The Division 2 level of college football has produced its fair share of talented NFL players, and many of those players are well-compensated for their efforts at the professional level.
Unlike the MLB Draft where talent can be taken from any level of play whether it be prep or low-level collegiate ball, the NFL holds fast to the belief that D1 products are the best talent and therefore worth the most money.
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But just because players are not drafted does not mean they don't eventually cash in on their value and become great contributors.
Taking a look at a 25-man roster (11 offense, 11 defense, 3 specialists) built of just D2 football alumni, we actually arrive to see that there are plenty of players who do earn lofty contracts and make a name for themselves in the league.
The money may not be as large as some of the top FBS programs, but it proves that D2 football players definitely have a shot to make it long-term in the NFL, just as these 25 players have.
*All salary data reflects 2017 cash payout value, courtesy of Over The Cap.
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Offense: $38,933,000
| Pos. | Player | NFL Team | College Team | 2017 Cash Payout Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Dustin Vaughan | Baltimore | West Texas A&M | $540,000 |
| RB | Danny Woodhead | Baltimore | Chadron State | $3,250,000 |
| WR | Adam Thielen | Minnesota | Minnesota State | $6,746,000 |
| WR | Andre Holmes | Buffalo | Hillsdale | $2,500,000 |
| WR | John Brown | Arizona | Pittsburg State | $1,797,000 |
| TE | Delanie Walker | Tennessee | Central Missouri | $4,500,000 |
| OL | Ryan Schraeder | Atlanta | Valdosta State | $7,000,000 |
| OL | Jahri Evans | Green Bay | Bloomsburg | $2,250,000 |
| OL | Jared Veldheer | Arizona | Hillsdale | $7,000,000 |
| OL | Joe Berger | Minnesota | Michigan Tech | $1,300,000 |
| OL | Allen Barbre | Denver | Missouri Southern | $2,050,000 |
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Defense: $61,557,000
| Pos. | Player | NFL Team | College Team | 2017 Cash Payout Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DL | William Hayes | Miami | Winston-Salem | $4,750,000 |
| DL | Brandon Williams | Baltimore | Missouri Southern | $16,000,000 |
| DL | Cedric Thornton | Dallas | Southern Arkansas | $3,000,000 |
| LB | Junior Galette | Washington | Stillman | $800,000 |
| LB | Michael Wilhoite | Seattle | Washburn | $1,550,000 |
| LB | Ethan Westbrooks | Los Angeles Rams | West Texas A&M | $1,797,000 |
| DB | Brandon Carr | Baltimore | Grand Valley State | $6,000,000 |
| DB | Brent Grimes | Tampa Bay | Shippensburg | $6,500,000 |
| DB | Malcolm Butler | New England | West Alabama | $3,910,000 |
| DB | Ron Parker | Kansas City | Newberry | $4,250,000 |
| DB | Janoris Jenkins | New York Giants | North Alabama | $13,000,000 |
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Specialists: $5,193,760
| Pos. | Player | NFL Team | College Team | 2017 Cash Payout Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K | Greg Zuerlein | Los Angeles Rams | Missouri Western | $2,125,000 |
| P | Marquette King | Oakland | Fort Valley State | $2,500,000 |
| Ret. | Tyreek Hill | Kansas City | West Alabama | $568,760 |
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Looking at the rosters above, it's easy to see that defense clearly rules the day when it comes to total cash payout in the 2017 season. The two main contributors to that effort are Janoris Jenkins and Brandon Williams, two Pro Bowlers who have received big contracts within the last two offseasons.
The offense suffers from the lack of an established quarterback, and Vaughan is actually the only former D2 signal-caller currently in the NFL. Other quarterbacks have made it on pre-season and practice rosters, but have switched positions — like Jason Van Der Laan from Ferris, who moved to tight end with the Jets.
This lineup built of entirely D2 alum makes a combined $105,683,760 in 2017 across all position groups, which averages out to $4,227,350 per player. While the level as a whole is still behind FBS programs like Alabama and LSU in terms of the money former players are hauling in, it's still impressive how much money former Division 2 players are making in the NFL today.
The best part is, there's room for future stars to make that $105 million figure even bigger in years to come.
