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Jesper Horsted (left) and Stephen Carlson caught NFL touchdown passes a year ago as rookies (photos courtesy of the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns).
Photo by: Beverly Schaefer
Princeton Football Represented By Five Alums In NFL Camps
August 10, 2020 | Football
A year ago, Princeton football had one alum who won a Super Bowl ring and two others who caught their first career NFL touchdown passes. What does 2020 have in store?
Princeton is represented by five alums as NFL camps get underway, with a sixth who will be looking to get back into the league once he is injury free in a few weeks.
"Seeing our players go on to NFL careers is one of the most exciting parts of our program," said Princeton head coach Bob Surace. "We are so proud of our ability to recruit the kinds of young men who want to come to the best academic school in the country, who want to be part of a championship-level program and who understand that they can have both of those and still go on to play at the highest level of the sport. The success we've had in recent years with our players in the NFL is proof of that."
Here is the list:
Kevin Davidson, Cleveland Brown
Kevin Davidson started all 10 games a year ago for Princeton as its quarterback, completing 209 of 313 passes for 2,569 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also set the Ivy League record for touchdown passes in a game with seven against Bucknell. Davidson is an undrafted free agent who is competing for a spot as a backup to Baker Mayfield. There are currently four quarterbacks on the Browns' roster, with Davidson, Mayfield and veterans Case Keenum and Garrett Gilbert.
Stephen Carlson, Cleveland Browns
Stephen Carlson is one of five tight ends on the Browns' preseason roster. A year ago, Carlson, an undrafted free agent, made his way from the practice squad to the active roster and finished the season with five catches for 51 yards. He also had his first career touchdown reception in a 21-7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11. Carlson finished his Princeton career third all time in touchdown catches with 16, eighth in receiving yards with 1,632 and 10th in receptions with 125.
Jesper Horsted, Chicago Bears
Jesper Horsted is Princeton's career leader in receptions (196) and touchdown receptions (28), and he was a first-team All-Ivy League selection in football and baseball. He began his rookie season on the practice squad before being placed on the active roster in midseason, and he caught eight passes for 81 yards and an acrobatic touchdown against Detroit on Thanksgiving Day. Horsted, who can also play special teams, is one of seven tight ends on the Chicago roster.Â
John Lovett, Green Bay Packers
John Lovett is a two-time Bushnell Cup winner as Princeton's do-it-all quarterback, and the Tigers won the last 13 games he started ih his career. Lovett spent last year on injured reserve with the Kansas City Chiefs, who would win the Super Bowl, and he was picked up this season by Green Bay Packers. Lovett is listed as the only fullback on the Packers roster, but he can line up at pretty much any skill position.
Caraun Reid, Jacksonville Jaguars
Caraun Reid is a defensive lineman who just signed with the Jaguars, who will be his fifth NFL team. The former unanimous All-Ivy League selection and honorable mention All-American has also played with Dallas, Detroit, the Los Angeles Chargers (who were still in San Diego then) and most recently the Arizona Cardinals a year ago. Reid has 45 tackles and 3.5 sacks in his career, and he has returned two fumbles for touchdowns.
In addition to those five, veteran tight end Seth Devalve, who has 60 career receptions and four career touchdowns, is currently rehabbing from injury and will look to return to the NFL when he's healthy.
Princeton is represented by five alums as NFL camps get underway, with a sixth who will be looking to get back into the league once he is injury free in a few weeks.
"Seeing our players go on to NFL careers is one of the most exciting parts of our program," said Princeton head coach Bob Surace. "We are so proud of our ability to recruit the kinds of young men who want to come to the best academic school in the country, who want to be part of a championship-level program and who understand that they can have both of those and still go on to play at the highest level of the sport. The success we've had in recent years with our players in the NFL is proof of that."
Here is the list:
Kevin Davidson, Cleveland Brown
Kevin Davidson started all 10 games a year ago for Princeton as its quarterback, completing 209 of 313 passes for 2,569 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also set the Ivy League record for touchdown passes in a game with seven against Bucknell. Davidson is an undrafted free agent who is competing for a spot as a backup to Baker Mayfield. There are currently four quarterbacks on the Browns' roster, with Davidson, Mayfield and veterans Case Keenum and Garrett Gilbert.
Stephen Carlson, Cleveland Browns
Stephen Carlson is one of five tight ends on the Browns' preseason roster. A year ago, Carlson, an undrafted free agent, made his way from the practice squad to the active roster and finished the season with five catches for 51 yards. He also had his first career touchdown reception in a 21-7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11. Carlson finished his Princeton career third all time in touchdown catches with 16, eighth in receiving yards with 1,632 and 10th in receptions with 125.
Jesper Horsted, Chicago Bears
Jesper Horsted is Princeton's career leader in receptions (196) and touchdown receptions (28), and he was a first-team All-Ivy League selection in football and baseball. He began his rookie season on the practice squad before being placed on the active roster in midseason, and he caught eight passes for 81 yards and an acrobatic touchdown against Detroit on Thanksgiving Day. Horsted, who can also play special teams, is one of seven tight ends on the Chicago roster.Â
John Lovett, Green Bay Packers
John Lovett is a two-time Bushnell Cup winner as Princeton's do-it-all quarterback, and the Tigers won the last 13 games he started ih his career. Lovett spent last year on injured reserve with the Kansas City Chiefs, who would win the Super Bowl, and he was picked up this season by Green Bay Packers. Lovett is listed as the only fullback on the Packers roster, but he can line up at pretty much any skill position.
Caraun Reid, Jacksonville Jaguars
Caraun Reid is a defensive lineman who just signed with the Jaguars, who will be his fifth NFL team. The former unanimous All-Ivy League selection and honorable mention All-American has also played with Dallas, Detroit, the Los Angeles Chargers (who were still in San Diego then) and most recently the Arizona Cardinals a year ago. Reid has 45 tackles and 3.5 sacks in his career, and he has returned two fumbles for touchdowns.
In addition to those five, veteran tight end Seth Devalve, who has 60 career receptions and four career touchdowns, is currently rehabbing from injury and will look to return to the NFL when he's healthy.
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