With the NFL season kicking off this week, football fans across the state can agree on one thing.
We hate Cleveland.
The Browns are the only NFL team without a North Carolina product on their roster. None of the players on the active roster played at a college in the state, nor grew up here. That makes Cleveland the only one of the 32 franchises without a local rooting interest here in the Old North State.
The Browns do have Wake Forest tight end Blake Whiteheart on the practice squad and NC State’s Nyheim Hines on injured reserve, but, for the purposes of our discussion, we’re focusing on the 53-man active roster for each team.
A total of 114 players have had their journey through the NFL go through North Carolina. Some, like Chiefs backup quarterback Carson Wentz, were born here (in Raleigh) and moved away at a very young age. Others, like Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, played here in high school, then left for an out-of-state college. Others, like Ikem Ekwonu, were raised here, went to college here (NC State) and now play for the hometown team—the Carolina Panthers.
The Falcons and Seahawks (seven each) have the most North Carolina products on their rosters. The Bills, Raiders and Giants have six each, followed by the Cowboys, Packers, Dolphins, Vikings and Buccaneers, with five. The Panthers have three. Other than Cleveland, the Ravens, Jags and Eagles have the fewest, at one each.
Offensive line is your best bet for making the league from this state. Of the 114 NFL players, 23 are linemen, 17 play linebacker, matching defensive back and defensive line for next most. There are 15 receivers, eight quarterbacks, seven running backs, four punters, three tight ends, a pair of long snappers and a kicker.
Twenty two players were born/raised in the state but played college elsewhere.
Wentz, Lawrence (Wake Forest), Jaleel McLaughlin, Broncos (Marshville), Jovaughn Gwyn, Falcons (Charlotte), Braxton Berrios, Dolphins (Raleigh), Keenan Allen, Bears (Greensboro), Bradley Pinion, Falcons (Concord), Jarran Reed, Seahawks (Goldsboro), Javon Hargrave, 49ers (Salisbury), Jonathan Bullard, Vikings (Shelby), DJ Reader, Lions (Greensboro), Carlos Watkins, Commanders (Forest City), Brock Hoffman, Cowboys (Statesville), Tyquan Lewis, Colts (Tarboro), Jaire Alexander, Packers (Charlotte), Harold Landry, Titans (Spring Lake), Shy Tuttle, Panthers (Winston-Salem), Rico Dowdle, Cowboys (Asheville), Landon Dickerson, Eagles (Hickory), Nick Leverett, Patriots (Salisbury), Divine Deablo, Raiders (Winston-Salem), Nick Muse, Vikings (Belmont).
The college-to-NFL pipeline starts at NC State, which sent 19 players to active rosters, more than any other school: Jacoby Brissett, Patriots; Payton Wilson and Russell Wilson, Steelers; BJ Hill and Germaine Pratt, Bengals; AJ Cole and Jakobi Meyers, Raiders; Joe Thuney, Chiefs; Ikem Ekwonu and Chandler Zavala, Panthers; James Smith-Williams and Kentavious Street, Falcons; Brayden Narveson, Packers; Alim McNeill, Lions; Garrett Bradbury, Vikings; Drake Thomas, Seahawks; Justin Jones, Cardinals; Marques Valdes-Scantling, Bills; Nick McCloud, Giants
Next is UNC, with 18: Mack Hollins and Mitchell Trubisky, Bills; British Brooks and MJ Stewart, Texans; Joshua Ezeudu and Jordon Riley, Giants; Storm Duck, Dolphins; Drake Maye, Patriots; Chazz Surratt, Jets; Devontez Walker, Ravens; Josh Downs, Colts; Dyami Brown, Commanders; Amani Gainer, Raiders; Javonte Williams, Broncos; Asim Richards, Cowboys; Ty Chandler, Vikings; Sam Howell, Seahawks; Mike Hughes, Falcons
Duke took third, with 14. Dewayne Carter, Bills; Michael Carter and Thomas Hennessey, Jets; Daniel Jones, Giants, Noah Gray, Chiefs; Jamison Crowder, Commanders; Josh Blackwell, Bears; Lucas Patrick, Saints; Graham Barton, Evan Deckers, Bucs. Laken Tomlinson, Jake Bobo, Seahawks; Victor Dimukeje, Cardinals; Jacob Monk, Packers.
Wake Forest had 13: Ja’Sir Taylor, Chargers; Luke Masterson, Raiders; Justin Strnad, Broncos; Boogie Basham, Giants; Caelen Carson, Cowboys; AT Perry, Saints; Jessie Bates, Falcons; Zach Tom, Packers; Michael Jurgens, Vikings; Malik Mustapha, 49ers; Kobie Turner, Rams; Greg Dortch, Cardinals; Kenneth Walker, Seahawks
Appalachian State rounds out the top five, with eight players: Sam Martin, Bills; Kendall Lamm, Dolphins; Akeem Davis-Gaither, Bengals; Cooper Hodges, Jaguars; D’marco Jackson, Saints; Tyrek Funderburk, Bucs; Ryan Neuzil, Falcons; Nick Hampton, Rams
Here’s a look at the rest of the schools:
Charlotte: 5 Grant Dubose, Dolphins; Alex Highsmith and Larry Ogunjobi, Steelers; Nate Davis, Bears; Markees Watts, Bucs
East Carolina: 4 Julius Wood, Titans; Ja’quan McMillian, Broncos; Linval Joseph, Cowboys; Gardner Minshew, Raiders
Lenoir Rhyne: 2 Kyle Dugger, Patriots; Dareke Young, Seahawks
One each
Barton: Kameron Johnson, Bucs
Campbell: Julian Hill, Dolphins
Davidson: Zion Johnson, Chargers
Elon: Oli Udoh, Saints
Fayetteville State: Joshua Williams, Chiefs
JC Smith: Emanuel Wilson, Packers
NC A&T: Brandon Parker, 49ers
NC Central: Brandon Codrington, Bills
Wingate: Ethan Evans, Rams
