By Aaron Shill and Robert Walsh
Mormon TimesPublished: Sunday, Sep. 7, 2008
Week 1 of the regular-season schedule is under way, and Mormon Times counts 27 Latter-day Saints on NFL team rosters.
Among the most notable names are Baltimore tight end Todd Heap and nose tackle Haloti Ngata, San Diego safety Eric Weddle and linebacker Derek Smith, Philadelphia receiver Kevin Curtis, Pittsburgh defensive end Brett Keisel, Green Bay linebacker Brady Poppinga and Chicago offensive lineman John Tait.
Heap, who played college ball at Arizona State, is in his eighth season with the Ravens. He has started in 82 of the 88 professional games he has played and is a two-time Pro Bowl selection. His teammate, Ngata, has started every game the past two seasons since being a first-round draft pick out of Oregon.
Weddle, a versatile second-year pro from the University of Utah, will start at free safety for the Chargers this season, while Smith, who attended Snow College and Arizona State, gets the starting nod at inside linebacker in his 12th season. Former Nebraska defensive lineman Ryon Bingham is the Chargers' primary backup on the defensive line.
Curtis, a former walk-on at Utah State, is coming off a 1,000-yard receiving season with the Eagles. The South Jordan, Utah, native and returned missionary, however, is currently sidelined with a hernia.
Two former Cougars, Keisel and Poppinga, return as defensive starters for their respective teams. Keisel had 39 tackles and two sacks last year, while Poppinga had 50 tackles and an interception in 2007. Another BYU alumnus, Tait, is entering his 10th season in the league and has started every game he's played in since 2000.
Former BYU defensive lineman John Denney is the starting long-snapper in Miami, while seven-year pro Eric Heitmann of the 49ers starts at center. Edwin Mulitalo, in his 10th year out of Arizona, starts for Detroit at left guard.
Bingham, Buffalo offensive lineman Kirk Chambers, Bills defensive end Ryan Denney, Dolphins offensive lineman Shawn Murphy, Cardinals safety Aaron Francisco, Chargers tight end Brandon Manumaleuna, Steelers nose tackle Chris Hoke, Giants rookie linebacker Bryan Kehl and Jets nose tackle Sione Pouha are listed as primary backups on their teams' respective depth charts.
Former BYU offensive lineman Scott Jackson is on the Texans' injured reserve list.
Name, position, team, college
John Beck, QB, Dolphins, BYU
Ryon Bingham, DL, Chargers, Nebraska
Kirk Chambers, OL, Bills, Stanford
*Kevin Curtis, WR, Eagles, Utah State
John Denney, LS, Dolphins, BYU
Ryan Denney, DE, Bills, BYU
Aaron Francisco, DB, Cardinals, BYU
David Hale, OL, Ravens, Weber State
*Todd Heap, TE, Ravens, Arizona State
*Eric Heitmann, OL, 49ers, Stanford
Chris Hoke, DL, Steelers, BYU
Scott Jackson, OL, Texans, BYU
Bryan Kehl, LB, Giants, BYU
Brett Keisel, DL, Steelers, BYU
Spencer Larsen, LB, Broncos, Arizona
Brandon Manumaleuna, TE, Chargers, Arizona
*Edwin Mulitalo, OL, Lions, Arizona
Shawn Murphy, OL, Dolphins, Utah State
*Haloti Ngata, DL, Ravens, Oregon
Marvin Philip, OL, Browns, California
*Brady Poppinga, LB, Packers, BYU
Sione Pouha, DT, Jets, Utah
*Derek Smith, LB, Chargers, Arizona State
Naufahu Tahi, FB, Vikings, BYU
*John Tait, OL, Bears, BYU
*Eric Weddle, DB, Chargers, Utah
Scott Young, OL, Browns, BYU
*Starters
E-mail: ashill@desnews.com, rwalsh@desnews.com
MormonTimes.com is produced by the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, Utah.
It is not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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