Following the 42 Former Longhorns on NFL Rosters

Here is an offseason update (from our friends at TexasSports.com) on each of the Longhorns in the NFL.

Arizona Cardinals

• OLB Alex Okafor is entering his third season in the NFL, all with the Cardinals. Last year, he appeared in 13 games (12 starts), making 30 tackles, including eight sacks. After injuries derailed the start to his 2014 campaign, Okafor hopes to stay healthy in 2015.

• DE Cory Redding has played 12 NFL seasons, the second-most among former Longhorns in the pros. After playing all 16 games and making 3.5 sacks with Indianapolis last season, Redding is in his first year with the Cardinals. Even after playing in 176 career games with four teams, Redding remains excited about playing the game.

• WR Jaxon Shipley signed as a free agent with the Cardinals after the 2015 NFL Draft. Shipley, who ranks third in UT history in career receptions (216), hopes to continue the trend of undrafted players making the Cardinals roster. In each of the last two years, three undrafted rookies made Arizona's final roster, and all six are still with the team.

Baltimore Ravens

• PK Justin Tucker is about to begin his fourth NFL season, all with the Ravens. He is the most accurate place-kicker in NFL history, connecting on 97 of 108 attempts (89.8 percent).

Buffalo Bills

• Marquise Goodwin has spent his first two seasons with the Bills. The speedy wide receiver has had some nagging injuries, but hopes to rebound in 2015. A two-time NCAA champion in the long jump, Goodwin competed in that event at last week's USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He finished fourth and just missed out on a trip to the IAAF World Championships.

• DE Cedric Reed signed as a free agent with Buffalo after the 2015 NFL Draft. He spent the spring trying to acclimate to the NFL, by learning from some of Buffalo's veterans.

• Safety Aaron Williams is heading into his fifth NFL season, all with the Bills. He had offseason surgery, but is expected to be ready for preseason camp.

Carolina Panthers

• CB Carrington Byndom is going into his second NFL season. He went undrafted in 2014, but was signed to Carolina's practice squad and then activated late in the year, playing in three games.

• RB Fozzy Whittaker seems to have found a home in Carolina. He is heading into his third NFL season, including his second with the Panthers. His role increased late in 2014 and may expand even more this season.

Chicago Bears

• LB Sam Acho is entering his fifth season in the NFL and first with the Bears. Head coach John Fox likes what's he's seen so far from Acho. "He's a smart player, so he grasps things and is able to take them from the classroom out to the field pretty well," Fox said. "He helps some of the young players grasp what we're doing. He's been an excellent addition."

• WR John Chiles is in his first season with Chicago. He went undrafted in 2011, but he is coming off two successful seasons in the CFL with Toronto (2013-14) where he posted 73 receptions for 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns.

• DT Lamarr Houston is in his second season with the Bears and sixth in the NFL. He injured a knee last season, but hopes to be ready for 2015. Watch a TexasSports.com feature on him for an update.

 

Cincinnati Bengals

• OG Trey Hopkins is going into his second season with the Bengals after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2014. Hopkins suffered a season-ending leg injury in the preseason, but is now healthy and hoping to battle for a roster spot.

Dallas Cowboys

• TE Geoff Swaim was selected in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Cowboys.

• DT Chris Whaley spent the 2014 season on the Dallas injured reserved list after injuring his knee late in 2013 at Texas. Now healthy, Whaley hopes to find a spot in 2015.

Detroit Lions

• CB Quandre Diggs was picked in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.

He impressed during minicamps and may find himself in the cornerback rotation in the fall.

(I'm personally rooting BIG TIME for Quandre to come up big. 6th round picks can still make some noise!

 

 

Jacksonville Jaguars

• DT Roy Miller has spent six seasons in the NFL, including the last two with the Jaguars. He has started 28 games with Jacksonville.

Kansas City Chiefs

• One of the top running backs in the NFL, Jamaal Charles has spent all seven of his seasons in the NFL with the Chiefs. He is the team's all-time leading rusher with 6,856 yards and was recently voted the No. 12 player in the league.

• LB Derrick Johnson is heading into his 11th NFL season, all with the Chiefs. The three-time Pro Bowl player, who is second in team history in tackles (985), tore an Achilles tendon last season but is ready for 2015.

Miami Dolphins

• OL Donald Hawkins signed with the Dolphins in May after being released by the Dallas Cowboys.

Minnesota Vikings

• LS Cullen Loeffler has spent all 11 of his NFL seasons with the Vikings. He has missed just five games (all in 2011) during his career. His 171 games played are the most by a long snapper in team history.

• DE Brian Robison is heading into his ninth NFL season, all with the Vikings, recording 43.5 career sacks. He has missed just two games in his eight NFL seasons. He did suffer a pectoral injury in the offseason but hopes to be ready for preseason camp.

New England Patriots

• DT Malcom Brown was a first-round selection of the Patriots in the 2015 NFL Draft. He was introduced by the Patriots in May.

New Orleans Saints

• S Kenny Vaccaro is heading into his third season with the Saints. He registered 74 tackles and two interceptions in 2014.

New York Giants

• CB Chykie Brown is heading into his second season with the Giants after spending nearly four with Baltimore.

• S Mykkele Thompson was picked in the fifth round by the Giants in the 2015 NFL Draft. He is a member of a young Giants secondary.

New York Jets

• CB Curtis Brown is in his first season with the Jets, signing as a free agent in February. He played with Pittsburgh from 2011 to 2013, but was not on an NFL roster last season.

Philadelphia Eagles

• LB Emmanuel Acho is entering his third active season in the NFL, after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns. He spent that season on the Browns' injured reserve list and signed with Philadelphia in 2013. He also had a brief stint with the New York Giants in the 2013 season. He played in 14 games last season, registering 36 tackles.

• WR John Harris was signed as free agent by the Eagles following the 2015 NFL Draft. Harris had a productive senior season with the Longhorns, posting 68 receptions for 1,051 yards in 2014.

• LB Jordan Hicks was taken in the third round by the Eagles in the 2015 NFL Draft. After a couple of injury-plagued seasons, Hicks was a force last year, posting 147 tackles en route to second-team All-America honors.

St. Louis Rams

• RB Malcolm Brown was signed as a free agent by the Rams after the 2015 NFL Draft. He finished his career No. 9 on the Texas all-time rushing yards list (2,678).

San Diego Chargers

• OL Michael Huey signed a free agent contract with the Chargers in March. He went undrafted in 2011 and spent time on Washington's practice squad last season.

• S Adrian Phillips is in his second season with the Chargers. He made the practice squad last season after going undrafted and ended up playing in three games.

San Francisco 49ers

• The longest-tenured former Longhorn in the NFL, PK Phil Dawson is heading into his 17th NFL season, including his third with the 49ers. He's still going strong at 40 years old.

Seattle Seahawks

• LS  was signed as a free agent by Seattle after the 2015 NFL Draft. The former Green Beret will bring an 'always compete' attitude to the Seahawks.

• S Earl Thomas, who is heading into his sixth season with the Seahawks, is among the best safeties in the NFL as evidenced by his three straight trips to the Pro Bowl. The 2014 Super Bowl champion has never missed a game in his career.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• DT Henry Melton is beginning his first season with the Buccaneers. He spent 2014 in Dallas and the previous four years with Chicago.

Tennessee Titans

• S Michael Griffin is entering his ninth season in the NFL, all with the Titans. He is the longest tenured Titan on the team and has missed just two games in his career. Griffin posted a career-high 112 tackles last season.

• OLB Brian Orakpo is beginning his first season the Titans after spending the first six years of his NFL career with Washington where he made three Pro Bowls. He is focused on staying in shape and learning the playbook leading up to training camp.

Washington Redskins

• After going undrafted, LB Jackson Jeffcoat spent 2014 with Washington, playing in three games. A standout defensive end during his four seasons with the Longhorns, Jeffcoat had aspirations about playing basketball.

• QB Colt McCoy is starting his fifth season in the NFL, including his second with Washington. He started four games last season, throwing for more than 1,000 yards. During minicamps, McCoy and Kirk Cousins were battling for second-team snaps.

• LB Keenan Robinson is entering his third season in the NFL, all with the Redskins. He led the team last season with 109 tackles and is hoping for even more in 2015.