Notable Former New Mexico State Players That Made It to the NFL

Living in El Paso, Texas, we're always excited to see former UTEP Miners make it into the NFL but we've also seen players in nearby Las Cruces, New Mexico make it into the NFL too. Since 1948, we've seen a number of former New Mexico State University Aggies players live out their dreams of playing in the big leagues for the NFC & AFC.

Who are some popular former NMSU Aggies in the NFL?

You can't talk about former Aggies players without mentioning one of the most successful players to come out of New Mexico State University, kicker Roy Gerela. Roy was drafted into the NFL in 1969 & he's most known for being a 3-time Super Bowl champion for the Pittsburgh Steelers (he's been with the team during Super Bowl IX, X, & XIII). His career was cemented in NMSU history in 2019 as he was part of the Ring of Honor inductees.

Another very popular name is Joey Jackson; the former New York Jet who was drafted in 1972. He was part of the Superstate Sports Hall of Fame & later inducted into the New Mexico State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999.

Some other famous Aggies include:

• Fredd Young was drafted in 1984 played with the Seattle Seahawks & Indianapolis Colts. He became a 4-time Pro Bowler.
• Leo Barker became the first player from Panama to join the NFL. He was drafted from 1984 to join the Cincinnati Bengals & was part of the Bengals Super Bowl XXIII team.
• Charley Johnson was drafted in 1960 & played for 15 seasons in the NFL. He played for the St Louis Cardinals, the Houston Oilers & the Denver Broncos. He would join the Broncos Hall of Fame in 1986.

In recent years, players like Winston Rose, Jaleel Scott & Jason Winston have played in the NFL since 2013. But there have been many more Aggies that have been in the NFL...

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