21 #PackPros Open Season on NFL Rosters

RALEIGH, N.C. – As the NFL season opens up this weekend, 21 former members of the Wolfpack will start the 2018 season on NFL rosters.

NC State remains #QBU in the NFL, with four former Wolfpack signal callers on NFL rosters. Those four set a new NFL record last season, with a combined 51 total regular season starts, a mark that was the most in one NFL season for most QB starts from one school.

Longtime starters Philip Rivers (2000-03) and Russell Wilson (2008-10) return to their respective squads. Rivers enters his 13^th year as a starter with the Los Angeles Charges, he has started all 16 regular season games in every season dating back to 2006. Wilson has started every game at QB for the Seattle Seahawks since he entered the league in 2012.

Jacoby Brissett (2014-15) and Mike Glennon (2009-12) both start the season as back-ups on their squad. Brissett is in his second season with the Indianapolis Colts, while Glennon signed with the Arizona Cardinals this past offseason.

Another pair of former Pack players both signed with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason and will be joining Wilson. OG J.R. Sweezy (2009-11) was originally drafted by Seattle in 2012, and spent the last two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. CB Dontae Johnson (2010-13) switched teams within the NFC West, as he spent his first four years in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers. Johnson started all 16 games in 2017, and led the 49ers in tackles on the season (68).

Two other offensive guards will suit up and AFC East rivals, Joe Thuney (2012-15) for the New England Patriots and Ted Larsen (2006-09) of the Miami Dolphins.

In the secondary, CB Juston Burris (2012-15) enters his fourth season with the New York Jets while S Josh Jones (2014-16) is in his second season with the Green Bay Packers. Burris had a career-best 21 tackles and recorded his first career INT last season, while as a rookie, Jones started seven games and finished fourth on the Packers with 56 tackles.

PK Stephen Hauschka (2007) enters his 11^th season in the NFL, and his second with the Buffalo Bills. Last season, he converted 29 of 33 field goals and is 211 of 239 (.883) for his career.

After spending training camp with the Kansas City Chiefs, T.Y. McGill (2011-14) was signed by the Los Angeles Chargers this week. McGill spent his first two seasons in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts, before signing with the Cleveland Browns last season.

All seven of the Pack's school-record draft picks from the 2018 NFL Draft made the roster of the team that drafted them.

Bradley Chubb (2014-17) was selected fifth overall by the Denver Broncos, as is slated to start the season as one of their starting outside linebackers.

A second Pack rookie is also slated as a starter, B.J. Hill (2014-17) with the New York Giants. He was the first of the Pack's two third round picks, with fellow defensive tackle Justin Jones (2014-17) taken just a few picks later by the Los Angeles Chargers.

On the other side of the ball for the NC State rookies: RB Nyheim Hines (2015-17) starts his NFL career as a backup running back and kickoff returner with the Indianapolis Colts, Will Richardson (2015-17) is at right tackle with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Jaylen Samuels (2014-17) is with the Pittsburgh Steelers working with the running backs.

After sustaining a leg injury in pre-NFL Draft workouts, Kentavius Street (2014-17) was still selected in the fourth round by the San Francisco 49ers and will be in injured reserve this season.

A pair of former Pack players were also recently added to their team's practice squads this week. Jack Tocho (2013-16) has been working as a safety the last two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, while David J. Grinnage (2012-15) is a tight end with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

North Carolina State University Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Bradley Chubb

B.J. Hill

Nyheim Hines

Justin Jones

Will Richardson

Jaylen Samuels

Kentavius Street

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