German linebacker Jakob Johnson playing for the University of Tennessee.
Through extensive research and the assistance of The Growth of a Game community, we’ve compiled a list of European NCAA football players. One of our stated goals is to increase the public awareness of American football in Europe, and one of the ways in which we aim to do so is by acknowledging the prevalence of American football players who have come from Europe to play in college football.
Players on this list have all met two important criteria for inclusion: 1) They were born in Europe and 2) They played for an NCAA college football team.
These two criteria open the door for the inclusion of many names while conversely limiting inclusion of others, however there needed to be an objective line drawn to prevent an expansion on what it means to be a “European NCAA college football player”. We have not included players of European descent who were born in the United States (or elsewhere outside of Europe), however we have included Americans born in Europe as well as Europeans who immigrated to the United States at an early age. We do not aim to identify what it means to be a European – instead we chose to base this list purely on the location of birth. Doing otherwise would make this a subjective list rather than an objective one.
There are many European players who played in the NFL yet did not compete in NCAA college football, so those players are not included. This list does not include those who played in high school, NAIA, or junior colleges but did not compete at the NCAA level.
Along with each name is the player’s position, team(s), and birth place. This list is also ever-expanding and evolving, with missing information to be provided by The Growth of a Game community and staff as time goes on. Additions, edits, and improvements are welcomed in the comments section below. This list will be updated regularly.
Last Updated: Sunday, May 27th, 2018.
ACTIVE PLAYERS
ALBANIA
•Amoreto Curraj
(K, Marshall, Bajzë)
AUSTRIA
•Aleksandar Milanovic
(OL, Sacramento State, Vienna)
•David Nader
(DB, Incarnate World, Vienna)
•Florian Probst
(LB, Stony Brook, Graz)
•Felix Schildorfer
(DL, Penn, Perchtoldsdor)
DENMARK
•Theis Bagnkop
(OL, UNC Charlotte, Frederikshavn)
•Christian Cenderquist
(OL, Louisiana-Lafayette, Copenhagen)
•Joachim Christensen
(OL, Wagner, Brøndby)
•Mike Clausen
(OL, King’s College, Hedensted)
•Hjalte Froholdt
(OG, Arkansas, Svendborg)
•Andreas Knappe
(OL, UConn, Silkeborg)
•Simon Mathiesen
(K, Northwest Missouri State, Vedbaek)
•Mike Mønsted Petersen
(RB, Central Connecticut State, Nykoebing Falster)
•Steven Nielsen
(OL, Eastern Michigan, Dragoer)
•Kristian Wredstrom
(RB, Wagner, Hillerød)
ENGLAND
•Harry Adolphus
(K/P, Boise St, Guildford)
•Alex Jenkins
(DE, Incarnate World, Bath)
•Elliot Hoyte
(DL, Boise St, Tavistock)
•Francis Kallon
(DL, Georgia Tech, London)
•Matt Murphy
(OL, Buffalo, London)
•Sebastian Sharpe
(RB, UCLA, London)
•Mitchell Ward
(K/P), Delaware State, Birmingham)
FINLAND
•Henri Jussila
(RB, UNLV, Järvenpää)
FRANCE
•Anthony Mahoungou
(WR, Purdue, Paris)
GERMANY
•Luis Bach
(LB, Wyoming, Burgoberbach)
•Moritz Christ
(OL, Washington State, Siegen)
•Max Dahl
(QB, Pomona College, Munich)
•Fabian Hoeller
(OL, UMass, Cologne)
•Jakob Johnson
(MLB, Tennessee, Stuttgart)
•Lukas Kolter
(OL, UMass, Cologne)
•Jean-Claude Madin Cerezo
(WR, Northern Colorado, Hamburg)
•Eric Nzeocha
(LB, Wyoming, Neusitz)
•Max Sommer
(OL, Liberty, Hamburg)
•Benedict Wezel
(OL, Maine, Berlin)
ITALY
•Lorenzo D’Angelo
(TE, Coastal Carolina, Rome)
•Brennan Goodnature
(RB, Clemson/Arkansas/Emporia State, Naples)
NETHERLANDS
•Dylan Bakker
(LB, North Dakota, Amsterdam)
•Dion Henrique
(DB, New Mexico State, Amsterdam)
NORWAY
•Kåre Vedvik
(K, Marshall, Stavanger)
POLAND
•Adam Griffith
(K, Alabama, Stargard Szczeciński)
ROMANIA
•Zoltán Meskó
(P, Georgetown, Timișoara)
SERBIA
•Božidar Antunović
(OL, SMU, Novi Sad)
SPAIN
•JJ Arcega-Whiteside
(WR, Stanford, Zaragoza)
•Adrià Botella Moreno
(WR, Sioux Falls, Barcelona)
•Mario Marset-Ehrle
(OL, Tennessee Tech, Sevilla)
SWEDEN
•Kevin Dillman
(TE, North Texas, Östersund)
•Jordan Genmark Heath
(DB, Notre Dame, Stockholm)
•Oscar Nevermann
(RB, North Dakota/Wyoming, Stockholm)
•Mark Rosenquist
(DL, Grand Valley State, Uppsala)
•Markus Torpman
(OL, Minnesota State University Moorhead, Uppsala)
•Anton Wahrby
(OL, Wofford, Karlskrona)
•Samuel Wretman
(OL, Rutgers, Upplands Vasby)
SWITZERLAND
•Steven Fiadewornu
(DT, Robert Morris, Zürich)
FORMER PLAYERS
AUSTRIA
Andy Gross (OG, Auburn, Berkam), Milo Gwosden (E/HB, Pittsburgh, Agram), Steve Schimititisch (C/G, Columbia, Vienna), Ray Wersching (K, Cal, Mondsee).
BELGIUM
George Jakowenko (K, Syracuse, Charleroi), Terry Ray (Safety, Oklahoma, SHAPE).
BULGARIA
Boni Petcoff (OT, Ohio State, ?).
CROATIA
Visco Grgich (OG/OT, Santa Clara, Zlarin), George Perpich (OT, Georgetown, ?).
CZECH REPUBLIC
Al Hust (DE, Tennessee, Orlova), Jerry Krysl (OT, Kansas State, Bohemia), Will Svitek (OT, Stanford, Prague).
DENMARK
Morten Andersen (K, Michigan State, Copenhagen), Bud Jorgensen (OT, St. Mary’s, ?), Wagner Jorgensen (C, St. Mary’s, ?), Jukka Kleinnibbelink Rysgaard (OLB, Augustana, Thisted), Hans Nielsen (K, Michigan State, Vejle), Jacob Sumana (DL, Shepherd, ?).
ENGLAND
Vince Abbott (K, Cal State Fullerton/Washington, London), Jay Ajayi (RB, Boise State, London), Harry Collins (OG, Canisius, Leicester), Jack Crawford (DE, Penn State, London), Mike Dawson (DE/DT, Arizona, Dorking), John Dibb (OT, Army, Wilsden), Mike Estep (OG, Bowling Green, Northampton), Domonique Foxworth (DB, Maryland, Oxford), Owen Gill (RB, Iowa, London), Larry Green (DE, Georgetown, Yorkshire), Rob Hart (K, Murray State, Devizes), Ian Howfield (K, Tennessee, Watford), Rhys Lloyd (K, Minnesota, Dover), Mick Luckhurst (K, Cal, Redbourn), Scott McCready (WR, South Florida, London), Pat Morrison (S, Southern Connecticut, London), Vince Newsome (DB, Washington, Braintree), John O’Callaghan (TE, San Diego State, London), Wayne Radloff (C/OG, Georgia, London), Rick Sharp (DT/OT, Washington, London), Tim Shaw (LB, Penn State, Exeter), Galand Thaxton (LB, Wyoming, Mildinhall), Ricky Thomas (S, Alabama, London), Osi Umenyiora (DE/OLB, Troy, London), Menelik Watson (OT, Florida State, Manchester), Tom Wort (LB, Oklahoma State, Crawley).
ESTONIA
Margus Hunt (DE, SMU, Karksi-Nuia), Michael Roos (OT, Eastern Washington, Taebla).
FINLAND
Seppo Evwaraye (OL, Nebraska, Vasaa), Michael Quarshie (DT, Columbia, Erlangen (GER)), Karri Kuuttila (OG, Lock Haven, ?).
FRANCE
Jethro Franklin (DE, Fresno State, Saint-Nazaire), Charles Romes (CB/S, North Carolina Central, Verdun), Pat Saindon (OG, Vanderbilt, Nice), Richard Tardits (LB, Georgia, Biarritz).
GERMANY
Mark Adickes (OG, Baylor, Stuttgart), John Alt (OT, Iowa, Stuttgart), Zenon Andrusyshyn (P, UCLA, Gunzburg), Frank Aschenbrenner (RB, Northwestern, Heibuehl), Darnell Autry (RB, Northwestern, Wiesbaden), Robert Awalt (TE, San Diego State, Landsthul), Francis Bah (DE, Liberty, Duisburg), Daniel Benetka (DE, Idaho, Leipzig), Matt Berning (LB, Central Michigan, Duisburg), Justin Bernthaler (DL, Wyoming, Stuttgart) Terry Billups (DB, North Carolina, Wiesbaden), Willie Blade (DT, Mississippi State, Landstuel), Dorian Boose (DE, Washington State, Frankfurt), Alex Borgs (LB, Wyoming, Düsseldorf), Ken Brown (LB, Virginia Tech, Wiesbaden), Brandon Burton (CB, Utah, ?), Bruce Collie (OG, Texas-Arlington, Nuremberg), Kasim Edebali (OLB, Boston College, Hamburg), John Engelberger (DE, Virginia Tech, Heidelberg), Jerome Felton (FB, Furman, Düren), James Fitzpatrick (OT, USC, Heidelberg), Peter Gaertner (K, Delaware State, Berlin), Ron George (LB, Stanford, Heidelberg), Patrick Gerigk (WR, Pacific, Berlin), Brandon Gibson (WR, Washington State, ?), Werner Hippler (TE, Sacramento State, Cologne), Domenik Hixon (WR/KR, Akron, Neunkirchen), Jürgen Hoffmann (OG, Winona State, Rodgav), Mike Jenkins (CB, South Florida, Neuenbürg), John Jurkovic (DT, Eastern Illinois, Friedrichshafen), Gerrit Keferstein (WR, Wisconsin Platteville, Siegburg), Terry Kinard (S, Clemson, Bitburg), Jeff Knapple (QB, Northern Colorado, Wurzburg), Tobias Knipp (WR, Delaware State, Hamburg), Marco Knorr (WR, West Virginia Tech/Urbana, Kiel), Markus Koch (DE, Boise State, Niedermarsberg), Chris Kolodziejski (TE, Wyoming, Augsburg). Karl Kremser (K, Tennessee, Salzwedel), Markus Kuhn (DT, North Carolina State, Mannheim), Mike Kullman (DB, Kutztown, Frankfurt), Doug Legursky (OG/C, Marshall, Frankfurt), Tobias Lemke (OG, Minnesota Duluth, Essen), D.D. Lewis (LB, Texas, Bremermhaven), Nick Lowery (K, Dartmouth, Munich), Marvin Marshall (WR, South Carolina State, Aschaffenburg), Tony Mayberry (C, Wake Forest, Wurzburg), Anthony McDowell (RB, Texas Tech, Augsburg), Dan McMillen (DE, Colorado, Wiesbaden), Gerald McNeil (WR, Baylor, Oilers, Frankfurt), Ray Mickens (CB, Texas A&M, Frankfurt), Dwayne Missouri (DE, Northwestern, Frankfurt), Ralf Mojsiejenko (P, Michigan State, Salzgitter Lebenstadt), Kyle Moore (DE, USC, ?), Jamar Nesbit (OG, South Carolina, Heidelberg), Jeff Nixon (S, Richmond, Furstenfeldbruck), Mark Nzeocha (LB, Wyoming, Neusitz), David Odenthal (C, Toledo, Cologne), Joel Patten (OT, Duke, Augsburg), Hank Piro (DE, Syracuse, Northoltz), Kavika Pittman (DE, McNeese State, Frankfurt), Alan Reid (RB, Minnesota, Wurzburg), Ed Reynolds (LB, Virginia, Stuttgart), Tony Richardson (FB, Auburn, Frankfurt), Constantin Ritzmann (DE, Tennessee, Freiburg), Bastian Schober (OL, Iowa State, Neuendettelsau) Oliver Schober (LB, Wyoming, Munich), Gerhard Schwedes (HB, Syracuse, Freiburg), Siddeeq Shabazz (DB, New Mexico State, Frankfurt), Arnie Simkus (DE, Michigan, Schlava), William Sims (LB, Louisiana-Lafayette, Frankfurt), Gary Smith (OG, Virginia Tech, Bitburg), Ernie Stautner (DT, Boston College, Cham), Joel Steed (NT, Colorado, Frankfurt), Fred Steinfort (K, Boston College, Wetter). Travis Stephens (RB, Tennessee, Wiesbaden). Tony Stewart (TE, Penn State, Lohne). Joe Szczecko (DT, Northwestern, Lahr), Jamaar Taylor (WR, Texas A&M, Giessen), Patrick Venzke (OT, Idaho, Essen), Tony Vinson (RB, Towson, Frankfurt), Sebastian Vollmer (OT, Houston, Karst), Uwe von Schamann (K, Oklahoma, Berlin), Cedric Udegbe (DL, Delaware, ?), Sammie Walden (DE, East Carolina, Ansbach), Gary Walker (C, Cowboys, Hassfurt), Björn Werner (OLB, Florida State, Berlin), David Whitehurst (QB, Packers, Baumhaulder), Dennis Wiehberg (K, Howard, Berlin), Reggie Williams (WR, Washington, Landstuhl), Patrick Wolff, (P, Howard, Wurselen), Keith Zinger (TE, LSU, Heidelberg).
GREECE
Chris Farasopoulas (S, BYU, Piraeus), Angelo Loukas (G, Northwestern, Corinth), John Maskas (OG/OT, Virginia Tech, Chios), Gust Zarnas (OG/OT, Ohio State, Ikaris).
HUNGARY
Charlie Gogolak (K, Princeton, Rabahicleug), Pete Gogolak (K/P, Cornell, Budapest), Steve Mike-Mayer (K, Maryland, Budapest).
IRELAND
Francis Fitzgerald (RB, Detroit, County Kerry), Tomm Graham (OG, Temple, Omagh), Bertie Maher (DE, Detroit, County Mayo), Bob Nash (DE/OT, Rutgers, County Meathe), Con O’Brien (OT, Boston College, ?), Neil O’Donoghue (K/P, Auburn, Dublin), John Sinnott (OT, Brown, Wexford), Adrian Young (LB, USC, Dublin).
ITALY
Bruno Banducci (OG/OT, Stanford, Tasignano), Dom Cara (E, North Carolina State, Reggio di Calabria), Enio Conti (OG, Bucknell, Naples), Frank Gaziano (OG, Holy Cross, Realemonte), Pete Gorgone (QB, Muhlenberg, Bruca), David Knight (WR, William & Mary, Trieste), Massimo Manca (K, Penn State, Sassari), Nick Mike-Mayer (K, Temple, Bologna), Leo Nomellini (DT/OT, Minnesota, Lucca), Kerry Porter (RB, Washingto State, Vicenza), Joe Savoldi (FB, Notre Dame, Milan), Ralph Sazio (OT, William & Mary, Avellino), Giorgio Tavecchio (K, Cal, Milan), Ralph Vince (OG/OT/DE, Washington & Jefferson, Vinci), Sandro Vitiello (K, UMass, Broccastella), Elnardo Webster (LB, Rutgers, Gortiza), Will Yeatman (OT, Maryland, Naples).
LATVIA
Vilnis Ezerins (RB, Wisconsin-Whitewater, ?).
LITHUANIA
Bill Lajousky (OG, Catholic, Vilnius), Arunas Vasys (LB, Notre Dame, ?).
MONTENEGRO
Novo Bojovic (K, Central Michigan, Podgorica).
NETHERLANDS
Jim Asmus (K, Hawaii, Meppal), Romeo Bandison (DT, Oregon, The Hague), Jeffrey Bediako (LB, Idaho State, Amsterdam), Geraldo Boldewijn (WR, Boise State, Amsterdam), Case DeBruijn (P, Idaho State, The Hague), Cedric Febis (DB, Boise State, Amsterdam), Harald Hasselbach (DE/DT, Washington, Amsterdam), Pascal Matla (C, Eastern Illinois, Leidschendam), Ricky Tjong-a-tjoe (DT, Boise State, Amsterdam), Stern Vile (OL, Florida Atlantic, Amsterdam).
NORWAY
Halvor Hagen (DE/OG/OT, Weber State, Oslo), Leif Larsen (DT, UTEP, Oslo), Mike Mock (LB, Texas Tech, Trondheim), Jan Stenerud (K, Montana State, Fetsund).
POLAND
Dutch Connor (RB, New Hampshire, ?), Jack Grossman (FB, Rutgers, ?), Sebastian Janikowski (K, Florida State, Wałbrzych), Mike Latek (LB, Colgate, Czestochowa), Jason Maniecki (DT, Wisconsin, Rabka), Chester Marcol (K, Hillsdale, Opole), Filip Pawelka (WR, Central Florida, Słupsk), Rich Szaro (K, Harvard, Rzeszów).
ROMANIA
Bernie Feibish (C, NYU, ?), George Gross (DT, Auburn, Weilau), Zoltán Meskó (P, Michigan, Timișoara), Red Seidelson (OG/OT, Pittsburgh, ?).
RUSSIA
John Barsha (FB, Syracuse, ?), Ace Gutowsky (FB/HB/QB, Oklahoma City, Komolty), Max Padlow (DE, Ohio State, ?), Harry Shaub (OG, Cornell, ?).
SCOTLAND
Tom Birney (K, Michigan State, Bellshill), Graham Gano (K, Florida State, Arbroath), Art Matsu (HB/QB, William & Mary, Glasgow), Andrew Peterson (OG, Washington, Greenock), James Robertson (RB, Carnegie Mellon, Aberdeen), Lawrence Tynes (K, Troy, Greenock), Alex Waits (P, Texas, Glasgow).
SERBIA
Filip Filipović (P, South Dakota, Belgrade).
SLOVENIA
Joe Cerne (C, Northwestern, Črnomelj), Joe Kodba (C, Purdue, ?).
SPAIN
Jess Rodriguez (RB/OT, Salem, Aviles), Kelly Rodriguez (FB/HB/QB, West Virginia Wesleyan, Aviles), Ray Rowe (TE, San Diego State, Rota).
SWEDEN
Johan Asker, (DE/C, New Hampshire, Karlstad), Chris Gartner (K, Indiana, Gothenburg), Stone Hallquist (RB/QB, Middlebury, Sodholm), David Hedelin (OL, Purdue, Stockholm), William James (DB, North Dakota, Sollentuna), Ove Johansson (K, Abilene Christian, Gothenburg), Sebastian Johansson (OL, Marshall, Karlstad), Karl Hilmers Johnson (OG/OT, Washington & Lee, Javia), Ola Kimrin (K, UTEP, Malmo), Göran Lingmerth (K, Northern Arizona, Nassjo), Martin Lundberg (?, Sacramento State, ?), Björn Nittmo (K, Appalachian State, Lomma), Olle Norberg (C, Indiana State, Stockholm) Curly Oden (FB/RB/QB, Brown, Stockholm), Gustav Rydstedt (OG, Stanford, Stockholm).
TURKEY
Tunch Ilkin (C/OT/DT, Indiana State, Istanbul).
UKRAINE
Art Dorfman (C/DE/OG, Boston University, Odessa), Charles Goldenberg (FB/OG/RB/QB, Wisconsin, Odessa), Igor Olshansky (DE, Oregon, Dnepropetrovsk).
WALES
Jon Norris (DE, American International, ?), Terry Price (K, Texas A&M, Hendy).
Have we left anyone out? Please let us know (along with reference links) in the comments section below.
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