The new NFL season is underway this season and loaded — as always — with Louisiana talent all over the league.
Even if the New Orleans Saints struggle, as anticipated, to one of this year’s worst records, Sundays (and Thursday and Monday nights) will provide plenty of former local high school or college standouts, including several on teams we expect to be in the playoff hunt.
Here’s a look at 11 teams we’re pretty high on heading into 2025 and the respective Louisiana connections on each roster — including representatives from every FBS program in the state, plus one FCS program.
Note: These are (obviously) not the teams with Louisiana players and not all the top Louisiana players. There will be more coverage of that nature as well. But for this particular article, you won’t see Justin Jefferson, Malik Nabers or Brian Thomas Jr., who will all likely have great seasons, because we’re not as sold on the Vikings, Giants or Jaguars.
Also note: This article is focused specifically on the rosters — not coaching staffs, front offices, in-house team media, team psychologists, halftime entertainment or whoever else might be involved around the league.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Star quarterback Lamar Jackson and company have become one of the NFL’s most consistent teams with three straight 10-win seasons and six of the past seven years, including 13-4 in 2023 and 12-5 in 2024. Baltimore is the favorite to win the AFC North again and host its first playoff game — if not also potentially contending for top AFC and bye. The Ravens don’t feature as much Louisiana flavor on their roster in 2025 as some others, but former Louisiana (Lafayette) defensive back Keyon Martin is on the depth chart and former Catholic-B.R. and LSU offensive lineman Emery Jones Jr. (reserve/non-football injury) and former Evangel Christian safety Ar’Darius Washington (reserve/physically unable to perform) start the season on the inactive list.
BUFFALO BILLS
Reigning MVP Josh Allen and the Bills have been as big of challengers to the Kansas City Chiefs the past couple years as anyone in the AFC and should be near the top of the conference again this year. Former LSU long snapper Reid Ferguson is the franchise’s longest tenured player heading into his 10th season, and Green Oaks (Shreveport) native and former LSU cornerback Tre’Davious White returned this offseason to the home where he spent much of his nine-year professional career. Former St. Helena offensive lineman O’Cyrus Torrence is Buffalo’s starting right guard, and former Warren Easton star Sedrick Van Pran-Granger is a reserve lineman. Former Opelousas Catholic two-sport standout Keon Coleman figures to be one of Allen’s top targets. Former Tulane linebacker Dorian Williams is one of the leaders of the Bills’ defense. And former Louisiana (Lafayette) defensive end Andre Jones Jr. signed this offseason as a member of the team’s practice squad
CINCINNATI BENGALS
The Bengals probably don’t much introduction in terms of their Louisiana connections — at least not to LSU fans. Quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (Archbishop Rummel), teammates on the Tigers’ 2019 national championship team, were the NFL’s most prolific performers at their respective positions last season and have been the best QB-WR duo in the league since Chase joined Burrow in 2021. Former Pineville star Cody Ford is a member of the team’s offensive line room, and former Tulane defensive end Cam Sample and former Ouachita Parish defensive back Josh Newton are on the Bengals’ defense. Cincinnati’s offense is consistently one of the NFL’s best when Burrow is healthy. And the defense and outcomes in one-score games would seem to have to improve off sheer law of average, or at least shouldn’t be worse than the rough 2024 showing that narrowly kept the team from the playoffs.
DENVER BRONCOS
Former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton’s squad has increased its win total each of his two seasons at the helm, including a playoff appearance last season with rookie quarterback Bo Nix. The Broncos drafted former St. James and LSU defensive end Sai’vion Jones this spring to bolster a line ground that already included former Madison Prep star Malcolm Roach. The roster also includes other former Saints; cornerback Patrick Surtain II, the son of a former Edna Karr cornerback; and running back Tyler Badie, who was born in New Orleans but moved as a child during Hurricane Katrina.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
The late trade for now-former Dallas Cowboys defense star Micah Parsons has heavily boosted the Packers’ potential title-contention heading into the season. Green Bay returns a core of impact players from Louisiana in starting right tackle Zach Tom (Catholic-B.R.); wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (Plaquemine), who has nearly 1,000 yards over the past two seasons; and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (Covington), who emerged as one of the team’s top defenders in 2024 as just a rookie. And the franchise continued to add to that contingent with the 2025 rookie class with former Holy Cross defensive lineman Barryn Sorrell and Tulane cornerback Micah Robinson in the fourth and seven rounds, respectively, and former Mandeville wide receiver Will Sheppard as an undrafted free agent now on the practice squad.
HOUSTON TEXANS
Houston has notched back-to-back 10-win regular season and wild-card playoff victories and should well-positioned for another competitive year with its combination of a good team back and the league’s worst division to challenge it. The Texans’ disruptive, opportunistic defense is a strength with a pair of former LSU stars helping spearhead in defensive end Danielle Hunter and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (Dunham). Stingley’s former 7-on-7 teammate with the Louisiana Bootleggers, linebacker Christian Harris (University), is another notable piece of the unit, and the team traded last October and March to add former Ouachita Parish and West Monroe tackle Cam Robinson and former LSU guard Ed Ingram to help bolster the offensive line. Former Brother Martin tight end Irv Smith Jr. starts the season on injured reserve, and former Louisiana (Lafayette) linebacker K.C. Ossai is a member of the practice squad.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
The Chiefs were lower than usual in 2024 on Louisiana talent for Taylor Swift to root for, but addressed that shortcoming heavily this offseason as. Kansas City added veteran running backs Elijah Mitchell, an Erath and Louisiana (Lafayette) product, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire, a Catholic-B.R. and LSU product, as well as a pair of veteran defenders in former Evangel Christian lineman Jerry Tillery and former Archbishop Rummel and LSU cornerback Kristian Fulton. And, along with Edwards-Helaire on the practice squad, the Chiefs have added undrafted rookie wide receiver Jimmy Holiday out of Louisiana Tech.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
New coach Mike Vrabel’s leadership, a strong draft and some strategic veteran additions should have the Patriots in the mix to compete for a playoff spot right away. And this year’s roster is notably Louisiana-loaded, including five former LSU Tigers after signing edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson and drafting lineman Will Campbell (Neville) and edge rusher Bradyn Swinson to join wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (Westgate) and defensive lineman Jaquelin Roy (University Lab). New England also signed former Louisiana Tech defensive lineman Milton Williams away from the champion Philadelphia Eagles.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
The reigning Super Bowl champions have only former Amite star DeVonta Smith, the Heisman-winning receiver at Alabama, on their active roster to begin the season, but a wealth of practice squad members who could be called upon to elevate. That group includes two former LSU players in wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. and defensive back Andre’ Sam (Iowa) and two former Tulane players in edge rusher Patrick Johnson and defensive back Parry Nickerson (West Jeff). Additionally, cornerback Eli Ricks began his college career at LSU during which time his family moved to Louisiana and stayed.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Tampa Bay has won the NFC South the past four years and is favored to extend that streak this year with a good team getting healthy in another of the league’s poorer divisions. Former Jesuit and LSU linebacker Deion “Debo” Jones signed to the Bucs’ practice squad last winter and enters the season the active roster, where undrafted free agent running back Josh Williams also earned a spot in his first year out of LSU.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
There may be some questions on whether not only quarterback Jayden Daniels, but the entire new-look Commanders group, may encounter a sophomore slump or have trouble matching all the success of 2024. But what Daniels and company put on the field last season felt like more of the new norm for years to come than of anything fluky or inconsistent, and Washington added a couple pieces that should only help further bolster its potential. Daniels, the 2023 Heisman winner at LSU, has been the headliner. But the Commanders return former Plaquemine and Louisiana (Lafayette) safety Percy Butler and former Grambling State offensive lineman Trent Scott, both of whom started games in 2024. And Washington drafted former Catholic (New Iberia) cornerback Trey Amos and signed former ULM cornerback Car’lin Vigers to its practice squad.
