NFL players from Northwestern
95 NFL players came out of Northwestern. Here they all are, ranked the way The Chains ranks them, most recognizable first.
95
Players
1
Easy to name
Unicorn
Best link
More Northwestern players suited up for the Indianapolis Colts than any other franchise (12).
How this plays in The Chains
A shared college is a link, just like a shared team, and every link is scored by how unlikely it was that a fan would name it. Connect two players through Brian Arnfelt and the Northwestern link is rated Unicorn (+600 bonus points). Some daily puzzles even require a Northwestern alum in your chain.
Play today's puzzleEasy to name
Common and Uncommon. The easiest answers from this school.
- Uncommon
Napoleon Harris
MLB · 2002–2008 · KC, MIN, RAI
In the middle
Real answers, but not the first ones people think of.
- Rare
Greg Newsome II
DB · 2021–2026 · CLE, JAX, NYG
- Rare
Luis Castillo
DE · 2005–2011 · LAC
- Rare
Chris Brown
RB · 2003–2009 · HOU, TEN
- Rare
Anthony Walker
LB · 2017–2025 · CLE, IND, MIA, TB
- Rare
Dean Lowry
DL · 2016–2024 · GB, MIN, PIT
- Rare
Barry Cofield
NT · 2006–2016 · NYG, WAS
- Rare
Malik Washington
WR · 2024–2026 · MIA
- Rare
Mike Kafka
QB · 2010–2011 · PHI
- Rare
Barry Gardner
LB · 1999–2005 · CLE, NYJ, PHI
- Rare
Kevin Bentley
OLB · 2002–2011 · CLE, HOU, IND, JAX, SEA
- Rare
Chris Hinton
OL · 1990–1995 · ATL, MIN
- Rare
Caleb Tiernan
OL · 2026 · MIN
- Rare
Corey Wootton
DE · 2010–2014 · CHI, MIN
- Rare
Trevor Siemian
QB · 2015–2024 · CHI, DEN, MIN, NO, NYJ, TEN
- Rare
D'Wayne Bates
WR · 1999–2003 · CHI, MIN
- Rare
Nick Roach
LB · 2007–2013 · CHI, RAI
- Rare
Sherrick McManis
CB · 2010–2020 · CHI, HOU
- Rare
Rashawn Slater
OL · 2021–2026 · LAC
- Rare
Ben Skowronek
WR · 2021–2026 · PIT, RAM
- Rare
Justin Jackson
RB · 2018–2022 · DET, LAC
- Rare
Peter Skoronski
OL · 2023–2026 · TEN
- Rare
Adetomiwa Adebawore
DL · 2023–2026 · IND
- Rare
Eric Wilson
LB · 2017–2026 · GB, HOU, MIN, PHI
- Rare
Cameron Mitchell
DB · 2023–2025 · CLE, IND
- Rare
John Kidd
SPEC · 1990–1998 · DET, LAC, MIA, NYJ
- Rare
Ifeadi Odenigbo
DL · 2018–2022 · ARI, CLE, IND, MIN, TB
- Rare
Clayton Thorson
QB · 2020 · NYG
- Rare
Bob Christian
RB · 1992–2002 · ATL, CAR, CHI
- Rare
Darnell Autry
RB · 1997–2000 · CHI, PHI
- Rare
Ibraheim Campbell
SS · 2015–2021 · CLE, DAL, GB, HOU, IND, NYJ
- Rare
Matt O'Dwyer
OL · 1995–2004 · CIN, NYJ, TB
- Rare
Trai Essex
T · 2005–2012 · IND, PIT
- Rare
Josh Priebe
OL · 2025 · MIA
- Rare
Zach Strief
T · 2006–2017 · NO
- Rare
Tyler Lancaster
DL · 2018–2023 · DEN, GB
- Rare
Austin King
C · 2003–2005 · ATL, TB
- Rare
Danny Vitale
RB · 2016–2019 · CLE, GB
- Rare
Curtis Duncan
WR · 1990–1993 · TEN
- Rare
Jason Wright
RB · 2004–2010 · ARI, ATL, CLE
- Rare
Eddie Sutter
LB · 1992–1997 · ATL, BAL, CLE
- Rare
Marquice Cole
CB · 2009–2013 · NE, NYJ
- Rare
Skip McClendon
DL · 1990–1993 · CIN, IND, LAC, MIN
- Rare
Tim McGarigle
MLB · 2007 · RAM
- Rare
Earnest Brown IV
DL · 2022–2024 · RAM, TB
- Rare
Evan Hull
RB · 2023–2026 · ARI, IND, NO
- Epic
Tyrell Sutton
RB · 2009–2010 · CAR
- Epic
Austin Carr
WR · 2017–2020 · NO
- Epic
Brandon Joseph
DB · 2023–2024 · DET
- Epic
Steve Tasker
WR · 1990–1997 · BUF
- Epic
Damien Anderson
RB · 2002–2005 · ARI
- Epic
Corbin Bryant
DE · 2013–2016 · BUF
- Epic
Dwayne Missouri
DL · 2001 · BAL, DAL
- Epic
Matt Ulrich
G · 2005–2006 · IND
- Epic
Noah Herron
RB · 2005–2006 · GB, PIT
- Epic
Blake Hance
OL · 2021–2025 · CLE, JAX, SF, TEN
- Epic
Rob Taylor
OL · 1990–1993 · TB
- Epic
Joe Gaziano
DL · 2020–2024 · ATL, JAX, LAC
- Epic
Thomas Homco
LB · 1993–1996 · RAM
- Epic
Godwin Igwebuike
DB · 2018–2023 · ATL, DET, PIT, SEA, SF, TB
- Epic
Brett Basanez
QB · 2006–2009 · CAR, CHI
- Epic
Richard Buchanan
WR · 1991–1995 · CAR, MIA, RAM
- Epic
Kain Colter
WR · 2016 · BUF
- Epic
Darryl Ashmore
OL · 1992–2001 · RAI, RAM, WAS
- Epic
Kyric McGowan
WR · 2022 · WAS
- Epic
Ike Ndukwe
G · 2005–2009 · BAL, KC, MIA, WAS
- Epic
Sam Simmons
WR · 2003 · MIA
- Epic
Wayne Lucier
C · 2003–2004 · NYG
- Epic
Joe Jones
LB · 2017–2023 · DEN, TEN
- Epic
Nate Hall
LB · 2020 · HOU
- Epic
Hunter Niswander
P · 2020 · DAL
- Epic
Clifton Dawson
RB · 2007 · CIN, IND
- Epic
Jeremy Ebert
WR · 2013 · JAX
- Epic
Casey Dailey
LB · 1998–1999 · NYJ
- Epic
Sean Bennett
RB · 1999–2002 · NYG
- Epic
Jeff Roehl
T · 2003 · NYG
- Epic
Paul Janus
OL · 1998–1999 · CAR, DET
- Epic
John Ivlow
RB · 1993 · CHI
- Legendary
Brian Gowins
SPEC · 1999 · CHI
- Legendary
Garrett Dickerson
TE · 2018–2019 · NYG
- Legendary
Dennis Lundy
RB · 1995 · CHI, TEN
- Legendary
Jay Tant
TE · 2000 · ARI
- Legendary
Montre Hartage
DB · 2019–2020 · MIA, NYG
- Legendary
Steve Shine
LB · 1994 · CIN
- Legendary
John Gill
DT · 2009 · IND
- Legendary
Frank Boudreaux
DL · 1993–1994 · MIN, RAM
- Legendary
Harold Blackmon
DB · 2001–2002 · SEA
The rarest links
The players almost nobody names first, and the biggest bonus in a puzzle.
- Ball-knower
Javiar Collins
DL · 2001–2004 · CLE, DAL
- Ball-knower
Bryan LaBelle
OL · 1999 · NO
- Ball-knower
Mike Senters
DB · 1995 · CAR
- Ball-knower
Conrad Emmerich
RB · 2001 · CHI
- Ball-knower
TeRah Edwards
DL · 2026 · CAR
- Unicorn
Brian Arnfelt
DE · 2013 · PIT
- Unicorn
Deonte Gibson
DL · 2016 · DET
- Unicorn
Jimmy Hall
DB · 2016 · RAI
Players who attended more than one school appear on each school's page. Team lists count franchises, so earlier cities and names are included (Raiders in Oakland, Rams in St. Louis). Rarity tiers come from the same scoring The Chains uses in its daily puzzles.