NFL Playoffs: Top 10 Division II Players in the Super Bowl Hunt
Bloomsburg University graduate and current New Orleans Saint Jahri Evans has been a great guard since joining the NFL, making two Pro Bowls. It got me thinking about how many standouts on current rosters attended a D-II football school.
There are a growing number of players from Division II colleges on current NFL rosters, and 15 of them are on current playoff rosters. Ten of those have an opportunity to make a difference. From 10th to first, some of these players may surprise you.
10. John Kuhn, HB, Green Bay Packers
1 of 10
School Attended: Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA
NFL Experience: 5th season
2010 Key Stat: 6 Total Touchdowns (four rushing, two receiving)
Potential Impact for Packers: Kuhn started two games for the Packers this season and will see plenty of opportunities in the postseason. His tough style of running and ability to catch out of the backfield make him a dual threat in third down situations. Expect to see this Red Raider in the end zone at least once during the tournament.
9. Dimitri Patterson, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
2 of 10
School Attended: Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL
NFL Experience: 5th season
2010 Key Stat: 4 interceptions in nine starts
Potential Impact for Eagles: When Patterson was called upon at first this season, he was very solid opposite Asante Samuel. If he can recapture the early-season magic and turn in some big plays, the Eagles will make a deep run in the playoffs.
8. Jordan Babineaux, S, Seattle Seahawks
3 of 10
School Attended: Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, Arkansas
NFL Experience: 7th season
2010 Key Stat: 2 interceptions and 1.5 sacks
Potential Impact for Seahawks: Babineaux has not started a game in 2010, yet still has 46 tackles, two picks and 1.5 sacks on the season. He is also a key player on the Seattle special teams. If he comes off the bench and is able to contribute at a high level, perhaps the Seahawks will have a chance to upset New Orleans this weekend.
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7. Danny Woodhead, HB, New England Patriots
4 of 10
School Attended: Chadron State College, Chadron, NE
NFL Experience: 3rd season
2010 Key Stat: 5.6 yards per carry and five rushing touchdowns
Potential Impact for Patriots: Danny Woodhead is a shifty young man who has delivered highlight-reel runs for the New England Patriots this season in a secondary role. The question is not whether he'll receive any carries in the playoffs, rather how many he'll get. If he touches the ball, it is usually in the red zone. Woodhead will have a chance to score more than one touchdown, and he's going to have a great shot at playing February 6 in Dallas.
6. Brent Grimes, CB, Atlanta Falcons
5 of 10
School Attended: Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA
NFL Experience: 3rd season
2010 Key Stat: 5 interceptions
Potential Impact for Falcons: The second Red Raider to make the list, Brent Grimes is turning into one of the better cornerbacks in the league. Only in his third season out of Shippensburg, he started all 16 games for the top-seeded Atlanta Falcons in 2010, turning in five interceptions and registering 87 tackles. He'll be a key defensive player in any deep playoff run the Falcons want to have.
5. Danieal Manning, FS, Chicago Bears
6 of 10
School Attended: Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX
NFL Experience: 5th season
2010 Key Stat: 72 tackles and seven passes defensed
Potential Impact for Bears: Manning started all 16 games in 2010 and showed up in some great plays for the Bears down the stretch. His seven passes defensed are the best in his career, to go along with one interception and 72 tackles. Those are good numbers from the free safety position, and the Bears will need his tackling skills to stop teams like the Eagles, Falcons and Saints in the playoffs.
4. Johnny Knox, WR, Chicago Bears
7 of 10
School Attended: Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX
NFL Experience: 2nd season
2010 Key Stat: 960 yards receiving, five touchdowns
Potential Impact for Bears: The second straight Abilene Christian alum and current Chicago Bear to make the top five on this list. Johnny Knox is in just his second season and went from no starts in '09 to starting every game in 2010. He also improved his yards per catch this season by seven yards (from 11 to 18 YPC). Knox is the Bears best receiver outside of Devin Hester this season.
3. Adam Vinatieri, K, Indianapolis Colts
8 of 10
School Attended: South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD
NFL Experience: 15th season
2010 Key Stat: 26 of 28 field goals made, 92.9 percent success rate
Potential Impact for Colts: Vinatieri probably could've been ranked first on this list, depending what season it is. He is best known for his Super Bowl-winning kicks with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts and is the only Division II alumni on this list to have a ring. When the Colts hit the road after the Wild Card Round, Adam Vinatieri becomes key, as they will need as many points as they can get. His 92.9 percent success rate is his best since 2004, the year the Patriots defeated the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX.
2. Todd Herremans, G, Philadelphia Eagles
9 of 10
School Attended: Saginaw Valley State University, University Center, MI
NFL Experience: 6th Season
2010 Key Stat: 15 starts
Potential Impact for Eagles: If the Philadelphia Eagles are going to go anywhere in the playoffs, the offensive line has to keep Michael Vick upright. Todd Herremans is the second-best player on the Eagles offensive line and the only one who has been healthy throughout the 2010 season. Offensive lineman may not be as flashy as the others on the list, but the game of football is won and lost in the trenches. So Herremans comes in at No. 2. Read on to find out who is tops.
1. Jahri Evans, G, New Orleans Saints
10 of 10
School Attended: Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA
NFL Experience: 5th Season
2010 Key Stat: 16 starts, Pro Bowl starter
Potential Impact for Saints: Jahri Evans will be the NFC starting guard in Hawaii later this month, unless the Saints can defend their title. The third player on the list from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and second offensive lineman, Evans is the No. 1 Division II player in the postseason this year. His value to the Saints is immeasurable. Drew Brees would not be the quarterback he is, and the offense in the big easy wouldn't click, if it weren't for the offensive line. Evans is the anchor of that line for the second year in a row.
I hope you enjoyed reading about some of the stars from Division II NCAA football that will be taking the field in the 2011 NFL postseason. Without some of these players, their respective teams would not be where they are.
To read more from this author, visit the Bird Bytes blog.
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