SIX BLUE DRAGONS ON OPENING-DAY NFL ROSTERS

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Nearly all the former Hutchinson Community College football players in professional football have new teams to play for this season.

A total of six former Blue Dragons have made opening-day NFL rosters as all but two teams open their season on Sunday. A seventh former Blue Dragons is currently on a practice roster and an eighth is playing in the Canadian Football League.

As has been for the past several years, perennial All-Pro selections Alvin Kamara and Cordarrelle Patterson headline the group former Blue Dragons in the NFL.

Kamara starts his fifth season with the New Orleans Saints. This will be the first season Kamara will not catch passes or take handoffs from future Hall-of-Famer Drew Brees. Kamara had 3,340 yards and 43 rushing touchdowns in his career. He also has 326 career receptions for 2,824 yards and 15 scores.

Patterson is now with the Atlanta Falcons after two years with the Chicago Bears. Patterson, who is the Blue Dragons' only first-round draft pick, begins his ninth NFL season. He has been with the Vikings, Raiders, Patriots and Bears previous to this season. For his career, Patterson is averaging 29.8 yards per return, eight going back for touchdowns. He tied an NFL record that can never be broken with a 109-yard kickoff return for a touchdown as a member of the Vikings in Week 8 of the 2013 season.

The Arizona Cardinals have two former Blue Dragon defensive players in Markus Golden and defensive end Jeremiah Ledbetter, who was with the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season is on the Cardinals' practice squad.

Two other former Dragons who are NFL veterans have new homes as De'Vondre Campbell is now with the Green Back Packers and Gerald Everett is now with the Seattle Seahawks.

There is one former Blue Dragon in the NFL rookie class of 2021. Jerry Jacobs signed an undrafted free-agent contract with Detroit and made the Lions' opening-day roster.

The eighth Blue Dragon currently in professional football is Les Maruo, who was drafted this season by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL.

In addition to the former Blue Dragon players in the NFL, four former coaches are in the league. Most notably Brandon Staley, who makes his debut on Sunday as the Los Angeles Chargers' head coach.

Former Blue Dragon head coach Andy Hill is a special teams assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs. Brian Natkin is an assistant offensive line coach for the Arizona Cardinals and Chris Tabor is a special teams assistant with the Chicago Bears.

Former Dragon defensive coordinator Shawn Mennega was with the Packers last season. He returned to college coaching in 2021 with Vanderbilt University.