MIAA
KANSAS CITY, Mo. â The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAA) is the best represented NCAA Division II conference in the National Football League with a total of seven former student-athletes from six different institutions named to initial 53-man rosters for the 2023 NFL season.
Both Dallis Flowers (Pittsburg State) and Sam Roberts (Northwest Missouri State) are entering their second season in the league. Roberts, former MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, is a defensive tackle for the New England Patriots â the franchise that took him in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Flowers, undrafted in 2022, enters his second season with Indianapolis Colts as a cornerback.
In 2023, Flowers has played in both games of the season so far and tallied six tackles (four solo, two assisted) and one pass defended. Although Roberts appeared in five games of his rookie season, the former Bearcat has yet to make his 2023 season debut.
Former Washburn Ichabod Kyle Hinton is also entering his second season in the NFL. Hinton played 34 snaps in the 2022 season with Minnesota but began the 2023 season as a defensive back on the Atlanta Falcons 53-man roster.
After spending four seasons with the Texans, Jonathan Owens (Missouri Western State) begins his first season as a safety for the Green Bay Packers. After two games with his new team, Owens has five solo tackles to his name. Last year was his most productive season with 125 tackles (84 solo, 41 assisted) and one sack â both career highs.
Owens is one of two Griffons with current veteran status in the NFL. Fellow Missouri Western alumnus Greg Zuerlienhas experienced higher on-field exposure relative to other former MIAA players mentioned.
Zuerlein enters his 12th season in the NFL and his second season as the New York Jetsâ starting placekicker. Over the course of his career, the former Griffon has played for three different NFL franchises (Rams 2012-2020; Cowboys 2020-2022).
This season, the veteran kicker is 3-of-3 on field goals and 1-of-1 on extra point attempts. However, Zuerlein injured his groin in practice Sept. 14 and missed the teamâs week 2 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.
Former Tiger Nathan Shepherd (Fort Hays State) is a new defensive tackle on the New Orleans Saintsâ 53-man roster. Shephard was drafted in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He played 17 games for the Jets last season and recorded a career-high 33 tackles. In his season debut against the Carolina Panthers Spet. 18, Shepherd tallied two tackles and a sack.\
Jonathan Harris, former four-time All-MIAA performer out of Lindenwood, graduated the year prior to Lindenwoodâs withdrawal from the MIAA and jump to a NCAA Division I instutition. Harris enters his fourth season in the NFL as a defensive tackle on the Denver Broncos 53-man roster. So far, Harris has gotten four tackles in each of Denverâs two games this season â three solo and five assisted.
Additionally, three former MIAA student-athletes are listed on NFL injured lists, physically unable to perform lists or practice squads. The list includes Buffalo Bills tight end Zach Davidson (Central Missouri), Green Bay Packers defensive back Corey Ballentine (Washburn) and Las Vegas Raider defensive back Sam Webb (Missouri Western).
To view the complete list of active former Division II student-athletes in the NFL, click here.