KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Conference continues to be the most represented NCAA Division II conference in the National Football League with seven former student-athletes named to an initial 53-man roster for the 2024 season.

The 2024 NFL season kicks off this week with 46 former NCAA Division II student-athletes listed on the official 53-man rosters, as of September 5. Missouri Western, Pittsburg State and Washburn are three of six Division II football programs with two alums on NFL rosters.

Of the seven former MIAA football players in the league, only one is entering his rookie season. Recent Pitt State grad Rico Payton signed with the New Orleans Saints for his first NFL contract. The St. Louis native collected First Team All-MIAA honors his senior season with 35 tackles (23 solo), 16 passes defended and four interceptions. He is listed as a third-string cornerback for the Saints and one of two former MIAA stars in New Orleans.

Dallis Flowers, another First Team All-MIAA alum out of Pitt State, is entering his third season in the league with the Indianapolis Colts – a team with the most former Division II football players on their roster. Flowers started and played four games at cornerback for the Colts last season collecting 15 tackles and three pass breakups.

Washburn alum Kyle Hinton is also entering his third season in the NLF and his second with the Atlanta Falcons. The former four-time All-MIAA offensive lineman played 16 games for the Falcons last season and is listed as the second-string right guard on Atlanta’s 53-man roster.

Former Missouri Western Griffon Jonathan Owens begins his sixth season in the NLF and his first season playing for the Chicago Bears. Now listed as a second-string safety on the Bears 53-man roster, Owens played in all 17 games with 11 starts as a defensive back for the Green Bay Packers last season. With the Packers, Owens totaled 74 tackles (51 solo), three passes defended, a sack, two tackles for a loss, a quarterback hit, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Owens is also married to 11-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles.

Also entering his sixth year in the league is former All-MIAA First Team DB, Corey Ballentine. The Washburn alum will begin his third season with the Green Bay Packers this Friday in Brazil – the NFL’s first international game of the 2024 season. Ballentine played 14 games with six starts for the Packers last season totaling 43 tackles (28 solo), seven passes defending and one interception. He’s listed as the third-string cornerback on the Packers depth chart.

Fort Hays State alum Nathan Shepherd begins his seventh season in the NLF and his second season with the Saints in New Orleans. A veteran defensive tackle, Shepherd started all 17 games for the Saints in the 2023 season tailing 50 tackles (19 solo) and three quarterback sacks.

Entering his 13th season, Greg Zuerlein remains the eldest MIAA alum in the NFL. The former MIAA Special Teams Player of the Year from Missouri Western begins his third season with the New York Jets this fall. Last season Zuerlein landed 35 of his 38 field goal attempts (92.1 percent) and hit 15 of his 16 extra point attempts (93.8 percent).

Additionally, five former MIAA student-athletes are listed on NFL practice squads. The list includes Central Missouri’s Zach Davidson (TE, Buffalo Bills) and David Olajiga (DL, Los Angeles Rams), Missouri Western’s CJ Ravenell (DL, Baltimore Ravens) and Sam Webb (DB, Las Vegas Raiders), and Northwest Missouri’s Sam Roberts (DL, Chicago Bears).

To view the complete list of all active former Division II student-athletes on 2024 NFL rosters, click here.