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Boise State Athletics
Boise State Represented on Eight Active Rosters to Begin NFL Season
8/31/2026 10:00:00 AM | Football
BOISE, Idaho – NFL rosters were officially finalized for Week One of the 2026 season and nine former Broncos earned a spot on their respective teams' 53-man rosters. Additionally, Bronco legend Kellen Moore begins his second season as head coach of the New Orleans Saints. Boise State products are featured on the rosters of eight teams. Information on each Bronco in the NFL is below.
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Khalil Shakir returns to the Buffalo Bills for his fifth season after leading the team in receptions (72) and yards (719) in 2025. He recorded 665 yards after catch last year, ranking second among NFL wide receivers. The Bills have made the playoffs in all four of his seasons, winning the AFC East title three times. Shakir totaled 3,666 all-purpose yards during his four-year Boise State career, including 2,878 receiving yards, the fourth-most in school history.
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Kage Casey begins his rookie campaign with the Denver Broncos, who selected him with the 111th overall pick in the NFL Draft. The fourth-rounder is the 75th NFL draft pick in program history. In his four years at Boise State, the offensive lineman collected All-America honors from five outlets, including second team nods from The Athletic and Walter Camp.
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JL Skinner enters his fourth year with the Broncos, who won the AFC West in 2025 and look to make the playoffs for the third-straight year. The safety has appeared in 33 games for Denver, primarily on special teams. He has totaled 21 tackles and two fumble recoveries. A two-time All-Mountain West selection, Skinner was drafted in the sixth round (183rd overall) in 2023.
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Ahmed Hassanein earned a spot on the Detroit Lions' roster after missing the entire 2025 season due to injury. In three preseason games, he totaled four tackles, two sacks and five quarterback hits. The defensive end became the first Egyptian player drafted in the NFL when the Lions selected him in the sixth round (196th overall). He ranks fourth in Boise State history with 24 career sacks.
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Ezra Cleveland returns for his third full season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The offensive lineman started 16 games last season, helping Jacksonville capture the AFC South title. He has appeared in 93 games in his six-year NFL career, making 85 starts. A second-round (58th overall) pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2020, Cleveland was a three-time All-MW selection for Boise State.
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Ashton Jeanty enters his second season with the Raiders after tallying 975 rushing yards and 346 receiving yards as a rookie. He was one of six players to score at least five rushing touchdowns and five receiving touchdowns. The sixth overall pick had a historic career at Boise State, winning the Maxwell Award and finishing as Heisman Trophy runner-up after rushing for 2,601 yards in 2024, the second-highest single-season total in FBS history.
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Kellen Moore begins his second season as head coach for the New Orleans Saints. In his first year, the Saints went 6-11, finishing the year with four wins in the final five games. Wide receiver Chris Olave was one of seven players to reach 100 receptions on the season. Moore is one of the most decorated quarterbacks in college football history, compiling a 50-3 record and setting school records for passing yards (14,667), touchdowns (142) and efficiency (168.98).
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George Holani begins his third season with the Seahawks after helping Seattle win Super Bowl LX. In two seasons, he has appeared in 16 games, totaling 484 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in addition to four tackles. Seattle has a 14-4 record when Holani plays, including the Super Bowl victory. The running back ranks sixth in Boise State history with 3,596 career rushing yards, winning MW Freshman of the Year in 2019.
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DeMarcus Lawrence returns to Seattle for his second season with the Seahawks and 13th in the NFL. The defensive end earned his fifth Pro Bowl nod in 2025 after totaling 53 tackles, 11 TFLs, six sacks, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries, two of which he returned for touchdowns. During the Super Bowl run, he totaled three forced fumbles and a pair of sacks. The All-American and second round draft pick has 67.5 sacks and 108 TFLs in his NFL career.
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John Bates will start his sixth season with the Washington Commanders, who selected him in the fourth round (124th overall) in 2021. He saw action in 15 games last season, making 11 starts and totaling 103 yards and one touchdown on 11 receptions. The tight end has played in 82 games, tallying 72 catches for 695 yards and three touchdowns. He was a two-time All-MW selection at Boise State, recording 579 receiving yards.
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In addition to the nine active players, two former Broncos were placed on injured reserve and designated to return to their respective franchises. Scott Matlock (Los Angeles Chargers) and Jeremy McNichols (Washington Commanders) will be eligible for activation after Week Four.
Matlock begins his fourth season with the Los Angeles Chargers after seeing time as a fullback and defensive tackle throughout his career. The Chargers have recorded back-to-back 11-win seasons, qualifying for the playoffs both times. Defensively, he has 22 tackles, one sack and a fumble recovery. Offensively, he has eight receptions for 40 yards. A three-time All-MW selection, Matlock was drafted in the sixth round (200th overall) in 2023.
Jeremy McNichols returns to the Commanders for his third season after playing all 17 regular season games each of the last two years. In those contests, he has 898 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns. He was drafted in the fifth round (162nd overall) by the Buccaneers in 2017 and has spent time with the 49ers, Colts, Jaguars and Titans. In 71 career games, he has 1,588 all-purpose yards and seven touchdowns. In his three-year Boise State career, the running back scored 55 touchdowns, fourth-most in school history.
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Khalil Shakir returns to the Buffalo Bills for his fifth season after leading the team in receptions (72) and yards (719) in 2025. He recorded 665 yards after catch last year, ranking second among NFL wide receivers. The Bills have made the playoffs in all four of his seasons, winning the AFC East title three times. Shakir totaled 3,666 all-purpose yards during his four-year Boise State career, including 2,878 receiving yards, the fourth-most in school history.
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Kage Casey begins his rookie campaign with the Denver Broncos, who selected him with the 111th overall pick in the NFL Draft. The fourth-rounder is the 75th NFL draft pick in program history. In his four years at Boise State, the offensive lineman collected All-America honors from five outlets, including second team nods from The Athletic and Walter Camp.
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JL Skinner enters his fourth year with the Broncos, who won the AFC West in 2025 and look to make the playoffs for the third-straight year. The safety has appeared in 33 games for Denver, primarily on special teams. He has totaled 21 tackles and two fumble recoveries. A two-time All-Mountain West selection, Skinner was drafted in the sixth round (183rd overall) in 2023.
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Ahmed Hassanein earned a spot on the Detroit Lions' roster after missing the entire 2025 season due to injury. In three preseason games, he totaled four tackles, two sacks and five quarterback hits. The defensive end became the first Egyptian player drafted in the NFL when the Lions selected him in the sixth round (196th overall). He ranks fourth in Boise State history with 24 career sacks.
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Ezra Cleveland returns for his third full season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The offensive lineman started 16 games last season, helping Jacksonville capture the AFC South title. He has appeared in 93 games in his six-year NFL career, making 85 starts. A second-round (58th overall) pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2020, Cleveland was a three-time All-MW selection for Boise State.
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Ashton Jeanty enters his second season with the Raiders after tallying 975 rushing yards and 346 receiving yards as a rookie. He was one of six players to score at least five rushing touchdowns and five receiving touchdowns. The sixth overall pick had a historic career at Boise State, winning the Maxwell Award and finishing as Heisman Trophy runner-up after rushing for 2,601 yards in 2024, the second-highest single-season total in FBS history.
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Kellen Moore begins his second season as head coach for the New Orleans Saints. In his first year, the Saints went 6-11, finishing the year with four wins in the final five games. Wide receiver Chris Olave was one of seven players to reach 100 receptions on the season. Moore is one of the most decorated quarterbacks in college football history, compiling a 50-3 record and setting school records for passing yards (14,667), touchdowns (142) and efficiency (168.98).
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George Holani begins his third season with the Seahawks after helping Seattle win Super Bowl LX. In two seasons, he has appeared in 16 games, totaling 484 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in addition to four tackles. Seattle has a 14-4 record when Holani plays, including the Super Bowl victory. The running back ranks sixth in Boise State history with 3,596 career rushing yards, winning MW Freshman of the Year in 2019.
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DeMarcus Lawrence returns to Seattle for his second season with the Seahawks and 13th in the NFL. The defensive end earned his fifth Pro Bowl nod in 2025 after totaling 53 tackles, 11 TFLs, six sacks, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries, two of which he returned for touchdowns. During the Super Bowl run, he totaled three forced fumbles and a pair of sacks. The All-American and second round draft pick has 67.5 sacks and 108 TFLs in his NFL career.
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John Bates will start his sixth season with the Washington Commanders, who selected him in the fourth round (124th overall) in 2021. He saw action in 15 games last season, making 11 starts and totaling 103 yards and one touchdown on 11 receptions. The tight end has played in 82 games, tallying 72 catches for 695 yards and three touchdowns. He was a two-time All-MW selection at Boise State, recording 579 receiving yards.
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In addition to the nine active players, two former Broncos were placed on injured reserve and designated to return to their respective franchises. Scott Matlock (Los Angeles Chargers) and Jeremy McNichols (Washington Commanders) will be eligible for activation after Week Four.
Matlock begins his fourth season with the Los Angeles Chargers after seeing time as a fullback and defensive tackle throughout his career. The Chargers have recorded back-to-back 11-win seasons, qualifying for the playoffs both times. Defensively, he has 22 tackles, one sack and a fumble recovery. Offensively, he has eight receptions for 40 yards. A three-time All-MW selection, Matlock was drafted in the sixth round (200th overall) in 2023.
Jeremy McNichols returns to the Commanders for his third season after playing all 17 regular season games each of the last two years. In those contests, he has 898 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns. He was drafted in the fifth round (162nd overall) by the Buccaneers in 2017 and has spent time with the 49ers, Colts, Jaguars and Titans. In 71 career games, he has 1,588 all-purpose yards and seven touchdowns. In his three-year Boise State career, the running back scored 55 touchdowns, fourth-most in school history.
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The 2026 NFL season kicks off with a Super Bowl LX rematch on September 9. Holani, Lawrence and the Seahawks begin their title defense by hosting the New England Patriots for a 6:20 p.m. MT showdown that airs nationally on NBC. Eight more Boise State products will be in action on September 13, before Casey and Skinner lead the Denver Broncos into a Monday Night Football contest at the Kansas City Chiefs on September 14. The AFC West foes will start at 6:15 p.m. MT on ABC and ESPN.
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Players Mentioned
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