Jayhawks in the Pros #6

Sept. 18, 2012

LAWRENCE, Kan. – With two weeks of the NFL in the books, several Jayhawks have made a mark on the 2012 season. In Week 2, five of seven former KU student-athletes saw action, which was highlighted by Aqib Talib’s eight tackles and four pass breakups. Linebacker Steven Johnson also made his NFL debut on Monday Night Football for Denver against the Atlanta Falcons. In addition to the seven former Jayhawks in the NFL, KU has two alums in the Canadian Football League in running back Jon Cornish and wide receiver Marcus Henry.

Dezmon Briscoe
Wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe is in his third season in the NFL and first with the Washington Redskins. Briscoe played in his first game with the Redskins on Sunday, in Washington’s 31-28 loss to the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome, but did not record a catch. He signed with the Redskins after being released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in late July. In his two NFL seasons, Briscoe has played in 19 games and tallied 41 catches for 480 yards and seven touchdowns. He was originally drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Anthony Collins
Offensive tackle Anthony Collins begins his fifth season in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals. Collins was in uniform, but did not play in Cincinnati’s 34-27 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. Collins has not played in either of the Bengals’ games this season. He has played in 39 games in his NFL career and made 18 starts at offensive tackle. Collins was originally a fourth-round selection by Cincinnati in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Chris Harris
Cornerback Chris Harris is in his second season with the Denver Broncos.Harris was inactive for Monday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons after sustaining an ankle injury in the first game of the season. Harris has played in 17 games in his NFL career, making four starts at cornerback. He has recorded 76 tackles, broken up six passes and made one interception. Harris signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent following the 2011 NFL Draft.

Steven Johnson
Linebacker Steven Johnson is in his first season with the Denver Broncos after making the team as an undrafted free agent. Johnson saw his first action of the season in Monday night’s 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome. The rookie linebacker saw most of his field time on special teams, but did not record any statistics in the game. Johnson was signed by the Broncos as an undrafted free agent following the 2012 NFL Draft in April.

Mike Rivera
Linebacker Mike Rivera is in his first season with the New England Patriots. Rivera played predominantly on special teams in the Pats’ 20-18 loss to the Arizona Cardinals at Gillette Stadium Sunday and did not record any statistics. Rivera has played in both of New England’s games this season, but is still looking for his first tackle. He signed with the Patriots as a free agent during the offseason. During his professional career, Rivera has spent time with the Chicago Bears, Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers and Miami Dolphins. He was originally signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent following the 2009 NFL Draft.

Darrell Stuckey
Safety Darrell Stuckey is in his third season with the San Diego Chargers. Stuckey played on special teams in San Diego’s 38-10 win over the Tennessee Titans at Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday. He recorded a pair of tackles on special teams, giving him three for the season. In his career, Stuckey has played in 17 games and made 16 tackles. Stuckey was drafted by the Chargers in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Aqib Talib
Cornerback Aqib Talib is in his fifth season in the NFL and fourth as a starting corner for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Talib had a monster game, making eight tackles and recording four pass breakups, in Tampa Bay’s 41-34 loss to the New York Giants Sunday. This season, Talib has recorded 11 tackles and five pass breakups. In his career, the former KU All-American has made 172 tackles, recorded 51 pass breakups and 17 interceptions. He was a first-round pick by Tampa Bay in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Jayhawks in the Canadian Football League

Jon Cornish
Tailback Jon Cornish is in his sixth CFL season, all with the Calgary Stampeders. Cornish rushed for 53 yards on 15 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns in Calgary’s 44-3 win over Winnipeg Friday. This season, “Kid Canada” has rushed for 880 yards on 150 carries with seven touchdowns on the ground. He has also recorded 24 receptions for 171 yards and a touchdown. In his six-year career, Cornish has rushed for 2,750 yards and 19 touchdowns to go along with 74 catches for 488 yards and five receiving touchdowns. He signed with Calgary following the end of his KU career in 2007.

Marcus Henry
Wide receiver Marcus Henry is in his second year in the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos. Henry recorded four catches for 43 yards in the Eskimos’ 55-8 loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Saturday. In two games this season, Henry has recorded 10 catches for 132 yards. In his career in the CFL, Henry recorded 43 catches for 516 yards and a touchdown. He signed with Edmonton during the 2011 NFL season after being released by the New York Jets in training camp.

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