Football season is underway, which means it’s time for former Northern Iowa football standouts to shine in the NFL. After cutdown day, four Panthers made NFL rosters.
Spencer Brown, Buffalo Bills
Brown is entering his fourth season with the Bills, establishing himself as one of the better right tackles in the league. Last Saturday he earned a second contract, agreeing to a four-year extension to stay in Buffalo through the 2028 season. Brown has only allowed nine sacks in the last three years. He’s coming off a season where he played in every game for the Bills, totaling 1,160 snaps. Brown will look to have another great season in 2024 at the right tackle position, and try to deliver the Bills their first ever Super Bowl win.
Trevor Penning, New Orleans Saints
Penning is entering his third season in the NFL after being the first ever Panther football player drafted in the first round in 2022. After an injury plagued his rookie season, Penning played in all 17 games last season, playing 417 snaps and allowing four sacks. He will get the start at right tackle this year after playing his first two seasons at left tackle. Throughout his time at Northern Iowa and early pro career he’s been a very effective run blocker. He’ll protect quarterback Derek Carr this season and look to help the Saints get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
Khristian Boyd, New Orleans Saints
Boyd joined fellow Northern Iowa alum Trevor Penning in New Orleans this offseason after being selected in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft in April. Throughout the pre-draft process, he quickly became one of the most intriguing late round prospects amongst scouts. Boyd had a phenomenal career with the Panthers, finishing his collegiate career with 149 tackles, 10.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. He played in three games in the preseason and produced four tackles. He’ll get an opportunity this season to play as a rotational piece on the defensive line for the Saints.
Elijah Campbell, Miami Dolphins
Campbell is entering his fifth season in the NFL and his fourth with the Miami Dolphins. He was signed by the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2020. Campbell played in 15 games last year for the Dolphins, finishing with 15 tackles while also making an impact on special teams. Campbell is listed as the fourth-string safety on the Dolphins depth chart entering the 2024 season. He’ll continue to play special teams for now, but is more than capable of coming in and starting if a Dolphin safety goes down.
