When people think of former football players at Fresno State currently in the pros, two names tend to come to mind: quarterback Derek Carr (2009-2013) and wide receiver Davante Adams (2011-2013) of the Las Vegas Raiders. But Carr and Adams aren’t the only Bulldog alumni making their mark in the National Football League (NFL). 

Mykal Walker (2018-2019) continues to shine in the NFL after a stellar outing during the Atlanta Falcons’ Week 4 23-20 victory over the Cleveland Browns. 

“Big time win. Never perfect, but we [are] building something special,” Walker posted on Twitter after the win. 

The linebacker led the team in tackles again Sunday with 11 in the Falcons’ Week 5 21-15 loss to Tampa Bay. Walker now has 44 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and one interception on the season. He’s considered one of the most successful players in Fresno State’s history, Walker accumulated 182 tackles and 23 tackles for loss in two seasons with the Bulldogs. He earned First Team All-Mountain West Honors in both years before being selected by Atlanta in the fourth round of the 2020 draft. 

Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (2021) had a big game in his team’s 25-10 win over the Washington Commanders in Week 4. In his first game getting defensive snaps, Bland had three tackles, one pass deflection and a crucial 4th-quarter interception to secure his team’s win. 

Bland only played one year for the Bulldogs but made an impact in 2021, appearing in all 13 games with 45 tackles and two interceptions. He was selected by the Cowboys in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft. 

During pregame warmups, Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis suffered a groin injury, which opened up playing time for the former Bulldog. 

“They told me right before kickoff,” said Bland. “I was ready to play, but it changes a little when you know you’re going to get a lot of snaps. I was blessed [with] the opportunity.”

Despite his outstanding performance, Bland was relegated back to special teams duty and did not see any defensive snaps when Lewis returned in Week 5. Barring an injury or benching in the Cowboys’ secondary, playing time will be hard to garner for the rookie corner.

Juju Hughes (2016-2019) is currently in his first year with the Detroit Lions after spending two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. The safety has eight tackles on the season. 

While at Fresno State, Hughes played four years, including his senior season in which he recorded 78 tackles and four interceptions. According to Pro Football Focus, Hughes is a “pure playmaker.” He was signed by the Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2020. 

Safety Charles Washington (2011-2015) was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Lions in 2016. Washington is currently in his fourth season with the Arizona Cardinals, but is currently on injured reserve retroactive to Sept. 4 with a chest injury. Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury says he expects Washington to be available in the next couple of weeks, according to Cardinals beat writer, Chuck Harris.  

The three-time MWC All-Academic honoree also recorded 198 tackles, four sacks, three int’s and 17 pass deflections while playing for the Bulldogs. He primarily played cornerback in college before shifting to safety in his senior season.

Offensive guard Netane Muti (2017-2019) was added to the Denver Broncos active roster before their 32-23 defeat by the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4 but did not see any action. Muti started 17-of-19 games played at Fresno State while battling injuries throughout his college career. He was selected by the Broncos in the sixth round (181st overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. The third-year guard has played 19 games and started four in his career so far. 

Carr and Adams connected three times for 124 yards in their Week 5 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs won the Monday night game with the score of 30-29. Carr completed 19 of his 30 passes with 241 total passing yards, both to Adams. Carr now has 1,241 passing yards and eight touchdown passes on the season. Adams has 414 receiving yards with five touchdown catches as Carr’s number one target. The Raiders have a bye during Week 6 which could allow Adams to be in Fresno on Oct. 15 for homecoming as the Bulldogs retire his number. 

Adams was acquired via trade this offseason from the Green Bay Packers for two first-round draft picks and immediately signed a contract extension to play with Carr and the Raiders for the foreseeable future. 

There are also several players currently on practice squads ready to get called up to their teams’ NFL rosters including linebacker Arron Mosby (Carolina Panthers), offensive lineman Alex Akingbulu (Washington Commanders) and running back Ronnie Rivers (Los Angeles Rams).