The 2023 National Football League season kicks off on Thursday night and there are 16 players from current CAA Football schools on the rosters of 14 different teams.

Nine of those players will open the season on active rosters. Those include Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford and New Orleans Saints defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon from Villanova, Indianapolis Colts long snapper Luke Rhodes and Detroit Lions offensive lineman Colby Sorsdal from William & Mary, Miami Dolphins tight end Julian Hill from Campbell, Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Bilal Nichols from Delaware, Baltimore Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard from Maine, Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Olisaemeka Udoh of Elon and New England Patriots offensive lineman Tyrone Wheatley, Jr. from Stony Brook.

#Dolphins rookie TE Julian Hill began training camp as a camp body. He kept his head down and grinded and ended up earning a spot on the initial 53 man roster, becoming the first Campbell player in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/AH301Dix9J

— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) August 30, 2023

A pair of former CAA Football offensive lineman will start the year on the reserved/injured list – Villanova’s Ethan Greenidge with the Atlanta Falcons and William & Mary’s Andrew Trainer with the Los Angeles Chargers.

There are five former CAA Football players on NFL practice squads. That list is made up of Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Brevin Allen from Campbell, Cleveland Browns defensive end Sam Kamara from Stony Brook, Chicago Bears offensive lineman Bill Murray from William & Mary, Los Angeles Rams linebacker Troy Reeder from Delaware, and Baltimore Ravens running back Owen Wright from Monmouth.

FORMER CAA FOOTBALL PLAYERS ON ACTIVE NFL ROSTERS

• Christian Benford, CB, Villanova – Buffalo Bills
• Julian Hill, TE, Campbell – Miami Dolphins
• Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova – New Orleans Saints
• Bilal Nichols, DT, Delaware – Las Vegas Raiders
• Luke Rhodes, LS, William & Mary – Indianapolis Colts
• Patrick Ricard, FB, Maine – Baltimore Ravens
• Colby Sorsdal, OL, William & Mary – Detroit Lions
• Olisaemeka Udoh, OL, Elon – Minnesota Vikings
• Tyrone Wheatley, Jr., OL, Stony Brook – New England Patriots

FORMER CAA FOOTBALL PLAYERS ON NFL RESERVED/INJURED LISTS

• Ethan Greenidge, OL, Villanova – Atlanta Falcons
• Andrew Trainer, OL, William & Mary – Los Angeles Chargers

FORMER CAA FOOTBALL PLAYERS ON NFL PRACTICE SQUADS

• Brevin Allen, LB, Campbell – Los Angeles Chargers
• Sam Kamara, DE, Stony Brook – Cleveland Browns
• Bill Murray, OL, William & Mary – Chicago Bears
• Troy Reeder, LB, Delaware – Los Angeles Rams
• Owen Wright, RB, Monmouth – Baltimore Ravens