BUFFALO, N.Y. — You surely already know about "Buffalo" Joe Andreessen, who rose from an undrafted free agent in the spring to making the Buffalo Bills' initial 53-man roster last month.
But he's not the only one who has gone from the University at Buffalo football program to the NFL. In fact, there are 11 players with ties to the Bulls on rosters across the league, including three on the Bills alone.
Here's a look at former Bulls who are now in the NFL.
Joe Andreessen, linebacker, Buffalo Bills
Andreessen played high school football in Lancaster, spent five years at Bryant University, then played at UB in 2023 as a graduate student. But what really caught the attention of local sports fans was his rise up the depth chart with the Bills. He started as a tryout player during rookie minicamp in early May, then kept climbing. The Depew native thrived during his one season with the Bulls. He started all 12 games at linebacker and led the team with 90 tackles, including 12 for a loss. He also had a sack, two pass breakups, and forced a fumble.
Kayode Awosika, offensive guard, Detroit Lions
Awosika is entering his third season with the Lions. He started in three games last season and played in 15 for Detroit. He spent his rookie year with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021. He started 25 games at right tackle in 2018 and 2019, then in 2020 moved to left tackle, where he started seven games and was a first-team selection to the all-MAC team.
Demone Harris, defensive lineman, Atlanta Falcons
Harris is entering his second season with the Falcons. he played football at Bishop Timon and at UB, where he played in 42 games from 2014 to 2017. Harris has been in the league for seven seasons, including two with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, three with the Kansas City Chiefs, and two with Houston. He has 10 tackles in 14 career games.
Ja'Marcus Ingram, cornerback, Buffalo Bills
Ingram is entering his third season with the Bills. He spent the past two seasons on the practice squad and appeared in five games — two in 2022, and three in 2023. He joined the Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2022. He played at Utah State and Texas Tech before playing at UB in 2021, finishing with 47 tackles and 2.5 tackles for a loss.
Charlie Jones, wide receiver, Cincinnati Bengals
Jones is entering his second season with the Bengals. He wasn't at UB for very long. Jones was a redshirt freshman in 2017, then caught 18 passes for 395 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games in 2018. Jones later transferred to Iowa and Purdue. The fourth-round pick in 2023 had seven catches for 64 yards during his rookie season with the Bengals.
Malcolm Koonce, defensive end, Las Vegas Raiders
Koonce is entering his fourth season with the Raiders. He played in all 17 games last season, finishing with career highs in tackles (43) and sacks (8). He played at UB from 2017 to 2020. He played 45 games and finished with 110 tackles, including 22.5 for a loss and 18 sacks. He was a first-team, all-Mid-American Conference honors in both 2019 and 2020.
Cam Lewis, cornerback, Buffalo Bills
Lewis is entering his fifth season with the Bills. He has four starts in 42 games, and last year he set career highs with games played (17), tackles (16), and passes defended (2). He joined the Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He spent four years at UB. He was a second-team All-Mid-American Conference selection in his senior year, in 2018.
Tyler Mabry, tight end, Seattle Seahawks
Mabry is entering his fourth season with the Seahawks. He spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons at UB. While he didn't make the initial 53-man roster last month, he is on the practice squad in Seattle. Mabry has played in 10 games during his NFL career, catching one pass for a 7-yard touchdown.
Khalil Mack, outside linebacker, L.A. Chargers
Mack is entering his third season with the Chargers. Mack was the fifth overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. The 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year attended UB's Blue and White spring game in 2023. Mack played four seasons with the Chicago Bears, then four more with the Las Vegas Raiders before joining the Chargers in 2022.
K.J. Osborn, wide receiver, Washington Commanders
Osborn started his first season with the Patriots, who then released him in December. He was claimed off waivers by the Washington Commanders on Dec. 11. He played the past four seasons in Minnesota, where he started in 30 games and played in 59 overall, finishing with 158 receptions, 1,845 yards, and 15 touchdowns. He played at UB from 2015 to 2018 and was a fifth-round pick of the Vikings in 2020.
Jaret Patterson, running back, L.A. Chargers
Patterson is entering his second season with the Chargers. He made the initial 53-man roster and was placed on the practice squad. He spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons with the Washington Commanders and ended last season with the Chargers. Patterson enjoyed a memorable run with the Bulls from 2018 to 2020, when he ran for nearly 3,900 yards and 52 touchdowns.