With approximately 250 players on active NFL rosters or practice squads each Sunday, there are numerous NFLPA Collegiate Bowl standouts every week around the league. The NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, known for being the most diverse all-star game on the NFL Draft circuit has announced the 11^th annual event will be held on Saturday, January 28th, 2023, and will air on NFL Network. While we await the next class to be announced, here’s a look at some of the notable alumni who made an impact in NFL week seven action! 

Peyton Hendershot & Sam Williams
The Dallas Cowboys got a much-needed shot in the arm with the return of quarterback Dak Prescott this past week but two notable NFLPA Collegiate Bowl alumni from this year’s rookie draft class also played key roles in their win over the Detroit Lions. Prescott found tight end, Peyton Hendershot, for his first career receiving touchdown. In addition, second-round pick Sam Williams enjoyed a breakout game, registering three tackles, two sacks, and one safety, to help seal the deal. Both players appear to have a bright future in ‘Big D,’ as Henderson has begun to heat up and Williams is an important rotational piece along the defensive front.

Rakeem Nunez-Roches
Coming out of Southern Mississippi in the 2015 draft, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches has quietly built a long, successful NFL career. The sixth-round draft pick initially made his mark in Kansas City, spending his first three seasons with the Chiefs, before a pit stop in Indianapolis. Since 2018, the Alabama native has been entrenched in Tampa Bay, picking up a Super Bowl ring, as a member of the Buccaneers. You may have noticed Nunez-Roches more this season, as he has filled the starting void created when the team declined not to re-sign Ndamukong Suh. He has collected a tackle in every game this season and totaled four this past week versus the Carolina Panthers, while he continues to play some of the best football of his life.

Grover Stewart
Another NFLPA Collegiate Bowl veteran inside the trenches is Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Grover Stewart, who recorded a career-high 12 tackles against the Tennessee Titans. A fourth-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Albany, Stewart bided his time as a rookie waiting patiently for an opportunity. That moment arrived during his third year when earned a starting role early in the season. Stewart has yet to look back since then, signing a three-year $30M contract in 2020 and starting his past 53 games.

Duron Harmon
One of the longest-tenured NFLPA Collegiate Bowl alumni is Las Vegas Raiders safety Duron Harmon, who participated in the second annual all-star game event back in 2013. Currently, in his 10^th season, the Rutgers product has brought a certain level of professionalism and accountability inside the locker room. His leadership has also translated to the playing field and he showed up across numerous highlight shows this past weekend with his 73-yard pick-six interception return during the Raiders win over the Houston Texans, resulting in the first touchdown of his pro career! It was a well-served milestone to add to the resume, which also includes 150 games played, 339 tackles, and 23 career interceptions.

Jaylinn Hawkins
Safety Jaylinn Hawkins has been playing lights out for the Atlanta Falcons. He matched his season-high 11 tackles on Sunday versus the Cincinnati Bengals and now has 43 tackles on the year, along with three passes defended and one forced fumble. Unfortunately, he would not finish the game due to a head injury, as he remains in the NFL-mandated concussion protocol. We wish Hawkins a speedy and healthy recovery!

NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Alumni Spotlight 

• Week One
• Week Two
• Week Three
• Week Four
• Week Five
• Week Six

The 2022 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl produced some incredible players and we are proud to announce that 65 alums have secured NFL club roster spots. At the moment, there are officially 25 participants on 53-man active rosters, 33 participants on practice squads, and 7 participants on other reserve listings.

Each week, the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl’s scouting department will provide insight into some of the top prospect performances from around the nation. Be sure to follow along here and @NFLPABowl on Twitter and Instagram to learn the names you’ll need to know for the 2023 NFL Draft!

Missouri vs Louisiana Tech
At Missouri’s season-opener Thursday night versus Louisiana Tech, NFLPA Bowl scouts were able to get eyes on several Tiger and Bulldog prospects up close. Although the game was never very close, there were some outstanding performances on the field in Columbia, highlighted by the following:

Nathaniel Peat, RB, Missouri
Nine different Tigers carried the football for Missouri on Thursday night, but none gained more yards on the ground than senior RB Nathaniel Peat. The hometown hero from Columbia showed impressive patience and vision behind the LOS and then exploded as though he was shot out of a cannon at about the 25-yard line on his 34-yard touchdown sprint in the 4^th quarter. The 5-10, 206-pound runner also recorded two receptions on the evening, displaying the versatility he brings and will have to prove to NFL coaches to see the field at the next level.

Isaiah McGuire, DL, Missouri
Not many D-Linemen look the part quite like Isaiah McGuire. At nearly 6-5, 275-pounds and with 34.75” arms, McGuire possesses the frame NFL talent evaluators seek, and then the athleticism to play all along the front as well as an occasional spot dropper. His official stats may only read 1 tackle, 1 sack on the evening, but numerous times Isaiah used his advantageous length and physicality to set the edge versus the run, and then in the first quarter his athleticism dropping into shallow zone where we tipped a pass that led to a Tigers interception. While sacks are highly coveted, it’s making your presence felt in multiple ways that NFL scouts want to consistently see and Thursday was a good start for McGuire.

Smoke Harris, WR, Louisiana Tech
For the Bulldogs, 5^th-year wide receiver/return specialist Smoke Harris made his presence felt early in the contest, returning the first put of the game 43 yards in impressive fashion. The undersized Slot is built like a running back and often displayed the short-area quickness that’s made him such an effective route runner and dangerous weapon with the ball in the open-field. In addition to his punt return, Harris also caught four balls for 38 yards and carried the ball twice on end-arounds, showcasing his versatility and ability to contribute in multiple roles.

Kansas State vs South Dakota
Saturday evening in Manhattan, Kansas looked routine for the Wildcats in their opener versus outmatched South Dakota. In a game that quickly got out of hand, Kansas State controlled the ball much of the day while racking up an impressive 297 yards rushing on a 6.6 yards/carry average. Below are some Wildcat players who stood out to NFLPA scouts in attendance:

Malik Knowles, WR, Kansas State
Senior wide receiver Malik Knowles was a First Team All-Big 12 kick returner in 2021 and known weapon entering the year, and it took him all of one play to announce his arrival in 2022. On the game’s opening offensive play, Knowles – with his lanky 6-3, 195-pound frame – took an end-around 75-yards to the house, showcasing his speed on his way down the sideline and past Coyote defenders. The Mansfield, Texas native also hauled-in three receptions for 14 yards on the afternoon, demonstrating reliable hands and the ability to move the sticks on 3^rd down.

Adrian Martinez, QB, Kansas State
A dangerous weapon in both the passing game and as a rusher, quarterback Adrian Martinez showed great decision-making and poise in his first start on Saturday for the Wildcats. While throwing an efficient 11/15 for 53 yards, the former Nebraska Cornhusker made his true mark in the running game, rushing 13 times for 39 yards and one touchdown while helping K-State control the clock and grind down South Dakota’s defense. In a testament to his leadership and standing with his new team, Martinez was recently honored by being named a team captain.

Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State
On the other side of the ball, redshirt senior cornerback Julius “Juju” Brents made his imposing presence felt, multiple times fast breaking on ball carriers while officially recording 3 tackles on the afternoon. Standing at 6-4, 202 pounds, it’s difficult to miss the lanky Brents who typically uses his near 34” arm length to disrupt pass catchers. Showing great instincts and situational awareness on the evening, the former Iowa Hawkeye several times jumped underneath routes anticipating throws in a form of “trap” coverage – experience that will aid his transition next year playing in NFL defenses.

The talent at this year’s NFLPA Collegiate Bowl caught the eye of many NFL scouts and personnel. Now that the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine is returning to its traditional format in Indianapolis, 23 players from this year’s NFLPA Bowl have been invited to participate in the event. Below is the list of players, by position, who have received invites. As remaining invites are sent out, we will continue to update the list.

Quarterback:

• Cole Kelley / Southeastern Louisiana

Running Back:

• Greg Bell / San Diego State
• Max Borghi / Washington State

Wide Receiver:

• Dai’Jean Dixon / Nicholls State
• Braylon Sanders / Ole Miss
• Isaiah Weston / Northern Iowa
• Mike Woods / Oklahoma

Tight End:

• Austin Allen / Nebraska
• Peyton Hendershot / Indiana
• Curtis Hodges / Arizona State

Offensive Linemen:

• Andrew Rupcich (OT) / Culver-Stockton
• Marcus McKethan (OG) / North Carolina

Defensive Linemen:

• Jonathan Ford (DT) / Miami
• Jordan Jackson (DE) / Air Force
• Jayden Peevy (DT) / Texas A&M

Linebackers:

• Jake Hansen (OLB) / Illinois
• Malcolm Rodriguez (OLB) / Oklahoma State
• Josh Ross (ILB) / Michigan
• Sam Williams (OLB) / Ole Miss
• Tre Williams (OLB) / Arkansas

Defensive Backs:

• Markquese Bell (SS) / Florida A&M
• Kolby Harvell-Peel (SS) / Oklahoma State

Specialists:

• Blake Hayes (PK) / Illinois

NATIONAL TEAM

AMERICAN TEAM

*Please note that this roster is subject to change and this page will reflect the most up-to-date roster available.

*The 10th Anniversary NFLPA Collegiate Bowl game will be played on January 29th at 3:00 PM PT / 6:00 PM ET.

*The game will take place at the historic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA and the broadcast will be on NFL Network.

*Marvin Lewis will lead the National Team and Jeff Fisher will lead the American Team.

*Unfortunately, due to the ongoing surge of the Omicron variant in our country, tickets are not available to attend this year’s game in person.