The Mountain West recently boasted its total of 53 former football players from member schools that are part of NFL opening week rosters for 2024. That’s rather conveniently the exact number of players for an NFL roster. And it brings up the inevitable question of what would an NFL team comprised of only the active former Mountain West players look like?
Well, technically, the answer to that is it would kind of suck. Mainly because of a lack of balance, unless you think having four punters and two long-snappers but only two defensive tackles and one center is good. But we’re going to have fun with this anyway.
The magic of the perfect 53 is ruined slightly by the fact that at least one of the players sort of/maybe doesn’t count for what is considered a former Mountain West player, and it also brings up a bit of a key point in how things are getting counted. NFL roster pages and most websites that track players by college go by the last one attended. So when the Mountain West list of players includes Daiyan Henley, it’s a little awkward since he spent his final year of college at Washington State. Since he spent four at Nevada and probably has a degree from there, I’m kind of letting that one slide to preserve that 53. Of course, this same thing can happen in reverse with the Mountain West taking credit for a player that spent more time at a previous school. Long story short, I didn’t vet every single name on the list exhaustively. I mainly double-checked it against a third-party website that tracks NFL players by college and Henley was the only anomaly. This list won’t include every player in the NFL that ever set foot on a Mountain West university campus.
While 53 is the number of active players (at least as of the last updates about a week ago) there are more players on NFL teams and on practice rosters. There are eight players currently on some kind of injury designation and another 21 on various practice squads. That further ruins the whole 53 illusion since the true total is either 61 or 82 depending on if you want to count practice squad players. The Mountain West has published the full list, including injured reserve and practice squad players, and you can find it on their website. For the curious, Boise State has the most active NFL players at 12, followed by San Diego State’s nine and Fresno State’s seven. Every Mountain West team has at least one active NFL player and all but Air Force have at least two.
Also, if you’re wondering how many NFL teams have a former Mountain West player on them, here’s the complicated answer to that. Right now, 24 NFL teams have a MW player on their active roster with three more having their only MW player being on an injury designation. Two NFL teams, the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans, only have a MW player on their practice squads. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles each have zero Mountain West players to be found on the roster, injured reserve or practice squads.
Offense
Quarterback
Player | College | NFL Team |
---|---|---|
Brett Rypien | Boise State | Minnesota Vikings |
Derek Carr | Fresno State | New Orleans Saints |
Jake Haener | Fresno State | New Orleans Saints |
Jordan Love | Utah State | Green Bay Packers |
Josh Allen | Wyoming | Buffalo Bills |
Position Group Grade — A+
This is easily the deepest position group for the Mountain West in the NFL. Three of the five are starters with Jordan Love and Josh Allen being considered two of the best in the entire league right now. An all-MW quarterback depth chart would be the envy of the NFL.
Running Back
Player | College | NFL Team |
---|---|---|
Alexander Mattison | Boise State | Las Vegas Raiders |
Avery Williams | Boise State | Atlanta Falcons |
Jeremy McNichols | Boise State | Washington Commanders |
Jordan Mims | Fresno State | New Orleans Saints |
Ronnie Rivers | Fresno State | Los Angeles Rams |
Practice Squad/Injured Reserve
- George Holani (PS) – Boise State / Seattle Seahawks
Position Group Grade — C-
Boise State and Fresno State have put several running backs each into the NFL, though there isn’t a robust history of actually getting onto the field at that position. Alexander Mattison is the one exception. He was a consistently productive running back for Minnesota when backing up Dalvin Cook and is now the RB2 in Las Vegas. Were he the only option to start on a theoretical all MW roster, he’d be viable, though not spectacular. Finding good production behind him could be a struggle.
Side note. Avery Williams has had his position changed to running back despite being a cornerback at Boise State, granted his NFL skill has mainly just been as a returner and he’s not played really any snaps at either CB or RB. But maybe put a pin in Williams when we circle back to corners in a bit.
Wide Receivers
Player | College | NFL Team |
---|---|---|
Cedrick Wilson Jr. | Boise State | New Orleans Saints |
Davante Adams | Fresno State | Las Vegas Raiders |
Khalil Shakir | Boise State | Buffalo Bills |
Romeo Doubs | Nevada | Green Bay Packers |
Practice Squad/Injured Reserve
- Elijah Cooks (PS) – San Jose State / Jacksonville Jaguars
- Jalen Cropper (PS) – Fresno State / Dallas Cowboys
- Jesse Matthews (PS) – San Diego State / Atlanta Falcons
- Nikko Remigo (PS) – Fresno State / Kansas City Chiefs
- Tyrell Shavers (PS) – San Diego State / Buffalo Bills
Position Group Grade — A-
The Mountain West is thin at wide receiver but definitely not wanting. Davante Adams is a three-time First Team All-Pro receiver and a fantastic WR1 option. Adams as the first option with Romeo Doubs and Khalil Shakir as the second/third options would be a very good top three by almost anyone’s standards, especially if they had the likes of Josh Allen or Jordan Love throwing to them. Lack of depth behind takes a couple points off, but a roster built off MW players could dip into a rather deep pool of practice squad players and make due.
Tight Ends
Player | College | NFL Team |
---|---|---|
Dallin Holker | Colorado State | New Orleans Saints |
Daniel Bellinger | San Diego State | New York Giants |
John Bates | Boise State | Washington Commanders |
Josh Oliver | San Jose State | Minnesota Vikings |
Trey McBride | Colorado State | Arizona Cardinals |
Practice Squad/Injured Reserve
- Cole Turner (PS) – Nevada / Washington Commanders
- Jordan Murray (PS) – Hawaii / Arizona Cardinals
- Treyton Welch (PS) – Wyoming / New Orleans Saints
Position Group Grade — B+
There’s depth in spades for the Mountain West and plenty of top-end value, though not quite elite. Trey McBride had a breakout 2023 season and is a young, emerging talent at TE and he’d be the presumed starter on this roster. But Daniel Bellinger is also a starting-caliber player and would be a great TE2. John Bates and Josh Oliver are both backup tight ends for their teams so you’d be spoiled for depth at this spot for an all MW roster. The only thing keeping this grade from being higher is none of these players are elite (McBride may be aiming to change that, though).
Offensive Line
Player | Pos. | College | NFL Team |
---|---|---|---|
Austin Corbett | C | Nevada | Carolina Panthers |
Daniel Brunskill | OG | San Diego State | Tennessee Titans |
Ezra Cleveland | OG | Boise State | Jacksonville Jaguars |
Joel Bitonio | OG | Nevada | Cleveland Browns |
Wes Schweitzer | OG | San Jose State | New York Jets |
David Quessenberry | OT | San Jose State | Minnesota Vikings |
Frank Crum | OT | Wyoming | Denver Broncos |
John Ojukwu | OT | Boise State | Tennessee Titans |
Zach Thomas | OT | San Diego State | New England Patriots |
Practice Squad/Injured Reserve
- Kohl Levao (PS) – Hawaii / New York Jets
- Netane Muti (IR) – Fresno State / Detroit Lions
Position Group Grade — B-
An offensive line made up of only Mountain West players would be relatively deep, with nine players capable of being on a two-deep depth chart, but it would lack top-end talent. Ezra Cleveland and Austin Corbett are the only guys at the top of the depth chart at their positions. The rest are backups. That doesn’t make them bad or not capable of starting if need be. It just makes this crew a little lackluster. Given how dynamic this team could be on offense with its quarterback and receiving group, it’d be a shame for this O-line to let them down. I don’t think they would be terrible, but it would maybe be an issue every once in a while.
Defense
Defensive Tackle
Player | Pos. | College | NFL Team |
---|---|---|---|
Jordan Jackson | DT | Air Force | Denver Broncos |
Scott Matlock | DT | Boise State | Los Angeles Chargers |
Position Group Grade — F
There is a terrifying lack of both depth and production here. Jordan Jackson has never appeared in an NFL game, having mainly bounced around some practice squads and Scott Matlock is at best a decent reserve that can rotate in to spell the starters. And that’s the only two guys that have the size to be DTs in the NFL from Mountain West rosters.
EDGE/Outside Linebacker
Player | College | NFL Team |
---|---|---|
DeMarcus Lawrence | Boise State | Dallas Cowboys |
Arron Mosby | Fresno State | Green Bay Packers |
Cameron Thomas | San Diego State | Kansas City Chiefs |
Carl Granderson | Wyoming | New Orleans Saints |
Mohamed Kamara | Colorado State | Miami Dolphins |
Practice Squad/Injured Reserve
- Alex Barrett (PS) – San Diego State / San Francisco 49ers
- Bo Richter (PS) – Air Force / Minnesota Vikings
- David Perales (IR) – Fresno State / Pittsburgh Steelers
Position Group Grade — B+
This group would feature a pretty solid duo of veteran edge-setters in DeMarcus Lawrence and Carl Granderson. Lawrence, despite heading into his age-32 season, is coming off back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons and Granderson new career highs in sacks (8.5) and TFLs (14) last year. Depth is a tad shaky, but with Cameron Thomas being the only other guy in this group getting regular rotation snaps on defense (and even three starts last year) but you could mostly make it work.
Linebackers
Player | College | NFL Team |
---|---|---|
Bobby Wagner | Utah State | Washington Commanders |
Chad Muma | Wyoming | Jacksonville Jaguars |
Daiyan Henley | Nevada | Los Angeles Chargers |
Jahlani Tavai | Hawaii | New England Patriots |
Logan Wilson | Wyoming | Cincinnati Bengals |
Mykal Walker | Fresno State | Washington Commanders |
Segun Olubi | San Diego State | Indianapolis Colts |
Practice Squad/Injured Reserve
- Dequan Jackson (PS) – Colorado State / Miami Dolphins
- Levelle Bailey (PS) – Fresno State / Denver Broncos
- Nick Vigil (PS) – Utah State / Dallas Cowboys
Position Group Grade — A
You’d be hard-pressed to find an actual linebacker duo in the NFL that would be better than what the Mountain West could pull off. Bobby Wagner and Jahlani Tavai are both guys many would put in the top 10 if inside linebackers and it’s not like Logan Wilson or Chad Muma are scrubs either as both start for their respective teams. The combination of depth and top-end talent here rivals that of the MW quarterback room.
Defensive Backs
Player | Pos. | College | NFL Team |
---|---|---|---|
Darren Hall | CB | San Diego State | Arizona Cardinals |
Damontae Kazee | S | San Diego State | Pittsburgh Steelers |
JL Skinner | S | Boise State | Denver Broncos |
Marcus Epps | S | Wyoming | Las Vegas Raiders |
Practice Squad/Injured Reserve
- Andrew Wingard (IR) – Wyoming / Jacksonville Jaguars
- DaRon Bland (IR) – Fresno State / Dallas Cowboys
- Jerrick Reed II (IR) – New Mexico / Seattle Seahawks
- Tashaun Gipson (IR) – Wyoming / Jacksonville Jaguars
- Trey Taylor (IR) – Air Force / Las Vegas Raiders
Position Group Grade — C
This group is a little challenging to rank. On the one hand, you’ve got some pretty solid top-end talent. DaRon Bland is a reigning First Team All-Pro cornerback (who also finished fifth in DPOY voting) and you’ve got some pretty solid veteran safeties like Tashaun Gipson and Marcus Epps. But after them, things get shaky.
There’s enough talent at safety that that rotation would be pretty set, but at corner things are really iffy. Bland is a fantastic option for a top corner, but the only other corner on an active roster is Darren Hall, who is a backup nickel CB, and that doesn’t scream “solid starting CB.” And even if you made that work, you’d then have to dip into a pool of practice squad corners. The options there are decent, like Jalen Davis who held onto a roster spot for several years before just barely missing the cut this offseason, but you’d have a hard time crafting a complete and capable defensive back rotation.
Specialists
Player | Pos. | College | NFL Team |
---|---|---|---|
Jason Sanders | K | New Mexico | Miami Dolphins |
Corey Bojorquez | P | New Mexico | Cleveland Browns |
Matt Araiza | P | San Diego State | Kansas City Chiefs |
Rigoberto Sanchez | P | Hawaii | Indianapolis Colts |
Ryan Stonehouse | P | Colorado State | Tennessee Titans |
Aaron Brewer | LS | San Diego State | Arizona Cardinals |
Trent Sieg | LS | Colorado State | Dallas Cowboys |
Practice Squad/Injured Reserve
- Patrick Scales (IR) – Utah State / Chicago Bears
Position Group Grade — A
The Mountain West is weirdly spoiled for choice at punter and, of all positions, long-snapper. There are two active long-snappers and one veteran on injured reserve so take your pick and roll with it. At both punter and kicker you’ve got very desirable options. Ryan Stonehouse has led the league in yards per punt each of the last two seasons and Jason Sanders has been a consistently solid kicker the last six years and even got an All-Pro selection a few years back after an elite season. You’d be in safe hands at all three of those positions.
How good would this team be?
The defense certainly has its question marks. An almost non-existent defensive tackle group and a rather iffy defensive back rotation would be pretty big holes in the roster and we haven’t really established a remedy for that. You could shuffle a few defensive ends into DT roles and put some safeties in CB roles and kind of make it work against teams when they pass, but you’d be worryingly weak against the run at pretty much all times.
Contrasting the defense, the offense would probably be among the better ones in the NFL. The offensive line is a tad shaky, but it wouldn’t be the worst in the league and could hold up enough to make room for the star-studded QB and WR rooms to shine. Given the O-line and running back situations, the run game might not be spectacular, but Josh Allen could provide a boost and Alexander Mattison isn’t a horrible starter to have out there.
Given strengths and weaknesses, this could be a team fighting for a playoff spot and have a decent chance of getting one. Being a true contender is probably out of the picture, though thanks to crucial weaknesses in the trenches on both sides of the ball.