Jan. 28, 2008

Five former Marshall University football players -- four on the unbeaten New England Patriots team and one on the New York Giants roster -- will be on the field, or at least on the sidelines, for Sunday's Super Bowl. At least one member of the Marshall football family, and possibly four, will be wearing a new Super Bowl Championship ring this year.

Only the University of Miami boasts more Super Bowl participants with seven. Marshall, a member of Conference USA, is tied with Southern California and LSU with five former players each on Super Bowl team rosters. Tennessee and Notre Dame both have four.

The Thundering Herd contingent is made up of Patriots wide receivers Randy Moss and Troy Brown (a three time Super Bowl Champion already), punter Chris Hanson and tight end Jason Rader, who has spent the season with the Patriots' practice squad.

Rookie running back Ahmad Bradshaw, who declared early for the NFL draft last year and was taken in the seventh round, is a member of the Giants team.

Marshall, which moved to Division 1-A status in football (now known as the Football Bowl Subdivision) in 1997 has produced 14 NFL draft picks and placed more than a dozen other players into the NFL via free agency since that time.

Marshall's All-Time NFL Draft Picks
Player Year Rd Team
Ahmad Bradshaw-RB 2007 7 New York Giants
Johnathan Goddard-DE 2005 6 Detroit Lions
Darius Watts - WR 2004 2 Denver Broncos
Byron Leftwich - QB 2003 1 Jacksonville Jaguars
Chris Crocker - DB 2003 3 Cleveland Browns
Steve Sciullo - OL 2003 4 Indianapolis Colts
Chris Massey - FB 2002 7 St. Louis Rams
Paul Toviessi - DE 2001 2 Denver Broncos
Chad Pennington - QB 2000 1 New York Jets
Rogers Beckett - DB 2000 2 San Diego Chargers
Doug Chapman - RB 2000 3 Minnesota Vikings
James Williams - WR 2000 6 Seattle Seahawks
John Wade - C 1998 5 Jacksonville Jaguars
Randy Moss - WR 1998 1 Minnesota Vikings
Troy Brown - WR/KR 1993 8 New England Patriots
Mike Barber - WR 1989 4 San Francisco 49ers
Sean Doctor - TE 1989 6 Buffalo Bills
Carl Lee - DB 1983 7 Minnesota Vikings
Andy Socha - RB 1967 14 Washington Redskins
Tom Good * - LB 1965 6 San Diego Chargers
Mike Hicks - T 1964 18 Green Bay Packers
Rucker Wickline - C 1962 17 Detroit Lions
Jim O'Connor - E 1959 29 Chicago Cardinals
Jim O'Connor - E 1958 24 Cleveland Browns
Ray Dunlap - HB 1958 15 Chicago Cardinals
Len Hellyer - HB 1956 8 Cleveland Browns
Albie Maier - T 1955 18 Pittsburgh Steelers
Jim Swierczek - E 1954 13 Detroit Lions
Norm Willey - E 1950 13 Philadelphia Eagles
Charley Snyder - T 1948 19 Pittsburgh Steelers
Jackie Hunt - HB 1942 11 Chicago Bears
Jim Roberts - G 1941 6 Pittsburgh Steelers
Jack Morlock - HB 1940 12 Detroit Lions
Everett Elkins - HB 1939 15 Chicago Cardinals
Frank Huff man - G 1939 16 Chicago Cardinals