With NFL teams having trimmed their rosters down to 53 players for the regular season, it is time to take a look at which Scarlet Knights made active rosters and which ones did not. Although three Rutgers players got drafted this season, the majority of those who competed on NFL rosters were selected as undrafted free agents.
Of all those players, Eric Rogers was the only one to survive cut day, earning his way onto the Los Angeles Chargers’ 53-man roster. He spent two seasons at Rutgers after transferring in from Northern Illinois, playing as the third cornerback in 2023 and becoming a starter in 2024. His highlight performance came in the second preseason game against the Saints, where Rogers secured two interceptions and returned one for a touchdown.
Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter discussed Rogers in training camp, saying that he “Just saw a good, savvy, heady player that was well coached at Rutgers, that played a lot of football. Covered good receivers in college, that’s got good size, length that you like on the outside. His game has translated well for him the first two games.” Although Rogers missed the last two preseason games with an injury, he did enough to secure himself a roster spot going into the fall.
Many other undrafted free agents were not as fortunate. The Philadelphia Eagles cut offensive tackle Hollin Pierce, although he was later signed to their practice squad. The New Orleans Saints waived linebacker Tyreem Powell after he hardly saw the field in the preseason, while the Baltimore Ravens waived safety Desmond Igbinosun. Cincinnati Bengals safety Shaquan Loyal and New York Jets wide receiver Dymere Miller also did not make their teams’ active rosters.
A few second-year Rutgers players were also released by their NFL teams, including wide receiver JaQuae Jackson, who was waived by the Chargers. Tight end Shawn Bowman was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars, and kicker Jude McAtamney was cut by the New York Giants, although he was later signed to the Giants’ practice squad. McAtamney made his NFL debut against the Washington Commanders in 2024, making an extra point attempt and a 31-yard field goal try, and will provide the Giants with insurance at kicker behind Graham Gano.
Although these players have been removed from the Rutgers football program for a few seasons, it is worth noting that New England Patriots defensive lineman Isaiah Iton, Denver Broncos defensive lineman Michael Dwumfour, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Tre Avery were also cut by their teams during this process.
Among the Rutgers players who were drafted, Kyle Monangai is currently third on the Chicago Bears’ depth chart, both as a kick returner and running back, although it remains a strong possibility that Monangai ends up as the second back behind D’Andre Swift at some point this season. Houston Texans defensive lineman Kyonte Hamilton and Ravens cornerback Robert Longerbeam both suffered injuries during training camp, sidelining them for the 2025 season and placing them on injured reserve.
Some other former Rutgers players with active playing time in the NFL are Arizona Cardinals cornerback Max Melton, Green Bay Packers cornerback Bo Melton (changed from wide receiver), Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco, and Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day. Jaguars cornerback Christian Braswell and Buccaneers safety Christian Izien have also carved out roles in the NFL in recent years. The longest tenured Scarlet Knights in the NFL are Minnesota Vikings long snapper Andrew DePaola and Denver Broncos fullback Michael Burton, who have been in the league since 2012 and 2015, respectively.