Bulldog Football alumni ready for NFL Training Camps

FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno State football team has 14 former Bulldogs on NFL training camp rosters as the football season is right around the corner. Here is a quick look at each former 'Dog as they enter training camp.

WR Davante Adams (Green Bay Packers)

Career stats: 45 games played, 163 receptions, 1,926 yards, 16 touchdowns

Entering his fourth season with the Packers, Adams has established himself as one of the top wide receivers in the game as he just barely missed being ranked in the top 100 NFL players by NFL Network. Adams finished 2016 with 75 catches (tied for 16th in NFC) for 997 yards (14th in NFC) and 12 touchdowns (tied for second in NFL). The 2014 second-round selection tallied five 100-plus receiving yards contests and had touchdowns in 11 games.

After recording the second-most receptions in a single game in Green Bay Packers franchise history (13 rec., 132 yds. 2 TDS) in a week seven win at home against Chicago earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors, he backed that up with 12 receptions for 74 yards in week eight at Atlanta. Helping the Packers advance to the NFC Championship game against the Falcons, Adams compiled 16 receptions for 217 yards and two touchdowns in three playoff games. The Packers held their first practice on Thursday and will open the preseason at home against Philadelphia on Aug. 10 before the regular season opener on Sept. 10 against Seattle.

WR Isaiah Burse (Los Angeles Chargers)

Career stats: 21 games played, 44 punt returns, 307 yards; 10 kickoff returns, 195 yards

An undrafted free agent in 2014, Burse appeared in 12 games with the Denver Broncos as a rookie before playing in nine games last season with the San Diego Chargers. Burse was promoted to the active roster for the Denver Broncos game on October 30 and finished the season with nine kickoff returns for 188 yards and 15 punt returns for 96 yards.

The Chargers hold their first training camp practice on Sunday morning at Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, Calif., before their preseason opener against the Seahawks (Aug. 13) and regular season opener at the Broncos (Sept. 11).

QB Derek Carr (Oakland Raiders)

Career stats: 47 games played, 1,055-1,732 (.609), 11,194 yards, 81 TD's; 101 rushing attempts, 300 yards

A first-time Pro Bowler in 2016 in his third NFL season, Carr put together a standout season tossing for 3,937 yards on 357-for-560 passing and 28 touchdowns while only throwing six interceptions. The second-round selection in 2014 threw for 200-plus yards in 12 of the 15 games he played and touchdowns in 13 contests.

Carr passed for an Oakland Raiders franchise record 513 yards in its 30-24 overtime win last time at Tampa Bay on October 30. Carr is the third player in NFL history with 500 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions in a game, joining Ben Roethlisberger (2014) and Y.A. Tittle (1962) and is the third quarterback since 1991, age 25-or-under, to begin the season 5-0 on the road. The Raiders finished the season 12-4 tied with the Broncos for the AFC West title and Carr finished tied for third in the MVP voting.

The Raiders open camp with their first practice on Saturday and will begin the preseason at Arizona Cardinals (Aug. 12) and the regular season at Tennessee Titans (Sept. 10).

LB Chris Carter (Washington Redskins)

Career stats: 59 games played, 37 tackles, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 pass defended

Carter appeared in five games with the Baltimore Ravens in 2016 tallying a pair of tackles before being released and picked up by the Indianapolis Colts adding six tackles in nine games as the Colts finished 8-8. Signed by the Redskins on March 16, Carter joins his fifth franchise as he has appeared in games with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, Colts and Ravens as he enters his seventh season after being an undrafted free agent in 2011.

The Redskins opened camp at the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center in Richmond, Va., on Thursday and will being the preseason at Baltimore (Aug. 10) before its regular season opener at home against the Eagles (Sept. 10).

DT Tyeler Davison (New Orleans Saints)

Career stats: 31 games played, 41 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 passes defended

Davison appeared in 15 games for the Saints in 2016 finishing with 23 tackles (9 solo, 14 assisted) and a pair of passes defended. He had a season-best four stops twice at New York Giants and at Tampa Bay. The Saints finished third in the NFC South with a 7-9 record as the defense ranked seventh in the NFC and 14th in the NFL in rushing defense (101.6 yards/game).

The Saints opened training camp on Thursday and kick off the preseason at Cleveland (Aug. 10) before opening the regular season in primetime on Monday night at Minnesota on Sept. 11.

OT Bryce Harris (New Orleans Saints)

Career stats: 35 games played

An undrafted free agent offensive lineman in 2012, Harris did not appear in any games in 2016 splitting time between Miami and Jacksonville. He last played for the Atlanta Falcons in 2015 after appearing in 34 games with the Saints from 2012-14. The Saints opened training camp on Thursday and kick off the preseason at Cleveland (Aug. 10) before opening the regular season in primetime on Monday night at Minnesota on Sept. 11.

LB Ben Jacobs (Carolina Panthers)

Career stats: 41 games played, 24 tackles, 1 pass defended

Jacobs, an undrafted free agent in 2011, appeared in the final four games, primarily on special teams, for the Panthers in 2016 and did not record any stats. Jacobs has appeared in 41 career games in his six-year career and signed a two-year deal with the Panthers on February 8, 2017.

The Panthers, who finished 6-10 a year ago after appearing in the Super Bowl in 2015, opened practice on Wednesday in Spartanburg, S.C., and kick off the preseason at home against the Houston Texans (Aug. 9) and the regular season at San Francisco (Sept. 10).

RB Ryan Mathews (Philadelphia Eagles)

Career stats: 86 games played, 1,184 rushing attempts, 5,261 yards, 37 TD's; 179 rec,, 1,371 yards, 3 TD's

The last first round selection out of Fresno State after being taken 12th overall by the San Diego Chargers in 2010, Mathews finished his second season with the Eagles playing in 13 games totaling 661 yards on the ground on 155 carries scoring eight touchdowns. He added 13 receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown through the air and had a pair of 100-yard games running for a season-best 128 yards on a season-high 20 carries on Dec. 18 at Baltimore.

The longest-tenured NFL Bulldog, Mathews enters his eighth NFL season this fall, but he won't get on the field right away with the Eagles as he is still recovering from off-season neck disk surgery. The Eagles open the regular season against Carter and the Redskins on Sept. 10.

TE Aaron Peck (Green Bay Packers): Rookie

The most recent Bulldog who finished his career in 2016, Peck enters his first training camp after being an undrafted free agent this spring. After finishing his five-year Bulldog career last fall with 1,211 career receiving yards, Peck makes the transition to tight end with the Packers.

Unfortunately, the Green Bay rookie suffered a preseason injury and was placed on the non-football injury list on Thursday, but will look to make a healthy recovery as the Packers prepare for their preseason opener at home against the Eagles on Aug. 10.

CB Curtis Riley (Tennessee Titans)

Career stats: 4 games played

Riley saw his first professional action playing in four games for the Titans in 2016 as a special team's reserve. An undrafted free agent in 2015, Riley saw his rookie season cut short after suffering an ankle injury in the preseason. The Titans, who finished tied for first in the AFC South at 9-7 last year, open training camp on Saturday at the Saint Thomas Sports Park in Nashville. Tennessee travels to the New York Jets on Aug. 12 to open the preseason and the regular season at home against Carr and the Raiders on Sept. 10.

DB Derron Smith (Cincinnati Bengals)

Career stats: 28 games played, 12 tackles, 1 pass defended

Smith, a sixth-round selection in 2015, played in 12 games in his second season with the Bengals in 2016 totaling eight tackles and added a pass defended. The Bengals, who finished third in the AFC South with a 6-9-1 overall mark, opened training camp on Friday afternoon at Paul Brown Stadium. Cleveland will start the preseason at home against Tampa Bay (Aug. 11) and the regular season hosting the Ravens (Sept. 10).

DB Charles Washington (Detroit Lions): Washington spent the 2016 season on the Lions practice squad after being an undrafted free agent in 2016. The Inglewood, Calif., native will look to compete for a roster spot this season when Detroit gets training camp started on Monday in Allen Park, Mich. The Lions get preseason action started at Indianapolis on Aug. 13 and the regular season on Sept. 10 hosting the Arizona Cardinals.

OL Cody Wichmann (Los Angeles Rams)

Career stats: 24 games played, 18 starts

After playing in 12 games for the Rams in 2016, Wichmann enters his third season as a professional this season after being a sixth-round selection in 2015. A native of Mariposa, Calif., Wichmann appeared in 12 games as a rookie in 2015 and has started 18 games in his career. The Rams get their second season in Los Angeles underway with their first training camp practice on Saturday on the campus of UC Irvine.

OL Kenny Wiggins (Los Angeles Chargers)

Career stats: 29 games, 9 starts

Entering his seventh NFL season, Wiggins appeared in 13 games for the Chargers in 2016 getting a start at home against Miami on Nov. 3. The Chargers, who finished eighth in the NFL in passing offense, averaged 262 yards per game through the air and 356.8 yards per game.

'Dogs also in the CFL - Six former 'Dogs are also currently playing in the CFL.

A.J. Jefferson (DB) – Saskatchewan Roughriders

Jefferson appeared in two games collecting four tackles.for Ottawa this season before being released on July 11 and is currently on the practice squad for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Zach Kline (QB) – Edmonton Eskimos

Kline is a practice squad member for the Edmonton Eskimos.

Kyle Knox (LB) – Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Knox has played in all five games for the Blue Bombers this season tallying 12 tackles on defense and five stops on special teams and added a 34-yard interception return for a touchdown at the BC Lions on July 21.

Tristan Okpalaugo (DE) – Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Okpalaugo played in Winnipeg's first two games of the season against Saskatchewan (July 1) and Calgary (July 7) recording seven tackles and a sack before suffering an injury and is on the 6-game injured list.

Kyrie Wilson (LB) - Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Joining Knox and Okpalaugo on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers is Kyrie Wilson who is on the club's practice squad.

Devon Wylie (WR) – Toronto Argonauts

Wylie is currently on the 6-game injured list and has yet to appear in a game this season with the Argonauts.