PRINCETON, N.J. – The Ivy League had a total of nine players from five different schools named to initial 53-man rosters on Tuesday.
 
The group includes Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Foye Oluokun (Yale), the NFL’s leading tackler each of the last two seasons, and Kyle Juszczyk (Harvard), a seven-time Pro Bowl selection at fullback for the San Francisco 49ers.
 
A pair of Super Bowl champions in Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Justin Watson (Penn) and Los Angeles Rams outside linebacker Michael Hoecht (Brown) made 53-man rosters. Watson is a two-time champion, having won Super Bowl LV with the Buccaneers and LVII with the Chiefs. Hoecht won Super Bowl LVI with the Rams. Since 2008, the Ivy League has produced 15 Super Bowl champions.
 
Indianapolis Colts safety Rodney Thomas II (Yale) and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas (Princeton), the league’s two most recent NFL Draft selections, also secured rosters spots. Thomas, a seventh round pick in the 2022 draft, recorded four interceptions and 52 tackles in his rookie year with the Colts. Iosivas, who went in the sixth round of the 2023 draft, led the Bengals in receptions (12), yards (129) and touchdowns (1) during preseason to join Cincinnati’s deep receiving corps.
 
The Las Vegas Raiders roster includes a pair of Ivies: offensive lineman Greg Van Roten (Penn) and tight end Jesper Horsted (Princeton). Van Roten enters his ninth season in the league and is the projected starter at right guard.
 
Harvard alum Tyler Ott enters his ninth year in the league and first as long snapper for the Baltimore Ravens.

The Ivy League's impact in the NFL extends well beyond the field of play. In addition to two Ivies serving as NFL head coaches -- Yale alum Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins) and Penn alum Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns) -- numerous Ivies hold front office positions. The Ivy League has also been at the forefront of developing female coaches, several of whom have advanced to NFL coaching positions.