Connect with us

Mountaineers in the Pros

Which Former Mountaineers Are on NFL Rosters?

Published

on

Will Grier Panthers

With the NFL’s Hall of Fame Game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys just over a week away, the 2021 NFL season is starting to inch closer and closer.

A majority of NFL camps opened Tuesday, with the exception of the Steelers, Cowboys and Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. How many former West Virginia players will be competing at training camp for spots on NFL rosters this season? Check out which WVU players are on an NFL roster below.

Quinton Spain – Offensive Lineman, Cincinnati Bengals 

Spain was undrafted out of West Virginia and signed with the Tennessee Titans as a free agent following the 2015 NFL Draft.

An All-Big 12 guard for the Mountaineers, Spain played across the offensive line as a starter from 2012-14. In the NFL, Spain has played for the Titans, Buffalo Bills and signed a one-year deal with the Bengals this offseason.

Spain has played in 79 games in the NFL since 2015, making 74 starts. He expects to compete for a starting spot on a poor Bengals’ offensive line.

Mark Glowinski – Offensive Lineman, Indianapolis Colts

Glowinski was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks with the 134th pick (4th round) in the 2021 NFL Draft.

A junior college player at Lackawanna College, Glowinski transferred to WVU in 2012, redshirted for a season and played two seasons for WVU along the offensive line. Glowinski played alongside Spain during his time in Morgantown.

Originally drafted by the Seahawks, he was waived in 2017 despite starting all 16 games in 2016 and claimed by the Colts. Signing a three-year, $18 million contract in 2019, Glowinski has developed into a quality NFL starter, playing every game over the last two seasons for the Colts.

Kyzir White – Safety, Los Angeles Chargers 

White was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers with the 119th pick (4th round) in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Like Glowinski, White spent two seasons at Lackawanna before transferring to WVU and spent 2016 and 2017 with the Mountaineers.

White was drafted by the Chargers and signed a four-year, $3.11 million rookie contract. He’s played in 30 games over the past three seasons, becoming a key contributor in 2019, and has recorded 134 tackles (87 solo), six tackles for loss, a half-sack, two interceptions and seven passes defended. His 2020 season, while interrupted by COVID-19 and injuries, saw him rack up 77 tackles and three passes defended.

Rasul Douglas – Cornerback, Las Vegas Raiders

Douglas was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 99th pick (3rd round) in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Another community college acquisition, Douglas spent three seasons with Nassau Community College from 2012-14 and transferred to WVU in 2015. Since being drafted by the Eagles in 2017, he’s played for the Eagles, Panthers and now the Raiders. In 60 NFL games, he’s recorded 180 tackles (145 solo), 10 tackles for loss, five interceptions and 34 passes defended.

Douglas spent three seasons with the Eagles, one season with the Panthers and signed a free agent deal with the Raiders in April. He figures to compete for a spot in the secondary this season.

Karl Joseph – Cornerback, Las Vegas Raiders 

Joseph was drafted by the Oakland Raiders with the 14th pick (1st round) of the 2016 NFL Draft.

In four seasons with the Mountaineers, Joseph was highly successful. Including five interceptions in just four games as a senior before being drafted by the Raiders. In five seasons since being drafted, he’s racked up 303 tackles (220 solo), three sacks, 19 passes defended, five interceptions and five fumble recoveries.

Joseph re-signed with the Raiders this offseason, a one-year, veterans minimum.

Nick Kwiatkoski – Linebacker, Las Vegas Raiders

Kwiatkoski was drafted by the Chicago Bears with the 113th pick (4th round) in the 2016 NFL Draft.

He spent five seasons in Morgantown before becoming a Bears’ draft pick, blossoming into a serviceable NFL player. In 69 career games, Kwiatkoski has accumulated 265 tackles (192 solo), 16 tackles for loss, seven sacks, two interceptions and 12 passes defended.

In 2020, he signed a three-year, $21 million deal with the Raiders and should play a role in the Raiders’ linebacker corps this season.

Will Grier – Quarterback, Carolina Panthers

Grier was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the 100th pick (3rd round) of the 2019 NFL Draft.

WVU’s starting quarterback in 2017 and 2018, Grier was highly successful in Morgantown, but that hasn’t translated to the NFL.

In two games, both as a rookie in 2019, Grier passed for 228 yards and four interceptions with a 53.4% completion percentage. He will enter 2021 as the Panthers’ third-string quarterback behind Sam Darnold and P.J. Walker.

Geno Smith – Quarterback, Seattle Seahawks

Smith was drafted by the New York Jets with the 39th pick (2nd round) in the 2013 NFL Draft.

As one of the best players in WVU history, his NFL career hasn’t been as successful, but he’s carved out a role. A career backup, Smith has played in 41 games, throwing for 6,215 yards at a 57.9% clip. He’s tossed 29 touchdowns to 36 interceptions and rushed for seven more touchdowns.

He re-signed with the Seahawks in April to continue backing up Russell Wilson. Smith has played for the Jets, Seahawks, New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers.

Daryl Worley – Cornerback, Arizona Cardinals 

Worley was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the 77th pick (3rd round) in the 2016 NFL Draft.

He has bounced around the NFL a bit, with spots in the organizations of the Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles, Oakland Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Las Vegas Raiders and now the Arizona Cardinals on a new deal.

In 66 games, Worley has racked up 265 tackles (211 solo), 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, five interceptions, 37 passes defended and one fumble recovery.

David Long, Jr. – Linebacker, Tennessee Titans 

Long was drafted by the Tennessee Titans with the 188th pick (6th round) in the 2019 NFL Draft.

In two seasons for the Titans, Long has accumulated 69 tackles (39 solo), four tackles for loss, three passes defended and two forced fumbles. He will compete for a starting spot on the Titans’ defense this season.

Colton McKivitz – Offensive Lineman, San Francisco 49ers 

McKivitz was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers with the 153rd pick (5th round) in the 2020 NFL Draft. He is expected to compete as a backup lineman this season.

Kevin White – Wide Receiver, San Francisco 49ers 

White was drafted by the Chicago Bears with the seventh pick (1st round) in the 2015 NFL Draft. With a multitude of injuries in the NFL, White has never lived up to his draft status, recording 25 catches for 285 yards in the NFL. He signed a futures contract with the 49ers in January.

Tony Fields II – Safety, Cleveland Browns

Fields was drafted by the Cleveland Browns with the 153rd pick (fifth round) in the 2021 NFL Draft. He is expected to compete as a special teams contributor this season.

Kenny Robinson – Safety, Carolina Panthers

Robinson was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the 152nd pick (5th round) in the 2020 NFL Draft. He was promoted to the active roster in October of 2020.

Gary Jennings – Wide Reciever, Indianapolis Colts

Jennings was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks with the 120th pick (4th round) of the 2019 NFL Draft. He’s bounced around the league before signing a futures contract with the Colts in January.

Darius Stills – Defensive Lineman, Las Vegas Raiders

Stills was signed by the Raiders as an undrafted free agent following the 2021 NFL Draft. He was placed on the non-football injury list on July 25.

Adam Pankey – Offensive Lineman, Miami Dolphins 

Pankey was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent following the 2017 NFL Draft. He’s played in eight NFL games and re-signed with the Dolphins in March.

Yodny Cajuste – Offensive Lineman, New England Patriots

Cajuste was drafted by the New England Patriots with the 101st pick (3rd round) in the 2019 NFL Draft. He’s been mainly hurt to begin his NFL career and hopes to be healthy this season.

Michael Brown – Offensive Lineman, New Orleans Saints

Brown signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent following the 2021 NFL Draft. He will compete for a roster spot with the Saints.

Keith Washington, Jr. – Cornerback, New Orleans Saints

Washington was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent following the 2020 NFL Draft. He signed a futures deal with the Saints in January and should compete for a spot in the secondary.

David Sills V – Wide Receiver, New York Giants

Sills was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent following the 2019 NFL Draft. He is signed through the 2021 season.

Trevon Wesco – Fullback, New York Jets

Wesco was drafted by the New York Jets with the 121st pick (4th round) in the 2019 NFL Draft. He switched from tight end to fullback with the Jets and has three catches for 52 yards in the NFL.

TJ Simmons – Wide Reciever, 

Simmons signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent following the 2021 NFL Draft. He will attempt to make the roster with the defending Super Bowl champs.

Get WVSN in your mailbox!

Enter your email address to subscribe to WVSN and receive notifications of new posts by email.

COMPLETE COVERAGE