September 10, 2026 — The NFL season has kicked off and, once again, former Cobb Schools student-athletes are filling up the league’s rosters. Twelve current players on NFL rosters hail from our district, with several more fighting for spots on team practice squads.
The most recognizable name from Cobb Schools in the NFL is Harrison High School graduate Justin Fields. The dual-threat quarterback was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in the offseason as a high-leverage insurance policy for former NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes, who is coming off a major injury. Fields, though, is unlikely to be merely a backup signal-caller. His skill set will surely be utilized under the creative playcalling of Head Coach Andy Reid. With 75 career TDs to his credit — 52 passing, 23 rushing — in 59 career games, Fields will be a welcome addition to a franchise that is looking to return to the high-powered offense that ranked tops in the league four seasons ago.
Protecting other teams’ quarterbacks will be the job of Benjamin Chukwuma of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a graduate of Campbell High School, and Connor Lew of the Cincinnati Bengals, a graduate of Kennesaw Mountain High School. Chukwuma is a second-year pro looking to solidify his role at Left Tackle, providing blind-side safety for Bucs QB Baker Mayfield. Meanwhile, Lew is an NFL rookie hoping to find playing time at Center, snapping the ball to Joe Burrow. It will be fun to watch these two offensive linemen from Cobb Schools serving as security for two Pro Bowl quarterbacks.
Also serving as an aide to his quarterback will be Carolina Panthers Tight End Darren Waller, a graduate of North Cobb High School. Waller had retired from the NFL after the 2023 season but returned to action in 2025. He is back for the 2026 season and his 10th in the league. Waller has 374 receptions for 4,407 yards and 26 touchdowns in his nine-year career and hopes to help the Panthers make a deeper run in the playoffs.
Joshua Josephs, another former North Cobb Warrior, is a rookie Linebacker for the Washington Commanders. Seeking his first action in the NFL, Josephs has been called a disruptive pass rusher and a rookie riser in the preseason, so there are high hopes for him in the nation’s capital.
While NCHS is proud of its two NFLers, it is difficult not to appreciate the number of alumni from Hillgrove High School that blanket league rosters. There are six former Hawks currently active in the NFL.
Tight Ends Chig Okonkwo and two-time Pro Bowler Evan Engram will suit up for the Commanders and Denver Broncos, respectively. Defensive Back Jaylen McCollough and his team, the Los Angeles Rams, open their season in Australia, playing in one of the league’s special NFL International Games. Defensive End Myles Murphy is teammates with Lew on the Bengals, and Wide Receiver Jalen Royals will surely catch passes from Fields as part of the Chiefs.
Two-time Pro Bowler Bradley Chubb may be the most familiar name amongst Hillgrove’s NFL brethren. Joining the Buffalo Bills for the 2026 season, Chubb is looking to add to his career total of 48 sacks and over 100 Quarterback Hits. The seven-year veteran Linebacker hopes to be a major factor in getting the Bills past their recent postseason failures.
Sprayberry High School graduate Trey Sermon signed with the Atlanta Falcons in August but suffered an injury soon after. While still on the team roster, he is beginning the season on the Injured Reserve list.
As the season unfolds, it will be exciting to watch these Built for Beyond alumni as they fight for a chance to become the next former Cobb footballer to earn a Super Bowl ring, joining two-time champion and Sprayberry High School graduate Jerick McKinnon, who won with Kansas City, and Wheeler High School graduate Ricky White, who earned a ring last season with the Seattle Seahawks.
h/t Photos Courtesy of the Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cincinnati Bengals, Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Rams, and @BuffaloBills
