Bobcat alumni shine in NFL

In the wake of a championship-contending season, the MSU football team is passing talent on to the big league. Four players from the 2021 team have landed spots on NFL rosters, bringing the total number of Bobcat alumni competing in the NFL to its highest point in decades.

This year’s influx of Bobcats in the NFL began with the Atlanta Falcons’ second round draft selection of linebacker Troy Andersen. Linebacker, Daniel Hardy was snagged by the Los Angeles Rams in the seventh round. Offensive guard Lewis Kidd and wide receiver Lance McCutcheon weren’t selected in the 2022 draft but were signed in May by the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams, respectively.

All four of the former Bobcats survived training camp roster cuts and have begun to compete in their first NFL games. Andersen started the season as a special teams player and substitute linebacker for the Falcons. In his second professional game, the Montana native delivered a crushing punt block that resulted in a Falcons touchdown and caught the attention of Atlanta’s coaching staff. Andersen recently made his first start at linebacker; his role on the team looks to expand in the coming weeks.

McCutcheon and Kidd have mainly found roles on special teams. McCutcheon has appeared in two showings for the Rams this year, while Kidd has taken the field in every Saints game played so far. Kidd has also begun to substitute as a offensive guard for the Saints in recent weeks. Hardy suffered an ankle sprain in a preseason game and has yet to emerge for the Rams.

"We couldn't be more proud of the four guys off the 2021 team that have made NFL rosters,” said MSU Head Coach Brent Vigen. “It's representative of their ability, for sure, but more so of their work ethic and belief in themselves. We wish them success now and extended careers in the NFL.”

In addition to the four players from the 2021 team, another Bobcat alum is making waves in the NFL. Alex Singleton suited up for four seasons for the Bobcats before graduating from MSU in 2015. The linebacker went undrafted and was signed by the Seattle Seahawks in May of 2015, before being cut in September. 

Singleton bounced around NFL rosters for a few months before turning his sights north and signing with the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL. There, he won a championship, became an all-star, and won the league’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player award.

In spite of his success in the CFL, Singleton’s NFL dream persisted. The linebacker left the Canadian league in 2019 to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles and led the team in tackles in two out of his three seasons in the northeast.

Singleton signed a one-year contract with the Denver Broncos in March of this year and recently made the most significant impact of his career. In an Oct 17 bout against the Los Angeles Chargers, Singleton recorded a staggering 19 solo tackles, one shy of the all-time NFL record for a single game. While Singleton’s path to the league has been long and winding, the veteran linebacker has proved himself to be capable of lending game-changing performance to his team.

Wherever their NFL careers take them, every former Bobcat playing on Sunday can be proud to have made it to the big league — an accomplishment held by less than 2% of college football players. With MSU’s football program showing no signs of slowing down, expect more Bobcats to continue to join the ranks of some of the nations most elite athletes in the NFL for years to come.