NFL: More than 40 former Buckeyes on active rosters as league’s 100th season begins

With the 100th NFL season kicking off Thursday night, Ohio State football had 44 alumni on active rosters.

That group — four more than last season — includes eight rookies (Nick Bosa, San Francisco; Michael Jordan, Cincinnati; Dre’Mont Jones, Denver; Parris Campbell, Indianapolis; Isaiah Prince, Miami; Kendall Sheffield, Atlanta; and Dwayne Haskins and Terry McLaurin, Washington) and four players with local connections.

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Defensive back Kurt Coleman (Northmont) is a member of the Buffalo Bills while offensive tackle Taylor Decker (Butler) remains with the Detroit Lions and Nate Ebner will continue his career as a special teams ace for the New England Patriots and offensive lineman Demetrius Knox is on Injured Reserve for the Seattle Seahawks.

Knox was born in Springfield but graduated from high school in Texas before returning to Ohio to play for the Buckeyes.

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Although Ebner graduated from Hilliard Davidson High School in suburban Columbus, he is the son of the late Jeff Ebner, who owned the auto salvage business Ebner and Sons in Springfield. The elder Ebner was beaten to death during an attempted robbery of the business in 2008.

Here is a full list of Ohio State players in the league in one capacity or another (via the Ohio State sports information department):

LB Dante Booker – Arizona Cardinals, practice squad

WR Johnnie Dixon – Arizona Cardinals, practice squad

DT Michael Bennett – Atlanta Falcons, IR

CB Kendall Sheffield – Atlanta Falcons, active

SAF Kurt Coleman – Buffalo Bills, active

WR Curtis Samuel – Carolina Panthers, active

DE Sam Hubbard – Cincinnati Bengals, active

OG Michael Jordan – Cincinnati Bengals, active

OC Billy Price – Cincinnati Bengals, active

CB Denzel Ward – Cleveland Browns, active

WR Noah Brown – Dallas Cowboys, PUP

RB Ezekiel Elliott – Dallas Cowboys, active

WR Devin Smith – Dallas Cowboys, active

RB Mike Weber – Dallas Cowboys, practice squad

TE Jeff Heuerman – Denver Broncos, active

DT Dre’mont Jones – Denver Broncos, active

OT Taylor Decker – Detroit Lions, active

OC Corey Linsley – Green Bay Packers, active

RB Carlos Hyde – Houston Texans, active

CB Bradley Roby – Houston Texans, active

WR Parris Campbell – Indianapolis Colts, active

SAF Malik Hooker – Indianapolis Colts, active

DE Tyquan Lewis – Indianapolis Colts, active

OG Andrew Norwell – Jacksonville Jaguars, active

LB Darron Lee – Kansas City Chiefs, active

DE Joey Bosa – Los Angeles Chargers, active

LS Jake McQuaide – Los Angeles Rams, active

LB Jerome Baker – Miami Dolphins, active

LB Raekwon McMillan – Miami Dolphins, active

OT Isaiah Prince – Miami Dolphins, active

OG Pat Elflein – Minnesota Vikings, active

DT Jalyn Holmes – Minnesota Vikings, active

SAF Nate Ebner – New England Patriots, active

DE John Simon – New England Patriots, active

CB Eli Apple – New Orleans Saints, active

SAF Vonn Bell – New Orleans Saints, active

WR Ted Ginn Jr. – New Orleans Saints, active

CB Marshon Lattimore – New Orleans Saints, active

WR Michael Thomas – New Orleans Saints, active

RB Rod Smith – New York Giants, IR

CB Gareon Conley – Oakland Raiders, active

DT Jonathan Hankins – Oakland Raiders, active

SAF Malcolm Jenkins – Philadelphia Eagles, active

P Cameron Johnston – Philadelphia Eagles, active

DE Cameron Heyward – Pittsburgh Steelers, active

LB Ryan Shazier – Pittsburgh Steelers, PUP

DE Nick Bosa – San Francisco 49ers, active

OT Jamarco Jones – Seattle Seahawks, active

OG Demetrius Knox – Seattle Seahawks, IR

TE Nick Vannett – Seattle Seahawks, active

QB Dwayne Haskins – Washington Redskins, active

WR Terry McLaurin – Washington Redskins, active