How does one get to the NFL? Below explains the path of the almost 1700 players from the 2016-17 season including 13 Canadians who were on opening day rosters
OVERALL
Conference or division | Players | Percent | |
FBS | SEC | 315 | 18.60% |
FBS | Big Ten | 245 | 14.40% |
FBS | ACC | 226 | 13.30% |
FBS | Pac-12 | 211 | 12.40% |
FCS (former I-AA) schools | 146 | 8.60% | |
FBS | Big 12 | 134 | 7.90% |
FBS | American | 98 | 5.80% |
FBS | Mountain | 70 | 4.10% |
FBS | USA | 61 | 3.60% |
Division II schools | 60 | 3.50% | |
FBS | MAC | 39 | 2.30% |
FBS | Independents | 36 | 2.10% |
FBS | Sun Belt | 34 | 2.00% |
Division III schools | 9 | 0.50% | |
Other schools | 7 | 0.40% | |
U Sports schools | 5 | 0.30% | |
NAIA schools | 2 | 0.10% | |
OVERALL TOTAL | 1698 | ||
FBS TOTAL | 1469 | 86.50% |
CANADIANS
CANADIAN PLAYERS | Players |
FBS | 8 |
U Sports | 5 |
OPENING DAY ROSTER PLAYERS
Canadian performances in week 1 of 2016 NFL season:
Twenty-six Canadians appeared on a 90-man NFL roster in the spring or summer. Here are profiles of the fortunate 13 who survived last week’s cut-downs to 53-man rosters:
Tyrone Crawford, DE, Dallas Cowboys (Windsor, ON) – Boise State FBS / Catholic Central
two solo tackles – lost 20-19 NY Giants
Luke Willson, TE, Seattle Seahawks (Windsor, ON) – Rice FBS / LaSalle
2 catches, 4 targets, 26 yards, 19 long
Jon Ryan, P, Seattle Seahawks (Regina, SK) – Regina Rams CIS / Sheldon-Williams
six punts, 42.2 average, 50 yard long, 2 inside 20
L.P. Ladouceur, Long Snapper, Dallas Cowboys (Pointe Claire, QC) – California FBS / John Abbott CEGEP / College Notre Dame
lost to NY Giants 20-19
Brett Jones, Offensive Line, New York Giants (Weyburn, Sask) – Regina CIS
Defeated Dallas Cowboys 20-19
David Onyemeta, Defensive Line, New Orlean Saints (Winnipeg, MB) – Manitoba CIS
1 assisted tackle – lost 35-34 to Oakland
Christian Covington, DT Houston Texans (Vancouver, BC) – Rice / Vancouver College
1 assisted tackle – won 23-14 Chicago
Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, OL, Kansas City Chiefs (Mont-Sainte-Hillaire, QC) McGill / Andre-Grasset
won 33-27 San Diego
Orlando Franklin, RG, San Diego Chargers (Toronto) – Miami Hurricanes FBS / Atlantic Community
lost 33-27 Kansas City
Austin Pasztor, OT, Cleveland Browns – Virginia Cavaliers FBS / Tillsonburg – Glendale
lost 29-10 Philadelphia Eagles
Brent Urban, DL, Baltimore Ravens (Mississauga, ON) – Virginia Cavaliers FBS / Lorne Park
1 assisted tackle – won 13-7 Buffalo
John Urschel OG Baltimore Ravens (Winnipeg, MB) – Penn State
won 13-7 Buffalo
Stefan Charles, DT, Detroit Lions (Toronto) – Regina Rams CIS / Eastdale Collegiate
No Stats
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Practice squad
CLEYON LAING, DE, Miami Dolphins (Edmonton)
TEVAUN SMITH, WR, Indianapolis Colts (Toronto)
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Injured Reserve
ELIE BOUKA, CB, Arizona Cardinals (Laval, QC) Calgary CIS / Montmorency
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FREE AGENT
* MEHDI ABDESMAD, DL, from Montreal. Undrafted rookie cut by Tennessee Titans.
* CHRISTO BILUKIDI, DL, Sixth-year NFLer cut in spring by Washington. Signed by NY Jets but left team in August. (Ottawa) – Georgia State FCS / St. Patrick
* BRETT BOYKO, OT, Second-year cut by San Diego Chargers. (Saskatoon, SK) – UNLV / St. Joseph’s Guardians
* ARJEN COLQUHOUN, CB, from Windsor, Ont. Undrafted rookie cut by Dallas Cowboys.
* DAVID FOUCAULT, OT, Third-year cut by Carolina Panthers. (LaSalle, QC) – Montreal (CIS) / Edouard Montpetit
* T.J. JONES, WR/KR, Third-year cut by Detroit Lions. (Winnipeg, MB) – Notre Dame
* HENOC MUAMBA, LB, from Mississauga, Ont. Ex-CFLer cut by Dallas Cowboys.
* ANDY MULUMBA, OLB, from Montreal. Fourth-year cut by Kansas City Chiefs. (Luputa, DRC/Montreal, QC) – Eastern Michigan / Vieux Montreal
* RAHSAUN SIMONISE, WR, from Vancouver. Undrafted rookie cut by Cincinnati Bengals. Returned to Canada to play in CJFL.
* SHAUN SUISHAM, PK, Cut by Pittsburgh Steelers in June but has not filed retirement papers yet, while recovering from plant-leg knee injuries. (Wallaceburg, ON) – Bowling Green FBS / Wallaceburg District
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