Outback Bowl Alumni in the NFL
During its twenty-one years the Outback Bowl (known as the Hall of Fame Bowl the first nine years) has provided college football fans the opportunity to watch some of the best talent in the country. That point continues to be proven each spring by NFL teams as twenty-six players who have played in the New Year's Day game during their college careers were selected in the 2007 NFL draft. Five players went in the first round led by Wisconsin OT Joe Thomas who was chosen with the number three overall pick of the draft and Penn State lineman Levi Brown who was taken with the fifth pick. Twelve of the players participated in the 2007 Outback Bowl this past January.
This brings the total number to at least 543 alumni of this bowl game who have been drafted or signed as free agents with NFL teams over its history. In just the past nine years 233 players have been drafted including 38 first round picks.
Here's a list of just some of the bowl alumni currently playing, their college and current NFL team:
Outback Bowl Alumni
| Players |
College |
NFL Team |
| Shaun Alexander |
Alabama |
Seattle Seahawks |
| Willie Anderson |
Auburn |
Cincinnati Bengals |
| LaVar Arrington |
Penn State |
Washington Redskins |
| Champ Bailey |
Georgia |
Denver Broncos |
| Drew Brees |
Purdue |
New Orleans Saints |
| Courtney Brown |
Penn State |
Denver Broncos |
| Levi Brown |
Penn State |
Arizona Cardinals |
| Nate Clements |
Ohio State |
Buffalo Bills |
| Stephen Davis |
Auburn |
Carolina Panthers |
| Ron Dayne |
Wisconsin |
Houston Texans |
| Kalimba Edwards |
South Carolina |
Detroit Lions |
| Bobby Engram |
Penn State |
Seattle Seahawks |
| Robert Gallery |
Iowa |
Oakland Raiders |
| Joey Galloway |
Ohio State |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Brian Griese |
Michigan |
Chicago Bears |
| Justin Harrell |
Tennessee |
Green Bay Packers |
| Jeff Hartings |
Penn State |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Michael Jenkins |
Ohio State |
Atlanta Falcons |
| Robert Meachem |
Tennessee |
New Orleans Saints |
| Jarvis Moss |
Florida |
Denver Broncos |
| Chris Perry |
Michigan |
Cincinnati Bengals |
| Paul Posluszny |
Penn State |
Buffalo Bills |
| Dunta Robinson |
South Carolina |
Houston Texans |
| Chris Samuels |
Alabama |
Washington Redskins |
| Bob Sanders |
Iowa |
Indianapolis Colts |
| Arron Sears |
Tennessee |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Max Starks |
Florida |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Joe Thomas |
Wisconsin |
Cleveland Browns |
| Ben Troupe |
Florida |
Tennessee Titans |
| Hines Ward |
Georgia |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Charles Woodson |
Michigan |
Green Bay Packers |
