Several former Northwestern Wildcats earned spots on NFL 53-man rosters ahead of the 2026 season, including Rashawn Slater, Peter Skoronski, Greg Newsome and six other former Wildcats.
The 2026 NFL season is almost here, and several former Northwestern Wildcats have earned spots on active rosters across the league.
From established veterans and former first-round picks to rookies beginning their professional careers, Northwestern will have plenty of representation when the NFL season gets underway.
Here is a look at the former Wildcats currently on 53-man rosters.
Rashawn Slater — Los Angeles Chargers
Slater remains one of the biggest success stories to come out of Northwestern in recent years.
The former Wildcat was a three-year starter in Evanston before the Chargers selected him No. 13 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Slater quickly established himself as one of the NFL’s top offensive tackles and signed a massive contract extension with Los Angeles in 2025. He remains on the Chargers’ roster entering 2026.
Oct 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Rashawn Slater (70) following the win over the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn ImagesGreg Newsome II — New York Giants
Newsome enters 2026 with a new opportunity in New York after spending the first portion of his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Northwestern product was selected No. 26 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft after an impressive college career in Evanston. He has already played 71 NFL games with 58 starts and now looks to establish himself as an important piece of the Giants’ secondary.
Ben Skowronek — Pittsburgh Steelers
Skowronek is another former Wildcat who has carved out a lengthy NFL career.
After beginning his college career at Northwestern before transferring to Notre Dame, Skowronek was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams and has since spent time with the Rams and Steelers.
He enters 2026 with 72 regular-season games and 67 career receptions, while his versatility has also made him valuable on special teams.
Peter Skoronski — Tennessee Titans
Skoronski has quickly become one of the NFL’s most respected young offensive linemen.
The former Northwestern standout was selected No. 11 overall by the Titans in the 2023 NFL Draft and has started all 17 games in a season while playing every offensive snap.
After establishing himself as a key piece of Tennessee’s offensive line, Skoronski recently agreed to a massive contract extension to remain with the Titans. His development is another example of Northwestern’s ability to produce high-level offensive linemen.
Adetomiwa Adebawore — Indianapolis Colts
Adebawore enters his fourth NFL season with the Colts after being selected in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
At Northwestern, Adebawore became one of the most disruptive defensive linemen in the Big Ten, finishing his career with 12.5 sacks, 24.5 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles. His athleticism made him an intriguing NFL prospect, and he now has another opportunity to continue developing in Indianapolis.
Eku Leota — Arizona Cardinals
Leota continues to work toward establishing himself as a reliable NFL defensive lineman with Arizona.
The former Northwestern player transferred to Auburn for his final college season, but his time in Evanston helped put him on the NFL radar. Now, he will look to continue developing and earn opportunities within the Cardinals’ defensive front.
Malik Washington — Miami Dolphins
Washington enters his second NFL season with Miami after transferring from Northwestern to Virginia during his college career. He developed into one of the most productive receivers in college football at Virginia before the Dolphins selected him in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Washington has already shown flashes of what he can provide at the professional level and will look to take another step forward in Miami’s offense.
TeRah Edwards — Carolina Panthers
Edwards is another former Wildcat continuing his NFL journey after transferring to Illinois for his final college season.
The defensive lineman brings experience and versatility to Carolina’s defensive front and will have an opportunity to continue proving himself at the professional level.
For Edwards, earning a spot on an NFL roster represents another step in a journey that began in Evanston.
Caleb Tiernan — Minnesota Vikings
Tiernan is the newest Northwestern name on this list.
The Vikings selected the massive offensive tackle No. 97 overall in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, giving Northwestern another offensive lineman selected in the early rounds.
Tiernan now gets the opportunity to begin his NFL career in Minnesota after establishing himself as one of the Big Ten’s top offensive tackles at Northwestern.
Northwestern’s NFL Presence Continues to Grow
Seeing nine former Northwestern players currently on NFL 53-man rosters is another strong reflection of the talent that has come through Evanston.
Slater and Skoronski have already established themselves as major players at their positions, while Newsome, Adebawore and Skowronek have built lengthy NFL careers of their own.
At the same time, players such as Tiernan are just beginning their professional journeys, while others are continuing to fight for larger roles.
And the list could still grow.
Several former Wildcats who did not make initial 53-man rosters have landed on practice squads, giving them another opportunity to remain with their organizations and potentially earn promotions during the season.
With the NFL season approaching, it will be exciting for Northwestern fans to follow the Wildcats competing at the highest level of football.
More importantly, the number of former Northwestern players continuing their professional careers shows that the program continues to develop players capable of making an impact beyond Evanston.
