22 Former 3C2A Football Stars Open 2026 NFL Season
While the next era of 3C2A football student-athletes are already two games deep into their season, 22 former 3C2A football stars take the field on 17 different teams' 53-man rosters to open the 2026 NFL season.
Former Cerritos standout Rhamondre Stevenson kicks things off for this elite group with the first contest of the year against Seattle on Wednesday evening. Last season, Stevenson finished his fifth year in the league vying for a ring in Super Bowl LX.
High-profile quarterbacks Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers are two of the biggest names to ever come out of the 3C2A, but both coming from smaller areas of California, with Allen spending one season (2014) at Reedley and Rodgers slinging the ball for nearby Butte in 2002.
Contra Costa's J.C. Davis, Butte's Malcolm DeWalt IV, Saddleback's Kapena Gushiken, and East LA's Max Iheanachor will make their rookie season debuts for the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Indanapolis Colts, and Pittsburgh Steelers, respectively, with DeWalt IV and Gushiken going undrafted and earning one of the coveted 53 spots on the roster.
Iheanachor's story is a little different. Born in Nigeria and moving to the United States at the age of 13, he had never played a down of football in his life before enrolling at East LA before the 2021 season. Ultimately he became a first round pick by the Steelers, 21st overall, in this year's draft.
By college, Butte leads the way with four current NFL rostered players, boasting DeWalt IV, T.J. Bass (G, Dallas Cowboys), Rigoberto Sanchez (P, Indanapolis Colts), and Rodgers. Cerritos and Saddleback are close behind with three each. The Falcons have Corey Bojorquez (P, Cleveland Browns), D.J. Reed (CB, Detroit Lions), and Stevenson, while the Bobcats list Emari Demercado (RB, Dallas Cowboys), Gushiken, and Segun Olubi (LB, Las Vegas Raiders).
The overall list highlights two Super Bowl champions, two MVPs, three first round draft picks, 11 draft selections, and 14 3C2A colleges. And it doesn't even begin to touch the number of former student-athletes on practice squads or have recently been on NFL rosters.
The 2026 NFL slate kicks off Wednesday with the Super Bowl LX rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.
Former 3C2A Football Athletes on NFL Squads
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Josh Allen Quarterback Buffalo Bills Hometown: Firebaugh, Calif. 3C2A College: Reedley (2014) 4-Year University: Wyoming (2015-17) First Year in the NFL: 2018 Draft Selection: 2018 - 1st Round, 7th Overall Pick |
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T.J. Bass Guard Dallas Cowboys Hometown: Deming, Wash. 3C2A College: Butte (2018-19) 4-Year University: Oregon (2020-22) First Year in the NFL: 2023 |
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Corey Bojorquez Punter Cleveland Browns Hometown: Bellflower, Calif. 3C2A College: Cerritos (2014-15) 4-Year University: New Mexico (2016-17) First Year in the NFL: 2018 Previous Teams: New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers |
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Marquise "Hollywood" Brown Wide Receiver Philadelphia Eagles Hometown: Hollywood, Fla. 3C2A College: Canyons (2016) 4-Year University: Oklahoma (2017-18) First Year in the NFL: 2019 Draft Selection: 2019 - 1st Round, 25th Overall Pick Previous Teams: Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs |
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J.C. Davis Offensive Line New York Giants Hometown: Oakland, Calif. 3C2A College: Contra Costa (2021) 4-Year Universities: New Mexico (2022-23), Illinois (2024-25) First Year in the NFL: 2026 Draft Selection: 2026 - 6th Round, 192nd Overall Pick |
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Emari Demercado Running Back Dallas Cowboys Hometown: Inglewood, Calif. 3C2A College: Saddleback (2017) 4-Year University: TCU (2018-22) First Year in the NFL: 2023 Previous Teams: Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs |
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Malcolm DeWalt IV Cornerback Atlanta Falcons Hometown: Bremerton, Wash. 3C2A College: Butte (2023) 4-Year University: Akron (2024-25) First Year in the NFL: 2026 |
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Kapena Gushiken |
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Luke Haggard |
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Daniel Hardy |
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Max Iheanachor Offensive Tackle Pittsburgh Steelers Hometown: Willowbrook Calif. 3C2A College: East LA (2021-22) 4-Year University: Arizona State (2023-25) First Year in the NFL: 2026 Draft Selection: 2026 - 1st Round, 21st Overall Pick |
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Segun Olubi Linebacker Las Vegas Raiders Hometown: Corona, Calif. 3C2A College: Saddleback (2018) 4-Year Universities: Harding (2019), San Diego State (2020-21) First Year in the NFL: 2022 Previous Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts |
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Tim Patrick Wide Receiver New York Jets Hometown: San Diego, Calif. 3C2A College: Grossmont (2011-13) 4-Year University: Utah (2014-16) First Year in the NFL: 2017 Previous Teams: Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars |
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D.J. Reed Cornerback Detroit Lions Hometown: Bakersfield, Calif. 3C2A College: Cerritos (2015) 4-Year Universities: Fresno State (2014), Kansas State (2016-17) First Year in the NFL: 2018 Draft Selection: 2018 - 5th Round, 142nd Overall Pick Previous Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets |
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Aaron Rodgers Quarterback Pittsburgh Steelers Hometown: Chico, Calif. 3C2A College: Butte (2002) 4-Year University: Cal (2003-04) First Year in the NFL: 2005 Draft Selection: 2005 - 1st Round, 24th Overall Pick Previous Teams: Green Bay Packers, New York Jets |
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Rigoberto Sanchez Punter Indianapolis Colts Hometown: Hamilton City, Calif. 3C2A College: Butte (2012-13) 4-Year University: Hawai'i (2015-16) First Year in the NFL: 2017 |
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David Sills V Wide Receiver Tampa Bay Buccaneers Hometown: Wilmington, Del. 3C2A College: El Camino (2006) 4-Year University: West Virginia (2015, 2017-18) First Year in the NFL: 2019 Previous Teams: Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons |
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Rhamondre Stevenson Running Back New England Patriots Hometown: Las Vegas, Nev. 3C2A College: Cerritos (2017-18) 4-Year University: Oklahoma (2019-20) First Year in the NFL: 2021 Draft Selection: 2021 - 4th Round, 120th Overall Pick |
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Jaylen Watson Cornerback Los Angeles Rams Hometown: Augusta, Ga. 3C2A College: Ventura (2017-18) 4-Year University: Washington State (2020-21) First Year in the NFL: 2022 Draft Selection: 2022 - 7th Round, 243rd Overall Pick Previous Teams: Kansas City Chiefs |
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Rachaad White Running Back Washington Commanders Hometown: Kansas City, Mo. 3C2A College: Mt. San Antonio (2018-19) 4-Year University: Nebraska-Kearney (2017), Arizona State State (2020-21) First Year in the NFL: 2022 Draft Selection: 2022 - 3rd Round, 91st Overall Pick Previous Teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
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Nahshon Wright Defensive Back New York Jets Hometown: East Palo Alto, Calif. 3C2A College: Laney (2018) 4-Year University: Oregon State (2019-20) First Year in the NFL: 2021 Draft Selection: 2021 - 3rd Round, 99th Overall Pick Previous Teams: Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears |
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Rejzhon Wright Cornerback New Orleans Saints Hometown: East Palo Alto, Calif. 3C2A College: Laney (2018-19) 4-Year University: Oregon State (2020-22) First Year in the NFL: 2023 Previous Teams: Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders |