinson Valley
· Tytus Howard, offensive lineman, Monroe County, Alabama State
· Mark Ingram, running back, Alabama
· Tremon Smith, cornerback, Saks
· Practice squad: Shyheim Carter, safety, Alabama
· Practice squad: Jordan Veasy, wide receiver, Gadsden City
Indianapolis Colts
· Ryan Kelly, center, Alabama
· Braden Smith, offensive tackle, Auburn
· Taylor Stallworth, defensive tackle, Murphy
Jacksonville Jaguars
· Josh Allen, outside linebacker, Abbeville
· Rudy Ford, safety, New Hope, Auburn
· Cam Robinson, offensive tackle, Alabama
· Jordan Smith, defensive end, UAB
· Daniel Thomas, safety, Lee-Montgomery, Auburn
· Reserve/non-football injury: Dylan Moses, linebacker, Alabama
Kansas City Chiefs
· Tyreek Hill, wide receiver, West Alabama
· Jarran Reed, defensive tackle, Alabama
· Practice squad: Gehrig Dieter, wide receiver, Alabama
· Practice squad: Derrick Gore, running back, Alabama
· Practice squad: Prince Tega Wanogho, offensive tackle, Edgewood Academy, Auburn
· Practice squad: Darryl Williams, center, Bessemer City
Las Vegas Raiders
· Peyton Barber, running back, Auburn
· Daniel Carlson, kicker, Auburn
· Kenyan Drake, running back, Alabama
· Josh Jacobs, running back, Alabama
· Alex Leatherwood, offensive tackle, Alabama
· Darius Philon, defensive lineman, Vigor
· Henry Ruggs III, wide receiver, Lee-Montgomery, Alabama
· Practice squad: Lester Cotton, guard, Central-Tuscaloosa, Alabama
· Reserve/injured: Nicholas Morrow, linebacker, Huntsville
Los Angeles Chargers
· Ty Long, punter, UAB
Los Angeles Rams
· Terrell Lewis, outside linebacker, Alabama
· A’Shawn Robinson, defensive tackle, Alabama
· Darious Williams, cornerback, UAB
· Practice squad: Chandler Brewer, offensive lineman, Florence
· Reserve/injured: Brontae Harris, cornerback, Cullman, UAB
Miami Dolphins
· Raekwon Davis, defensive tackle, Alabama
· Noah Igbinoghene, cornerback, Hewitt-Trussville, Auburn
· Tua Tagovailoa, quarterback, Alabama
· Jaylen Waddle, wide receiver, Alabama
· Practice squad: Javaris Davis, defensive back, Auburn
· Practice squad: Carl Tucker, fullback, Alabama
Minnesota Vikings
· Michael Pierce, defensive tackle, Daphne, Samford
· Dalvin Tomlinson, defensive tackle, Alabama
· Practice squad: Ameer Abdullah, running back, Homewood
· Practice squad: Myron Mitchell, wide receiver, Jasper, UAB
· Reserve/injured: Irv Smith Jr., tight end, Alabama
New England Patriots
· Christian Barmore, defensive tackle, Alabama
· Damien Harris, running back, Alabama
· Dont’a Hightower, linebacker, Alabama
· Jonathan Jones, cornerback, Auburn
· Mac Jones, quarterback, Alabama
· Brandon King, linebacker, Thompson, Auburn
· Reserve/physically unable to perform: Byron Cowart, defensive tackle, Auburn
· Reserve/physically unable to perform: Jarrett Stidham, quarterback, Auburn
· Reserve/injured: Anfernee Jennings, outside linebacker, Dadeville, Alabama
New Orleans Saints
· Kwon Alexander, linebacker, Oxford
· Jameis Winston, quarterback, Hueytown
· Practice squad: Kawaan Baker, wide receiver, South Alabama
New York Giants
· James Bradberry, cornerback, Pleasant Grove, Samford
· Xavier McKinney, safety, Alabama
· Reggie Ragland, linebacker, Bob Jones, Alabama
· Darius Slayton, wide receiver, Auburn
· Kadarius Toney, wide receiver, Blount
· Practice squad: Korey Cunningham, offensive tackle, Montevallo
· Reserve/physically unable to perform: Aaron Robinson, cornerback, Alabama
New York Jets
· Bryce Huff, defensive end, St. Paul’s Episcopal
· C.J. Mosley, linebacker, Theodore, Alabama
· La’Mical Perine, running back, Theodore
· Jamien Sherwood, linebacker, Auburn
· Quincy Williams, linebacker, Wenonah
· Quinnen Williams, defensive tackle, Wenonah, Alabama
· Practice squad: Ross Pierschbacher, center, Alabama
· Reserve/injured: Carl Lawson, defensive end, Auburn
Philadelphia Eagles
· Landon Dickerson, offensive lineman, Alabama
· Jalen Hurts, quarterback, Alabama
· Arryn Siposs, punter, Auburn
· DeVonta Smith, wide receiver, Alabama
· Quez Watkins, wide receiver, Athens
· Practice squad: Jordan Howard, running back, Gardendale, UAB
· Reserve/injured: Jack Driscoll, offensive tackle, Auburn
Pittsburgh Steelers
· Isaiah Buggs, defensive end, Alabama
· Minkah Fitzpatrick, safety, Alabama
· Najee Harris, running back, Alabama
· J.C. Hassenauer, center, Alabama
San Francisco 49ers
· Dee Ford, defensive end, St. Clair County, Auburn
· Jaquiski Tartt, safety, Davidson, Samford
· Jimmie Ward, safety, Davidson
· Practice squad: Jordan Matthews, tight end, Madison Academy
· Practice squad: Jared Mayden, safety, Alabama
· Practice squad: Dee Virgin, cornerback, West Alabama
Seattle Seahawks
· Gerald Everett, tight end, UAB/South Alabama
· Practice squad: Michael Jackson, cornerback, Spain Park
· Practice squad: Josh Johnson, running back, Opelika
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
· K.J. Britt, linebacker, Oxford, Auburn
· Carlton Davis, cornerback, Auburn
· Jamel Dean, cornerback, Auburn
· O.J. Howard, tight end, Autauga Academy, Alabama
· Steve McLendon, defensive tackle, Carroll-Ozark, Troy
· Rakeem Nunez-Roches, defensive lineman, Central-Phenix City
Tennessee Titans
· Khari Blasingame, fullback, Buckhorn
· Rashaan Evans, linebacker, Auburn High, Alabama
· Derrick Henry, running back, Alabama
· Janoris Jenkins, cornerback, North Alabama
· Ben Jones, center, Bibb County
· Julio Jones, wide receiver, Foley, Alabama
· Monty Rice, linebacker, James Clemens
· Chester Rogers, wide receiver, Lee-Huntsville
· Anthony Rush, defensive tackle, UAB
Washington Football Team
· Jonathan Allen, defensive tackle, Alabama
· Landon Collins, safety, Alabama
· Bobby McCain, safety, Oxford
· J.D. McKissic, running back, Central-Phenix City
· Daron Payne, defensive tackle, Shades Valley, Alabama
· Cam Sims, wide receiver, Alabama
· Practice squad: Jeremy Reaves, safety, South Alabama
· Practice squad: Gabe Wright, defensive tackle, Auburn
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.