Which seven former Virginia football players made an NFL roster?

As the NFL’s roster reshuffling period comes to a close ahead of the season opener, we can see how the dust has settled and which former Virginia Cavaliers managed to hang onto a spot on an NFL roster.

This season, seven former ‘Hoos will be on a team’s Week 1 53-man roster: Morgan Moses, Rodney McLeod, Brent Urban, Juan Thornhill, Olamide Zaccheaus, Bryce Hall, and rookie Dontayvion Wicks.

A few other Cavaliers of note still hold places in the league: Jelani Woods is on the short-term IR and will likely return to the active roster after a few weeks, rookie Anthony Johnson is on the Saints practice squad, and both Joe Reed and Ra’Shaun Henry were placed on season-ending IR after clearing injury waivers.

Let’s get into the outlook for every Hoo in the NFL:

Active Rosters (7)

Morgan Moses, RT, Baltimore Ravens

Moses enters his tenth season in the pros as the most accomplished current Cavalier in the NFL. Entering the second year of his 3-year, $15 million contract with the Ravens, the former longtime Commander still rates as one of the top right tackles in the NFL.

Rodney McLeod, S, Cleveland Browns

After a one-year adventure with the Colts that saw McLeod, initially signed as a depth piece, thrust into action as a key part of the Indianapolis defense, McLeod inked a 1-year, $1.3 million contract with the Browns. The deal reunites him with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who McLeod frequently worked with in Philadelphia. The veteran safety is coming off a season where he made a career-best 96 tackles and tacked on 2 INTs and 8 PBUs.

Brent Urban, DE, Baltimore Ravens

Urban returned to the Ravens, the team he spent the first five years of his career with, in the 2022 offseason as a depth player along the defensive line used to spell Calais Campbell. He recorded 21 tackles and one sack. This offseason, the Ravens cut him from their initial 53-man roster, but re-signed Urban after making a few injured reserve moves to clear space for him.

Juan Thornhill, S, Cleveland Browns

When healthy in Kansas City, Thornhill was an absolute stud and a key cog in the Chiefs’ 2022 Super Bowl run. He parlayed his strong contract-year performance into a 3-year, $21 million contract from the Browns set to kick in this season, where he’ll work alongside McLeod. Thornhill is a playmaking member of the secondary who already made waves with a preseason pick-six against his former team.

Olamide Zaccheaus, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

In his final season with the Falcons in 2022, Zaccheaus managed to produce in a WR-unfriendly system, putting up an impressive 40 receptions for 533 yards – both career-best marks. He also tacked on three touchdowns, flashing his playmaking ability. This offseason, he inked a 1-year, $1.2 million deal with the Eagles where he’ll eat some of the snaps vacated by Zach Pascal and add a shifty slot-receiver threat to an incredibly dynamic offense. Zaccheaus’s numbers may take a hit with more mouths to feed, but he’ll have a shot at winning football with the defending NFC champions.

Bryce Hall, CB, New York Jets

After Hall’s momentum slowed a bit after a stellar rookie campaign, he looked to be on the bubble of the Jets roster heading into 53-man cut downs. However, the Jets retained Hall, and he’ll serve as the team’s primary backup at outside CB behind Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed. It’ll be interesting to see if New York tries to work Hall onto the field in any dime looks, potentially as a slot corner, or as an outside corner with one of Gardner or Reed kicked to the slot.

Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Green Bay Packers

The Packers selected Wicks in the fifth round this offseason as they looked to retool an aging receiving corps, replacing veteran WRs Randall Cobb and Allen Lazard and TE Robert Tonyan: all side effects of their big decision to finally part ways with Aaron Rodgers. Wicks won’t be first on the totem pole in the revamped Packers WR room – that honor goes to Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, whose draft pedigree and past production give them a leg up on Wicks. But, in an offense in flux, Wicks and his big-play ability have a chance to shine in Green Bay. He already flashed some of that collegiate upside with a 47-yard preseason catch.

Injured Reserve/Practice Squad (4)

Jelani Woods, TE, Indianapolis Colts

Woods flashed his athletic potential in his first season as a pro, recording 25 catches for 312 yards and three touchdowns. However, he’ll miss at least the first four games of the year after being placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

Joe Reed, WR, Chicago Bears

Reed has hung around the pros as a gadget player, but he won’t be playing this year for the Bears. The team placed him on injury waivers before 53-man cut downs, and he cleared waivers which means Reed will spend the season on Chicago’s injured reserve list.

Ra’Shaun Henry, WR, Seattle Seahawks

Like Reed, Henry was waived with an injury designation by the Seahawks with an undisclosed injury. He reverted to their injured reserve after going unclaimed, where he’ll remain for the season.

Anthony Johnson, CB, New Orleans Saints

Johnson signed as a UDFA with the Saints after his first-team All-ACC season for the Cavaliers in 2022. The Saints waived him ahead of their 53-man cut downs, and ultimately added him to their practice squad.