17 Former Illini in the NFL
September 6, 2018 | Football
Keep up with former Illini as the NFL opens the 2018 opens Thursday
A total of 17 former Fighting Illini football players are in the NFL as the season opens up this week. Fourteen players are on opening-day 53-man rosters, one is on injured reserve and two more are on practice squads.
The list of Illini on NFL rosters includes a bevy of veterans like Vontae Davis, Corey Liuget, Whitney Mercilus, Akeem Spence and Tavon Wilson, plus more recent fan favorites like rookie JamesCrawford, Geronimo Allison, Clayton Fejedelem, Ted Karras, HardyNickerson and Dawuane Smoot, plus Carroll Phillips and Jihad Ward on practice squads.
Look for Illini in the NFL updates throughout the season at FightingIllini.com.
Illini in NFL – Opening Day 2018
| Player | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Geronimo Allison | Green Bay Packers | Wide Receiver |
| James Crawford | Green Bay Packers | Linebacker |
| Vontae Davis | Buffalo Bills | Cornerback |
| Clayton Fejedelem | Cincinnati Bengals | Safety |
| Justin Hardee | New Orleans Saints | Cornerback |
| Michael Hoomanawanui | New Orleans Saints | Tight End |
| Ted Karras | New England Patriots | Offensive Line |
| Matt LaCosse | Denver Broncos | Tight End |
| Corey Liuget | Los Angeles Chargers | Defensive Tackle |
| Whitney Mercilus | Houston Texans | Linebacker |
| Hardy Nickerson | Cincinnati Bengals | Linebacker |
| Dawuane Smoot | Jacksonville Jaguars | Defensive End |
| Akeem Spence | Miami Dolphins | Defensive Tackle |
| Tavon Wilson | Detroit Lions | Defensive Back |
Illini on Injured Reserve
| Josh Ferguson | Indianapolis Colts | Running Back |
Illini on Practice Squads
| Carroll Phillips | Indianapolis Colts | Defensive End |
| Jihad Ward | Indianapolis Colts | Defensive End |
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