COLLEGE STATION—With NFL training camps opening across the country, 30 former Texas A&M football players are looking to secure spots on the final rosters.
The longest tenured Aggie in the NFL is All-Pro punter Shane Lechler who played 13 years for the Oakland Raiders before joining the Houston Texans and playing last year. Lechler was a four-year Aggie letterman from 1996-99 and played his high school football at East Bernard.
Another NFL special teams standout is deep snapper Don Muhlbach who is beginning his 11th season with the Detroit Lions. Muhlbach lettered for Texas A&M in 2002 and 2003 before moving on to Detroit. Muhlbach played at Lufkin High School and his younger brother, Beau, was a four-year basketball letterman for Texas A&M (2005-08).
Several members of the 2013 Aggie football team that finished with a 9-4 overall record and won a third straight bowl game for Texas A&M are looking to secure roster spots.
Three first-round NFL draft picks came from Texas A&M earlier this season. Left tackle Jake Matthews, a finalist for the Outland Trophy and a consensus All-America selection, was the first Aggie selected at the No. 6 spot by the Atlanta Falcons.
All-American wide receiver and finalist for the Biletnikoff Award Mike Evans was the next selection at No. 7 in the first round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
2012 Heisman winner and 2013 Heisman finalist Johnny Manziel was the No. 22 selection in the first round by the Cleveland Browns.
Free agent signees who reported to camps include linebacker Nate Askew with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, defensive back Tramain Jacobs with the Baltimore Ravens, wide receiver Travis Labhart with the Houston Texans, running back Ben Malena with the Dallas Cowboys and wide receiver Derel Walker with the Tennessee Titans.
Several Aggies are also on NFL coaching staffs led by head coach Dennis Allen of the Oakland Raiders. Dan Campbell is a tight ends coach for the Miami Dolphins, Kyle Caskey is a running backs coach with the Cincinnati Bengals, Jerry Fontenot coaches tight ends with the Green Bay Packers and is joined on that staff by special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum. Gary Kubiak is the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens.
Two former Texas A&M football standouts are currently playing in the Canadian Football League with quarterback Stephen McGee with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and wide receiver Jeff Fuller playing with the Calgary Stampeders.
The complete list of Aggies on 2014 NFL training camp rosters follows:
2014 TEXAS A&M PLAYERS ON NFL ROSTERS— 30 (As of July 30,2014)
#53 Nate Askew, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
#79 Ben Bass, DL, Dallas Cowboys
#83 Martellus Bennett, TE, Chicago Bears
#72 Michael Bennett, DL, Seattle Seahawks
#79 Red Bryant, DL, Jacksonville Jaguars
#4 Randy Bullock, PK, Houston Texans
#13 Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
#37 Terrence Frederick, DB, New Orleans Saints
#36 Danny Gorrer, DB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
#32 Cyrus Gray, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
#39 Tramain Jacobs, DB, Baltimore Ravens
#63 Tony Jerod-Eddie, DL, San Francisco 49ers
#76 Luke Joeckel, OL, Jacksonville Jaguars
#19 Travis Labhart, WR, Houston Texans
#46 Jorvorskie Lane, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
#9 Shane Lechler, P, Houston Texans
#61 Patrick Lewis, OL, Jacksonville Jaguars
#28 Ben Malena, RB, Dallas Cowboys
#2 Johnny Manziel, QB, Cleveland Browns
#70 Jake Matthews, OL, Atlanta Falcons
#60 Kevin Matthews, C, Carolina Panthers
#33 Christine Michael, RB, Seattle Seahawks
#58 Von Miller, LB, Denver Broncos
#98 Damontre Moore, DL, New York Giants
#48 Don Muhlbach, DS, Detroit Lions
#17 Uzoma Nwachukwu, WR, Houston Texans
#56 Sean Porter, LB, Cincinnati Bengals
#17 Ryan Tannehill, QB, Miami Dolphins
#19 Derel Walker, WR, Tennessee Titans
#72 Cody Wallace, OL, Pittsburgh Steelers
Aggies on NFL Coaching Staffs:
Dennis Allen, Oakland Raiders (Head Coach)
Dan Campbell, Miami Dolphins (Tight Ends)
Kyle Caskey, Cincinnati Bengals (Running Backs)
Jerry Fontenot, Green Bay Packers (Tight Ends)
Gary Kubiak, Baltimore Ravens (Offensive Coordinator)
Shawn Slocum, Green Bay Packers (Special Teams Coordinator)
CFL Players
#31 Jeff Fuller, WR, Calgary Stampeders
#6 Stephen McGee, QB, Hamilton Tiger-Cats