DALLAS – Conference USA continues to be well represented on the NFL’s postseason stage, with 14 former CUSA standouts active on rosters advancing to or competing in the Divisional Round following a thrilling Wild Card weekend.
 
Denver enters as the the No. 1 seed in the AFC, hosting Buffalo at 4:30 p.m. CT on Saturday after the Bills advanced with a 27-24 Wild Card round win over Jacksonville. Both the Broncos’ Devon Key (WKU) – named First-Team All-Pro at special teams – and Buffalo’s Larry Ogunjobi (Charlotte) logged season-highs in tackles in their respective regular season finales.
 
Seattle earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC and hosts San Francisco at 8 p.m. CT on Saturday. The Seahawks defense features linebacker Tyrice Knight (UTEP) and Riq Woolen (UTSA). The 49ers advanced with a 23-19 upset of Philadelphia last weekend. Left guard Spencer Burford (UTSA) logged 59 snaps and posted the top run-blocking grade (70.3) among San Francisco’s offensive line. Cornerback Upton Stout (WKU) added five tackles and a crucial pass deflection.
 
Houston’s Azeez Al-Shaair (Florida Atlantic) earned his first Pro Bowl selection and recorded six tackles, including a tackle for loss, in the Wild Card round win over Pittsburgh. Al-Shaair and fellow former Owl Harrison Bryant will face off with New England at 3 p.m. CT on Sunday. Defensive lineman Milton Williams (LA Tech) led a tenacious Patriots defensive front in a 16-3 shutdown of the Chargers, totaling two sacks and two TFL.
 
Rams tight end Tyler Higbee (WKU) contributed two receptions for 45 yards in the Wild Card round win over Carolina. Higbee and Darious Williams (UAB) will take on Chicago at 6:30 p.m. CT on Sunday. The Bears punched their ticket to the Divisional Round with a 31-27 comeback win over rival Green Bay last weekend.
 
After earning First-Team All-Pro honors and his third Pro Bowl nod with a league-high seven picks, Kevin Byard (MTSU) added five tackles in the win, while kicker Cairo Santos (Tulane) delivered a flawless outing, going 3-3 on field goals (51, 34, 27) and 2-2 on extra-point attempts.
 
Among the other standouts in the Wild Card round, Chargers wideout Tre Harris (LA Tech) recorded two catches for 20 yards, and teammate Teair Tart (FIU) posted a standout line with a sack, two tackles for loss and a pass deflection. Philadelphia’s Reed Blankenship (MTSU) totaled six tackles against San Francisco. Pittsburgh’s James Pierre (FAU) – the NFL’s leader in PFF coverage grade (89.7) in the regular season – allowed just two catches for 21 yards and added four tackles in the Wild Card game.
 
Click here for a complete list of the 82 former CUSA players featured on NFL rosters for the 2025 season.