A total of 13 former Hoosiers are with NFL teams as the league gets set to kick off action next week.
Six of them quickly got an opportunity to join practice squads after suffering the disappointment of being released as teams cut down to 53 players.
Tackle Caleb Jones impressed during training camp at Green Bay, and the Packers were able to retain him on their practice squad after releasing him. The slimmed-down Jones was on the Indiana sidelines during their 23-20 win over Illinois on Friday night.
Linebacker Tegray Scales is back in his hometown on the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad. He’s been on several practice squads and rosters and other professional leagues since departing IU following the 2017 season.
Rookie safety Raheem Layne is with the Los Angeles Chargers practice squad. It’s an impressive accomplishment for Layne, who only moved to safety late in his college career.
Rookie linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball is with the San Francisco 49ers practice squad. The six-year IU player gave an emotional press conference after an interception and long return in a preseason game, insisting he would make the team. He’s still got a chance.
Rookie defensive end Ryder Anderson is with the New York Giants practice squad. Anderson spent one year with IU after transferring in from Ole Miss. He joins linebacker Micah McFadden in New York. McFadden is on the 53-man roster and may start on opening day.
Guard Wes Martin bounced around this summer, spending time with Washington and Jacksonsville. He ultimately landed on the Commanders practice squad.
Quarterback Nate Sudfeld was originally on the list of released players looking for his next spot, but that quickly changed when he was signed by the Detroit Lions to be their backup quarterback. He’s on their 53-man roster.
In total, seven are part of 53-man rosters across the league.
Joining Sudfeld and McFadden on NFL 53-man rosters are Rodger Saffold (Buffalo), Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (Tennessee), Peyton Hendershot (Dallas), Ian Thomas (Carolina), and Dan Feeney (New York Jets).
As of this writing, six who were with NFL franchises at the start of training camps are currently free agents: Tevin Coleman, Wes Martin, Jason Spriggs, Jamar Johnson, Ty Fryfogle and Stevie Scott.
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