FRESNO, Calif. - NFL Training camps opened up around the league this week with 15 former Bulldogs in action.
Of the 15 former 'Dogs, five enter their rookie seasons in 2023 including Jake Haener, Jordan Mims, Jalen Moreno-Cropper, David Perales and Nikko Remigio. Among others joining the rookies are two of the NFL's top talents and veterans in quarterback Derek Carr and wide receiver Davante Adams.
Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
Adams enters his second season with the Raiders franchise in 2023. Adams earned the third NFL All-Pro nod of his career after grabbing 100 receptions for 1,516 yards and 14 touchdowns in his first season in Las Vegas.
Adams Raiders Roster Profile
Raiders Training Camp Site: Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center (Henderson, NV)
Raiders preseason games: 8/13 vs San Francisco; 8/19 at LA Rams; 8/26 at Dallas
Alex Akingbulu, OL, Washington Commanders
Akingbulu enters his second year in the NFL. A 2021 graduate from Fresno State, Akingbulu spent the beginning of his professional career with the Philadelphia Stars (USFL). He was signed by the Commanders in 2022 and spent most of his time on the practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster on Jan. 5, 2023 for the Commanders' season finale against the Dallas Cowboys.
Akingbulu Commanders Roster Profile
Commanders Training Camp Site: OrthoVirginia Training Center at Commanders Park (Ashburn, Va.)
Commanders preseason games: 8/11 at Cleveland; 8/21 vs Baltimore; 8/26 vs Cincinnati
DaRon Bland, CB, Dallas Cowboys
After a promising rookie season in 2022, Bland looks to build on what he has started with the Cowboys. Bland, a fifth round draft pick last year, had 37 tackles and five interceptions in his first year. He played in 17 games as a rookie.
Bland Cowboys Roster Profile
Cowboys Training Camp Site: Marriott Residence Inn (Oxnard, Calif.)
Cowboys preseason games: 8/12 vs Jacksonville; 8/19 at Seattle; 8/26 vs Las Vegas
Derek Carr, QB, New Orleans Saints
Carr enters his 10th season in the NFL, and first with the New Orleans Saints. Carr and the Saints agreed to terms on Mar. 6, 2023. He spent the first nine seasons of his professional career with the Las Vegas Raiders. Originally selected in the second round (36th overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Raiders out of Fresno State, the Bakersfield, Calif. native has started all 142 career regular season games he's played in, completing 3,201-of-4,958 passes (64.6 percent) for 35,222 yards with 217 touchdown passes, 99 interceptions and a 91.8 passer rating, while adding 845 rushing yards and six touchdowns. From 2014-22 as a member of the Raiders, Carr was selected to four Pro Bowl Games (2015-17, 2022) and set numerous team passing records including the franchise's career passing yardage and touchdown pass marks and single-season mark in passing yards (4,804 in 2021), as the only signal-caller in the team's history with multiple seasons reaching the 4,000 yard mark. He also holds franchise records from his Raiders tenure for multiple-touchdown pass games (69), contests with a passer rating of at least 100.0 (47) and 300-yard passing performances (33). Since entering the league in 2014, Carr ranks fourth in the NFL in passing yardage, seventh in passing touchdowns and his 3,201 completions through his first nine campaigns rank second in NFL history.
Carr Saints Roster Profile
Saints Training Camp Site: Ochsner Sports Performance Center (Metairie, La.)
Saints preseason games: 8/13 vs Kansas City; 8/20 at LA Chargers; 8/27 vs Houston
Jake Haener, QB, New Orleans Saints
Haener enters his rookie season as a fourth round NFL Draft pick to the New Orleans Saints, joining former Bulldog quarterback Derek Carr in the franchise.
The Danville, Calif. native became the first Bulldog quarterback to be drafted since Carr. While at Fresno State, Haener found himself in the Top 5 in career numbers in passing yards, passing completions, completion percentage, passing attempts, and passing touchdowns among others. Haener was a 2022 first team All-MW quarterback and was named the MVP of the Reese's Senior Bowl.
Haener Saints Roster Profile
Saints Training Camp Site: Ochsner Sports Performance Center (Metairie, La.)
Saints preseason games: 8/13 vs Kansas City; 8/20 at LA Chargers; 8/27 vs Houston
Juju Hughes, S, Arizona Cardinals
Hughes enters his fourth season after entering the League as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He has spent time with the Los Angeles Rams and the Detroit Lions before landing with the Arizona Cardinals.
Last season with the Lions, he appeared in seven games and had 18 tackles and one sack.
Hughes Cardinals Roster Profile
Cardinals Training Camp Site: State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Ariz.)
Cardinals preseason games: 8/11 vs Denver; 8/19 vs Kansas City; 8/26 at Minnesota
KeeSean Johnson, WR, Buffalo Bills
A sixth-round selection of the 2019 NFL Draft, Johnson enters this season with the Buffalo Bills. He has spent time with the Arizona Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles, and San Francisco 49ers in his career.
Johnson Bills Roster Profile
Bills Training Camp Site: St. John Fisher University (Rochester, N.Y.)
Bills preseason games: 8/12 vs Indianapolis; 8/19 at Pittsburgh; 8/26 at Chicago
Jordan Mims, RB, Buffalo Bills
Mims was an undrafted free agent to the Buffalo Bills in 2023. As a running back on the Bills roster, Mims is coached by former Bulldog player and coach, and current running backs coach with the franchise Kelly Skipper. Skipper is the brother of Fresno State's current linebackers coach Tim Skipper, who was also a Bulldog student-athlete.
In his career at Fresno State, Mims became Top 5 in career numbers for rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, rushing attempts, all-purpose yards, and touchdowns scored. Mims was a first team All-MW running back in 2022, and a participant at the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl.
Mims Bills Roster Profile
Bills Training Camp Site: St. John Fisher University (Rochester, N.Y.)
Bills preseason games: 8/12 vs Indianapolis; 8/19 at Pittsburgh; 8/26 at Chicago
Jalen Moreno-Cropper, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Moreno-Cropper was an undrafted free agent to the Dallas Cowboys in 2023.
While at Fresno State, Moreno-Cropper found himself in the Top 10 in program history in career numbers for receiving yards, receptions, receiving touchdowns, consecutive games with a catch and 100-yard receiving games. Moreno-Cropper received invitations to the NFL Scouting Combine and the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Moreno-Cropper Cowboys Roster Profile
Cowboys Training Camp Site: Marriott Residence Inn (Oxnard, Calif.)
Cowboys preseason games: 8/12 vs Jacksonville; 8/19 at Seattle; 8/26 vs Las Vegas
Arron Mosby, DL, Carolina Panthers
Mosby enters his second season in the NFL after going undrafted and signing with the Carolina Panthers in 2022.
Mosby played three games for the Panthers in 2022 and recorded a tackle against the Rams. He saw preseason action in all three games last season.
Mosby Panthers Roster Profile
Panthers Training Camp Site: Wofford College (Spartanburg, S.C.)
Panthers preseason games: 8/12 vs NY Jets; 8/18 at NY Giants; 8/25 vs Detroit
Netane Muti, OL, Las Vegas Raiders
As a sixth round draft pick to the Denver Broncos in the 2020 Draft, Muti finds himself entering camp for his first full season with the Raiders. Muti spent three seasons (2020-22) with the Broncos and played in 20 games in that span. He joins former Bulldog wide receiver Davante Adams with the Raiders franchise.
Muti Raiders Roster Profile
Raiders Training Camp Site: Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center (Henderson, NV)
Raiders preseason games: 8/13 vs San Francisco; 8/19 at LA Rams; 8/26 at Dallas
David Perales, DL, Pittsburgh Steelers
An undrafted free agent in 2023, Perales signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers and enters his rookie season.
While at Fresno State, Perales made his way to sixth all-time for career sacks. He was a first team All-Mountain West defensive lineman in 2022, and finished the season with 47 tackles, a single season career-high 16.0 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks.
Perales Steelers Roster Profile
Steelers Training Camp Site: Saint Vincent College (Latrobe, Penn.)
Steelers preseason games: 8/11 at Tampa Bay; 8/19 vs. Buffalo; 8/24 at Atlanta
Nikko Remigio, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Remigio signed as an undrafted free agent with the 2022 Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs.
In just one season as a Bulldog, Remigio became one of the most explosive players on offense and special teams. He was a second team All-MW wide receiver and punt returner, becoming the first Bulldog to earn two postseason positional recognitions by the conference in the same season. Remigio totaled 74 receptions for 852 yards and six touchdowns. As a returner, he was the Mountain West leader in punt return yards (259) and punt return touchdowns (2).
Remigio Chiefs Roster Profile
Chiefs Training Camp Site: Missouri Western State University (St. Joseph, Mo)
Chiefs preseason games: 8/13 at New Orleans; 8/19 at Arizona; 8/26 vs Browns
Ronnie Rivers, RB, Los Angeles Rams
Rivers enters his second NFL season with the Rams. Rivers appeared in eight games and earned one start as a rookie last season. He totaled nine carries for 21 yards and five receptions for 29 yards in 2022.
Rivers Rams Roster Profile
Rams Training Camp Site: University of California, Irvine (Irvine, Calif.)
Rams preseason games: 8/12 vs LA Chargers; 8/19 vs Las Vegas; 8/26 at Denver
Mykal Walker, LB, Atlanta Falcons
Walker, a fourth round draft pick of the 2020 Draft, enters his fourth year with the Falcons this season.
The 2022 season was a breakout season for Walker as he finished with 97 tackles, six passes defended, two interceptions and one sack in 16 games played.
Walker Falcons Roster Profile
Falcons Training Camp Site: IBM Performance Field (Flowery Branch, Ga.)
Falcons preseason games: 8/11 at Miami; 8/18 vs Cincinnati; 8/24 vs Pittsburgh