The University of Memphis currently has eight former players on NFL rosters to kick off the 2016 season. Some, like DeAngelo Williams and Paxton Lynch, are considered some of the best players to suit up in a Memphis uniform, while others, like Dontari Poe, have carved out a very good NFL career.
• DeAngelo Williams
Williams is one of the greatest players to play for the Tigers. The running back from Wynne, Arkansas came into the Tommy West-led program in 2002 and made an instant impact. Recording a team-leading 684 rushing yards and five touchdowns as a freshman. He went on to become the most decorated running back in program history, holding numerous U of M records, including 6,026 career rushing yards, a rushing average of 6.2, 55 rushing touchdowns in four seasons and 34 100-yard games. He also claimed several NCAA records at the time of his graduation, such as career all-purpose yards, and he finished fourth in all-time NCAA history in career rushing yards. Williams is the one Tiger player to finish as a Heisman finalist in two consecutive seasons, which he did in 2004 and 2005. Williams is entering his 10th season in the NFL, coming off an incredible campaign with the Pittsburgh Steelers where he recorded 907 yards and a league-leading 11 touchdowns on 200 carries.
• Paxton Lynch
Lynch is Memphis’ best player in recent memory. The quarterback from Deltona, Florida wasn’t highly regarded as a recruit, but received an offer from former head coach Justin Fuente. Lynch ended his U of M career as the most decorated quarterback in program history. The 6-foot-7 quarterback, who started 38 games at Memphis, holds school records in career yards with 8,865 yards and career passing touchdowns with 59 touchdowns. Lynch’s 62.9 percent completion percentage is second in school history, and most for a player with more than one season’s worth of starts. His most important stat, however, is his 19-7 record over his sophomore and junior seasons. He also quarterbacked the Tigers to back-to-back bowl appearances in those two seasons. That was the first back-to-back appearances for the program since 2007-2008. The legendary quarterback chose to forego his final year of college eligibility and entered the 2016 NFL Draft, where he was picked 25th by the Denver Broncos. He is currently listed as the second string quarterback on Denver’s depth chart.
• Stephen Gostkowski
If Williams and Lynch are considered some of the greatest offensive players to attend the U of M, then Gostkowski is the greatest special teams player in program history. The kicker from Madison, Mississippi arrived in 2002 as a walk on with a Tiger baseball scholarship, but finished his career as the Memphis and C-USA all-time leading scorer with 369 points while also holding the school record and conference record with 159 PATs and 70 field goals. He was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, given to the best kicker in college football, in 2004, a C-USA First- Team member in 2004 and 2005 and C-USA Special Teams Player of the Year in 2005. Gostkowski was picked 118th by the New England Patriots in the 2006 NFL Draft. He has won one super bowl and scored 1,330 points with the Patriots.
• Dontari Poe
While Poe garnered All-Conference USA second team honors as a junior in 2011, the defensive lineman was not a stat stuffer. However, the local talent was a beast in the middle of the line. Poe concluded his career with 101 total tackles, 57 unassisted tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, four pass break-ups and four forced fumbles. The NFL is where the big defensive tackle has made a name for himself, though. Poe, who declared for the 2012 NFL after his junior year, impressed with an “epic workout performance,” according to ESPN’s Todd McShay, with a 4.98 sec 40-yard dash, despite being the fifth heaviest lineman to weigh in at 346 pounds, tied for the fourth-most repetitions in the bench press since 2000 at 44 and a 29.5 inch vertical. The defensive lineman was drafted 11th by the Kansas City Chiefs. He is a two-time Pro Bowler with the Chiefs.
• Bobby McCain
McCain was a four year mainstay at cornerback for the Tigers. The defensive back from Oxford, Alabama joined the team in 2011 and ended his playing career at the U of M tied for fifth all-time interceptions with 12, second all-time in return yards at 246 yards and four touchdowns. McCain also broke up 15 passes, recovered 3 fumbles and forced another over a career in which he played 45 games. Following his senior year, he entered the 2015 NFL Draft and was selected 145th by the Miami Dolphins. McCain has played in 14 games, only starting four, in the league, with 28 total tackles, 23 unassisted tackles and four passes defended. • Ronald Leary Leary came to the Tigers as a freshman in 2007 and appeared in 44 games in his four years on the offensive line. The lineman from Baton Rouge, Louisiana saw playing time at left tackle and right guard, and started each game of his final three seasons. Leary was on the same unit that paved the way for running backs Curtis Steel, 1,239 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, and Greg Ray, 873 all-purpose yards. Leary was named a second-team All-Conference USA player in 2011. The lineman wasn’t selected in the 2012 NFL Draft, but was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Dallas Cowboys. He was waived on August 30, 2012 and signed to the practice squad before being reinstated on December 21.
• Clinton McDonald
McDonald was one of Memphis’ best defensive players during the Tommy West era. The defensive lineman from Jacksonville, Florida was selected to the All-Conference USA First Team in 2008 for his displays on the defensive side of the ball. After his senior season, McDonald entered his name in the 2009 NFL Draft where he was selected 249th by the Cincinnati Bengals. He has since played for three different teams, with his best season coming with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2014 where he recorded 45 tackles, five sacks and one interception in 13 games.
• Lonnie Ballentine
Ballentine arrived at the U of M in 2010 and saw action in all four years as a Tiger. The local product finished his career with 176 total tackles , 2.5 TFL, one sack, two fumble recovers, three interceptions and 13 pass break-ups. Following his senior year, he entered the 2014 NFL Draft and was picked 256th overall, making him “Mr. Irrelevant.” Ballentine appeared in two games during the 2015 season, recording three tackles and one pass defended.
