List of Division II And Division III Football Alumni To Make 53-Man Rosters

A total of 38 players from NCAA Divisions II and III officially made active 53-man rosters for the 2025-2026 NFL season.

Sep 2, 2025 by Briar Napier

List of Division II And Division III Football Alumni To Make 53-Man Rosters

The preseason is over, and the final tweaks are being done to NFL rosters ahead of the start of the 2025 season, now less than a week away.

And for those who just earned elusive spots on an NFL team’s 53-man roster, dreams have officially been realized.

The league’s roster deadline day came and went this week ahead of the opening slate of the regular season, and among the many ex-Power 4 stars and established names that made the cut, so too did plenty of former small-school standouts from beyond the NCAA Division I level.

A total of 38 players from NCAA Divisions II and III officially made active rosters on Tuesday, with many more likely to be signed onto practice squads in the coming days. The landscape of college football has shifted dramatically over the past few years, but the old adage of “if you’re good enough, they’ll find you” still rings true in the current era of the sport.

Now, let’s get ready for kickoff — and keep on following FloCollege throughout the fall as the top choice for exclusive Division II and III football coverage, unlike anywhere else:

NOTE: Only players on active 53-man rosters as of Tuesday, Aug 23 listed.

Division II Football Players In The NFL

Dee Alford, CB, Atlanta Falcons (Tusculum)

Had career high 11 starts, 83 tackles in ‘24 as dependable part of Atlanta secondary

Tyson Bagent, QB, Chicago Bears (Shepherd)

Inked $10 million extension this month as Bears’ QB2 behind Caleb Williams

D’Anthony Bell, S, Seattle Seahawks (West Florida)

Signed with Seattle in the offseason after three years, 61 tackles with Cleveland

Alex Cappa, OG, Las Vegas Raiders (Cal Poly Humboldt)

Seeking a fresh start with Vegas after a shaky 2024 campaign with the Bengals

Kyle Dugger, S, New England Patriots (Lenoir-Rhyne)

Sticking with Pats after trade rumors; had 81 tackles in 13 games a season ago

Ashton Dulin, WR, Indianapolis Colts (Malone)

Special teams ace caught a TD pass last year after missing all of ‘23 to injury

Austin Ekeler, RB, Washington Commanders (Western Colorado)

Got first All-Pro nod in ‘24 as kick returner; Brian Robinson trade opens door for reps

Ethan Evans, P, Los Angeles Rams (Wingate)

Downed over half of punts (30 for 55) inside the 20 in the second season a year ago

Dennis Gardeck, LB, Jacksonville Jaguars (Sioux Falls)

Torn ACL ended ex-Cardinal’s season early last year; signed with Jags in June

Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins (West Alabama)

Despite a down year in ‘24, the 5-time All-Pro is still the NFL’s most electrifying man

Kyle Hinton, OG, Atlanta Falcons (Washburn)

Reserve lineman resigned with Atlanta after featuring in all 17 games in 2024

Tanner Hudson, TE, Cincinnati Bengals (Southern Arkansas)

Caught 100th NFL pass last season; strong preseason keeps him in Cincy

Michael Jerrell, OT, Atlanta Falcons (Findlay)

Traded Tuesday from Seattle; has a chance to start for the injury-plagued Falcons O-line

Kameron Johnson, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Barton)

Return specialist has speed, athleticism to make noise in second season

Matthew Judon, LB, Miami Dolphins (Grand Valley State)

Entering 10th season, Judon is on a 1-year deal in Miami after 41 stops with Atlanta in ‘24

David Moore, WR, Carolina Panthers (East Central)

Had 32 catches, 351 yards, three TDs in a good first year in Carolina last season

Kenny Moore II, CB, Indianapolis Colts (Valdosta State)

Finished 2024 with 78 tackles, three picks in another solid campaign for ninth-year Colt

Caleb Murphy, OLB, Los Angeles Chargers (Ferris State)

Former Cliff Harris winner poised for potential breakout after excellent preseason

Trevor Nowaske, LB, Detroit Lions (Saginaw Valley State)

Good depth piece in Detroit with career high 23 stops, first pro INT last season

Gunner Olszewski, WR, New York Giants (Bemidji State)

Ex-All Pro punt returner looking to bounce back; missed all of ‘24 due to injury

Matt Orzech, LS, Green Bay Packers (Azusa Pacific)

Locked up the long snapper job in Green Bay for the third straight season

Jonathan Owens, DB, Chicago Bears (Missouri Western)

Spouse of gymnast Simone Biles had 49 tackles, an INT in five starts with the Bears in ‘24

Trey Pipkins III, OG/OT, Los Angeles Chargers (Sioux Falls)

Started 15 games at guard last year; will be right tackle fill-in for injured Rashawn Slater

Craig Reynolds, RB, Detroit Lions (Kutztown)

Depth option in the backfield behind Jahmyr Gibbs had 31 carries for 139 yards in ‘24

Nathan Shepherd, DT, New Orleans Saints (Simon Fraser/Fort Hays State)

Started 30 games in the past two years for the Saints with 87 tackles, five sacks in that span

Zach Sieler, DT, Miami Dolphins (Ferris State)

One of the NFL’s most underrated pass rushers coming off a second straight 10-sack year

Kion Smith, OT, Miami Dolphins (Fayetteville State)

Torn ACL forced Smith to miss 2024; now battling for Miami’s right tackle starting job

Grover Stewart, DT, Indianapolis Colts (Albany State)

Coming off a career year with new top marks of 74 tackles, 10 tackles for loss

Dondrea Tillman, OLB, Denver Broncos (Indiana (Pennsylvania))

Former UFL champ made first NFL season count, picking up five sacks in 12 games

Adam Thielen, WR, Carolina Panthers (Minnesota State)

Grizzled vet still producing ahead of 12th season, catching 48 balls and five TDs in ‘24

Tavierre Thomas, S, Minnesota Vikings (Ferris State)

Now with the third team in three years, played in all 17 games with Tampa Bay last year

Tershawn Wharton, DT, Carolina Panthers (Missouri S&T)

Following career best 6.5 sacks with the Chiefs, the Panthers swooped in with $54 million deal

Joshua Williams, CB, Kansas City Chiefs (Fayetteville State)

Entering fourth year in KC with 12 starts across 50 games; picked up 33 stops in ‘24

Emanuel Wilson, RB, Green Bay Packers (Fort Valley State)

Earned RB2 slot behind Josh Jacobs in camp; had 502 yards, four TDs last year

Dareke Young, WR, Seattle Seahawks (Lenoir-Rhyne)

Looking to earn more offensive snaps after mainly featuring on special teams last year

Shane Zylstra, TE, Detroit Lions (Minnesota State)

Got onto Lions’ active roster in midseason; has four TDs in 15 career catches

Division III Football Players In The NFL

Ben Bartch, OL, San Francisco 49ers (Saint John’s)

Extended with the Niners in February after starting two games last season

Quinn Meinerz, OG/C, Denver Broncos (Wisconsin-Whitewater)

One of the league’s top right guards who earned first-team All-Pro honors after a stellar ‘24

FloCollege D2 Football Rankings 2025: Week 1

Ferris State (Prev. 1)
Harding (Prev. 2)
Grand Valley State (Prev. 3)
Slippery Rock (Prev. 4)
Virginia Union (Prev. 9)
West Florida (Prev. 7)
Valdosta State (Prev. 5)
Angelo State (Prev. 10)
Western Colorado (Prev. 14)
Minnesota State (Prev. 11)
Kutztown (Prev. 8)
Indianapolis (Prev. 15)
Charleston (WV) (Prev. 12)
CSU Pueblo (Prev. 13)
UT Permian Basin (Prev. NR)
Central Washington (Prev. NR)
Pittsburg State (Prev. 16)
West Alabama (Prev. 20)
Ouachita Baptist (Prev. 18)
Central Oklahoma (Prev. 6)
Bemidji State (Prev. 17)
Truman (Prev. 23)
Lenoir–Rhyne (Prev. 19)
Michigan Tech (Prev. NR)
Wingate (Prev. NR)

Also received votes:

MSU Moorhead, Emory & Henry, Central Missouri, Colorado Mines, Catawba, Delta State, Minnesota Duluth, Augustana (SD), Sioux Falls

Previous D2 Football Rankings

Preseason

Methodology For 2025-26 Top 25 D2 Rankings

The FloCollege Division 2 football rankings are driven by a mix of objective data and input from voters.

Ranking factors include:

Voter Points
Wins
Margin of Victory
Away Wins

D2 College Football Week 1 Games 2025

Thursday, September 4, 2025

6:00 p.m. ET – Charleston (WV) vs California (PA)
6:00 p.m. ET – Tiffin vs Wayne State (MI)
6:00 p.m. ET – Clarion vs West Virginia Wesleyan
7:00 p.m. ET – Southern Nazarene vs Henderson State
7:00 p.m. ET – Frostburg State vs Millersville
7:00 p.m. ET – Oklahoma Baptist vs Southern Arkansas
7:00 p.m. ET – Harding vs Northwestern Oklahoma
7:00 p.m. ET – Assumption vs Kutztown
7:00 p.m. ET – Arkansas–Monticello vs Southeastern Oklahoma
7:00 p.m. ET – Ashland vs Indiana (PA)
7:00 p.m. ET – Arkansas Tech vs Southwestern Oklahoma
7:00 p.m. ET – Pace vs East Stroudsburg
7:00 p.m. ET – Bloomsburg vs Fairmont State
8:00 p.m. ET – Fort Hays State vs CSU Pueblo
8:00 p.m. ET – Ouachita Baptist vs East Central
8:00 p.m. ET – Michigan Tech vs South Dakota Mines
9:00 p.m. ET – Colorado School of Mines vs West Texas A&M

Friday, September 5, 2025

6:00 p.m. ET – Slippery Rock vs Franklin Pierce

Saturday, September 6, 2025

12:00 p.m. ET – Northern Michigan vs Northwood
12:00 p.m. ET – West Alabama vs Chowan
12:00 p.m. ET – Thomas More vs Dayton
12:00 p.m. ET – Barton vs West Virginia State
12:00 p.m. ET – UIndy vs Findlay
12:00 p.m. ET – Valdosta State vs Johnson C. Smith
12:00 p.m. ET – Lincoln (PA) vs Duquesne
12:00 p.m. ET – West Chester vs Bentley
1:00 p.m. ET – West Florida vs Kentucky Wesleyan
1:00 p.m. ET – Bowie State vs Shippensburg
1:00 p.m. ET – Catawba vs Emory & Henry
1:00 p.m. ET – Erskine vs Anderson (SC)
1:00 p.m. ET – Seton Hill vs West Liberty
1:00 p.m. ET – Concord vs Bluefield State
1:00 p.m. ET – Hillsdale vs McKendree
1:00 p.m. ET – Truman State vs Butler
1:30 p.m. ET – Ferrum vs VMI
2:00 p.m. ET – Ferris State vs Lake Erie
2:00 p.m. ET – Jamestown vs Augustana (SD)
2:00 p.m. ET – Quincy vs Roosevelt
2:00 p.m. ET – Minot State vs Minnesota State
2:00 p.m. ET – Gannon vs Saginaw Valley
2:00 p.m. ET – Northwest Missouri State vs Washburn
2:00 p.m. ET – Bemidji State vs Winona State
2:00 p.m. ET – Albany State (GA) vs Kentucky State
3:00 p.m. ET – Lincoln (MO) vs Lane
3:00 p.m. ET – Florida Memorial vs Clark Atlanta
3:00 p.m. ET – Miles vs Edward Waters
3:05 p.m. ET – Southern Oregon vs Western Oregon
5:00 p.m. ET – Elizabeth City State vs Hampton
5:00 p.m. ET – Livingstone vs Allen
5:00 p.m. ET – Walsh vs Wheeling
5:00 p.m. ET – Virginia State vs Norfolk State
5:00 p.m. ET – Lenoir-Rhyne vs Tusculum
5:00 p.m. ET – Shorter vs Savannah State
5:00 p.m. ET – MSU Moorhead vs Southwest Minnesota State
5:00 p.m. ET – St. Anselm vs Merrimack
5:00 p.m. ET – Fayetteville State vs UNC Pembroke
5:00 p.m. ET – Glenville State vs Lock Haven
5:00 p.m. ET – American International vs Central Connecticut State
5:30 p.m. ET – Winston-Salem vs Mars Hill
6:00 p.m. ET – Black Hills State vs Grand Valley State
6:00 p.m. ET – Central State (OH) vs Tuskegee
6:00 p.m. ET – Missouri S&T vs Northeastern State
6:00 p.m. ET – Missouri Southern State vs Southwest Baptist
6:00 p.m. ET – Mary vs Wayne State (NE)
6:00 p.m. ET – Emporia State vs Angelo State
6:00 p.m. ET – Northern State vs Sioux Falls
6:30 p.m. ET – Minnesota Duluth vs Concordia–St. Paul
7:00 p.m. ET – Western Colorado vs Midwestern State
7:00 p.m. ET – UT Permian Basin vs Adams State
7:00 p.m. ET – Western New Mexico vs New Mexico Highlands
7:00 p.m. ET – Eastern New Mexico vs Colorado Mesa
7:00 p.m. ET – Pittsburg State vs Central Oklahoma
7:00 p.m. ET – Lincoln (CA) vs Texas A&M–Kingsville
7:00 p.m. ET – Central Washington vs Montana
7:00 p.m. ET – Chadron State vs Nebraska–Kearney
9:00 p.m. ET – Fort Lewis vs Arizona Christian

Watch Lenoir-Rhyne Vs. West Florida From Week 0

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