With the 2023 NFL Draft approaching, there are several players that are making waves despite being from a non-power 5 conference known as “Group of Five”. An example in this year’s class is none other than sleeper receiver, Tank Dell. Tank Dell has come on to the national scene after dominating college football in 2022. In his final year at Houston, he led all receivers in total yards and touchdowns.

The University of Houston has a rich history of producing talented football players who have gone on to have successful careers in the National Football League (NFL). Here is a look at some of the notable NFL players from the University of Houston.

Andre Ware

1. Andre Ware is one of the most successful players to come out of the University of Houston. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1989, and was selected by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft. Ware played for the Lions, Raiders, and Jaguars during his NFL career, and was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1990.

Case Keenum

2. Case Keenum played quarterback for the University of Houston from 2007-2011. He set numerous records during his college career, including passing yards (19,217), touchdowns (155), and completions (1,546). Keenum went undrafted in the 2012 NFL Draft, but was signed as a free agent by the Houston Texans. He has since played for several teams, including the Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, and Cleveland Browns.

David Klingler

3. David Klingler played quarterback for the University of Houston from 1988-1991. He set numerous records during his college career, including passing yards (9,430) and touchdowns (91). Klingler was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft, but struggled during his NFL career and only played in the league for four seasons.

Wilson Whitley

4, Wilson Whitley played defensive tackle for the University of Houston from 1978-1982. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 1983 NFL Draft, and played for the team for three seasons. Whitley's NFL career was cut short due to injuries, but he is remembered as one of the most dominant players in University of Houston history.

Since 2013, The University of Houston has produced 4 1st round draft picks including DJ Hayden, William Jackson III, Ed Oliver, and Damarion Williams. In 2022, Dell proved that he could be a part of that group.  Fast forward to April, with two days until the annual draft, Dell has slid up boards and is projected to go top 64 and put yet another Houston Cougar in the NFL.

As we approach another year of exciting football, we look at divisions and conferences to see which teams will have a shot at the Lombardi trophy in February. Last season two four seeds were able to reach the big game. Cincinnati came out of nowhere and rode the emergence of Joe Burrow and Jamarr Chase all the way to the Super Bowl, and was just one play short of a ring. Los Angeles wanted redemption after losing to Tom Brady and the Patriots in their last Super Bowl appearance. It’s nearly impossible to imagine a coach as talented and connected as Sean McVay without a Super Bowl, and that was exactly what he got from his star-loaded roster last season. These two teams should be in the mix yet again but, let’s take a look at potential challengers from both conferences who can dethrone the Rams.

Looking at the AFC compared to last year is very interesting to say the least. The AFC West alone might have 4 super bowl contenders. The Chargers added JC Jackson and Khalil Mack which will no doubt boost a defense that kept Justin Herbert out of the playoffs last season. The Raiders signed DaVante Adams to a huge contract reuniting him with his college quarterback Derek Carr. The Chiefs lost Tyreek Hill but replaced him with Juju Smith Schuster and rookie Sky Moore which might need a few weeks of getting used to but should still challenge the rest of the division.

Miami and Indianapolis are both teams to keep an eye on that on paper should win their divisions. The Dolphins added Tyreek Hill giving Tua Tagovailoa may be the best weapon he’s ever played with. The Colts battled last year with Carson Wentz under center, and now will be led by a more experienced quarterback in Matt Ryan. The AFC North of all divisions will not be as deadly as it has been in the past. With Deshaun Watson's suspension and Lamar Jackson’s contract disputes, this division will really be up for grabs. If Pittsburgh can figure out their offensive line to allow Mitch Trubisky to play well they should be right in the thick of things at the end of the year. These are the teams I see competing in the AFC.

The NFC as a whole has a lot of teams who could sneak into the playoffs this season. The top four to five teams on the other hand are pretty set in stone. Tampa Bay, Green Bay, and Los Angeles will be the class of the conference. Followed by teams like San Francisco, Dallas, Arizona, and Philadelphia who all need big seasons out of their quarterbacks to really become a Super Bowl threat. The Saints and Vikings are too teams to view as dark horses in this conference. Jameis Winston seems to have finally found a good fit for home and will get his top wideout, Michael Thomas, back after missing last season. Justin Jefferson proved to be one of the league's best wideouts last season and will have the offense run through him in a new exciting pass-heavy system thanks to new head coach Kevin O’Connell.

Those are the NFC teams who will have a shot to play in February. For a team to stop Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, or Matthew Stafford they will most likely need an MVP candidate that completely breaks out. As for who I have coming out of the NFC, I’m going to pick the San Francisco 49ers. Kyle Shanahan should have a Super Bowl win under his resume and there is no doubt he thinks he can get that chance back with quarterback Trey Lance. If Lance makes the jump we have seen from quarterbacks like Justin Herbert, Josh Allen, and Patrick Mahomes the Niners will be an opponent nobody wants to play in the NFC playoffs. 

As for the AFC, for Kansas City to get back to the title game without Hill will be a challenge. Buffalo went neck and neck with them last season in a game that no one will forget. That is who I’m going to take to win the conference this season. Josh Allen has proved he is one of the best players in the league and has built a culture that players want to play for. Von Miller will reach his second straight Super Bowl and Sean McDermott will finally get his big break. 

-By: Sam Kirk

Back before the 2021 season, the San Francisco 49ers made a big splash before the NFL draft, trading multiple first-round picks to move up to the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. With that pick, San Francisco chose QB Trey Lance out of North Dakota State. Lance, who is now entering his second season, was the backup in his first season to QB Jimmy Garoppolo. Garoppolo promptly led the Niners to the NFC Championship game. Going into this season, head coach Kyle Shanahan has made it clear that Trey Lance will be the starter. The elephant in the room though is that Garoppolo is still on the roster.

Garoppolo’s situation was murky due to a shoulder injury that prevented him from being cleared until mid-July. Now that he is cleared though, Garoppolo and the Niners have agreed to let the veteran quarterback seek a trade. Because it is so late, the available teams are scarce, but there is value to Garoppolo’s name. In 2021, he went 9-6 with 20 TD and 12 INT, throwing for 3,810 yards on a 68.3% CMP, a tick higher than his career average (67.7). Garoppolo is a proven winner, sporting a 33-14 record and a 4-2 record in the playoffs. With the Niners, he reached the Super Bowl once and the NFC Championship twice. The options are definitely limited, but here are three teams that can possibly trade for Garoppolo.

Seattle Seahawks

The first team, and probably the favorite, is the Seattle Seahawks. This offseason, Seattle traded QB Russell Wilson after a decade of constant success. Now, Seattle is in rebuild mode, with their quarterback room not being so glamorous. The two notable QB’s are Drew Lock and Geno Smith, who have not proven to be successful starters in the NFL. While Seattle is in rebuild mode, they do have some pieces to work with on the offensive side of the ball with WRs DK Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett, as well as rookie RB Kenneth Walker. They are the only team in the NFL that does not have the QB situation truly solved. Teams like Carolina and Pittsburgh have not chosen a starter yet, but they have true competition in their camps. The only fallback is that Seattle is in the same division as the 49ers. The question I ask though is if the Niners are so willing to move off Garoppolo, would it really matter if he was moved in the division?

New York Giants

While there was a report saying they were not going to trade for Garoppolo, the Giants seem like a really nice fit for both sides. As of today, Daniel Jones is the starter for the Giants, but their decision to decline his fourth-year option shows that the organization does not truly view him as the quarterback of the future. Bringing in Garoppolo gives you a solid option at QB with a growing roster around him. It also is not a long-term commitment, with Garoppolo playing on an expiring contract in 2022. Many do not view the Giants as a playoff team, but a lot of that has to do with the quarterback play. If you bring in Garoppolo, you might not make the playoffs, but you will be more competitive, or at least give Jones competition. If they were to go that route though, it would have to be extremely soon.

Cleveland Browns

After a long wait, Judge Sue Robinson came to a decision on QB Deshaun Watson. The ruling was for Watson to be suspended for six games. Up until August 4th, the NFLPA and NFL can appeal. With the Players Association already saying they will not appeal, the ball is now in the NFL’s court, and there’s a chance that the suspension becomes even longer. With all that being said, it would make a lot of sense to kick the tires on Jimmy Garoppolo if the suspension is for the entire season. QB Jacoby Brissett is listed to be the starter while Watson is suspended. Brissett is a proven and well-respected quarterback in the NFL, but probably is not a starter on a playoff team. The Browns have a loaded roster that is ready to win now, so why waste the year? Like the Giants, it would not be a long-term commitment with Garoppolo, so they would only have him for one year. Garoppolo makes you a legit playoff contender, especially with the roster in hand. If Watson’s suspension stays at six games, it would not be smart to trade for Garoppolo, but if it gets bumped to a full season, it will almost make too much sense.

Writer

-By: Richie Dordas