30th Anniversary Series: Essential Professional Players
September 06, 2026 | Football
30th Anniversary Series
PART 2: Essential Professional Players
Editor's Note: To commemorate the University of South Florida's 30th football season, GoUSFBulls.com is presenting a 12-part series that covers the sights, sounds, milestones, biggest games, top performers and unforgettable personalities from the program's first three decades.
The installments will appear each Sunday that precedes a South Florida game week.
JPP and MVS.
Those initials might seem like a secret code. But for University of South Florida football fans, they signify the two former Bulls who earned the greatest team and individual success in the National Football League.
Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (JPP).
Wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (MVS).
They each have a pair of Super Bowl rings. They each have been recognized among the best players at their position.
Pierre-Paul, selected to three Pro Bowls, with the 2010 draft's 15th overall selection by the Giants. He has 94.5 sacks in 15 NFL seasons with the Giants, Bucs, Ravens, Saints and Dolphins (including a 16.5-sack and 86-tackle performance in 2011). In celebration of the New York Giants' 100th anniversary as a franchise in 2024, Pierre-Paul was selected as the 61st Greatest Giant of All-Time. In four different seasons, he was named among the NFL's Top 100 Players in an annual poll of his peers.
Get this: He hasn't formally retired. He played for the Bucs in 2025 and he's campaigning to play a 16th NFL season for … somebody.
Meanwhile, Valdes-Scantling, a fifth-round pick by the Green Bay Packers in 2018, has entered his ninth NFL season with his seventh team, the Dallas Cowboys. He has 219 career receptions for 3,686 yards and 21 touchdowns (with 186 of those catches occurring during his first six seasons with the Packer and Chiefs). In 2020, he led the NFL with a 20.9-yard receiving average.
Valdes-Scantling said he was "very fortunate to have been a lot of places and done a lot of things,'' but he'll always have a special place in his heart for USF because he "put my blood, sweat and tears out there on the USF practice field.''
"USF will always be home for me,'' said Valdes-Scantling, a St. Petersburg Lakewood High School graduate who began his college career at NC State.
If MVS ever gave you the shirt off his back — literally — you'd understand that passion. He has an elaborate tattoo that displays his love for the Bulls. Just below his neck, there's a picture of the St. Petersburg skyline reflecting off the water. There's an image of Raymond James Stadium with USF's iconic "U'' logo above it. Then there's a smaller image of Valdes-Scantling, in full USF uniform staring at the stadium, near his lower back.
Pierre-Paul didn't have similar hometown ties and played only one season (2009) with the Bulls before leaving early for the NFL draft. But his impact was enormous — and immediate.
From the moment he showed up at South Florida — after playing at the College of the Canyons in California, then Fort Scott Community College in Kansas (where the Greyhounds shared their indoor practice facility with the school's rodeo team) — Pierre-Paul was turning heads.
"The first time I saw him, our strength coach had him running across the field and he was running like a defensive back, like he wasn't even tired,'' former South Florida linebacker Sam Barrington said. "When I saw his talent, size and work ethic, I got really, really excited he was on my team. His talent kind of overshadowed everything.''
That was evident to former Bulls assistant coach Kevin Patrick, who recruited Pierre-Paul.
"We're all built on those first impressions, what somebody says, how somebody looks,'' Patrick said. "When you see a young man like that standing in the hallway, how big he actually is (6-foot-5, 270 pounds), how long he is, it takes your breath away. I saw it quick and knew he would be absolutely great for us at USF.''
Beyond his one season of production at USF — maybe even beyond his lengthy and impactful NFL career — a large part of Pierre-Paul's legend surrounds what happened before the Bulls' appearance at the 2009 International Bowl.
One day before the game was played, Bulls linebacker Kion Wilson challenged Pierre-Paul to a post-practice backflip contest. Pierre-Paul stunned onlookers — and created a YouTube sensation — by doing 13 consecutive backflips without breaking a sweat. Pierre-Paul said he called it off when he knew he had beaten Wilson, but could've done more, claiming he once did 23 consecutive backflips around his neighborhood.
"Jaw-dropping stuff,'' Patrick said.
Equally jaw-dropping was the impact Valdes-Scantling had on the Bulls.
In 2016-17, he was an offensive catalyst on teams that went 21-4. He set a single-season program record with 879 receiving yards (broken in 2023) and remains tied for the longest reception (95 yards) in Bulls' history. He had three 100-yard receiving games and remains the program record-holder for career receiving yards average (17.3).
"I was so happy when Marquez went to USF,'' said Valdes-Scantling's mother, Tahisia. "I think it was the best thing that could have happened for him because that's where he picked up his fire. He went out there and lit it up. And that's what got him into the National Football League.''
Other Essential Professional Players in South Florida's 30-season football history (listed alphabetically, must have played in a regular-season game):
DB Nate Allen (2006-09) — Drafted by Eagles (2010, second round, 37th overall pick). Played 100 games in eight seasons (83 starts) with 13 interceptions and 388 tackles for Eagles, Raiders and Dolphins.
LB Sam Barrington (2009-12) — Drafted by Packers (2013, seventh round, 232nd overall pick). Played 24 games in four seasons (eight starts) with 56 tackles for Packers and Chiefs.
LS Ryan Benjamin (1997-00) — Free-agent signing (Bucs, 2001). Played in 27 games with Bucs and Bears. Long-snapper with Bucs in Super Bowl XXXVII.
QB B.J. Daniels (2009-12) — Drafted by 49ers (2013, seventh round, 237th overall pick). Played in eight games over two seasons as a quarterback, wide receiver and punt returner for Seahawks and Texans. On practice squad for three Super Bowl teams (Seahawks twice, Falcons).
PK Bill Gramatica (1998-00) — Drafted by Cardinals (2001, fourth round, 98th overall pick). Played in 34 games with Cardinals and Dolphins, making 37 of 48 field-goal attempts, including a pair of 50-yarders.
WR S.J. Green (2003-05) — Migrated to the Canadian Football League, where he played for the Montreal Alouettes and Toronto Argonauts. In 170 CFL games, he had 716 receptions for 10,222 yards and 60 touchdowns. In 2024, he was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
RB Andre Hall (2004-05) — Free-agent signing (Broncos, 2006). Played 18 games (starting one) over two seasons, rushing for 360 yards and two touchdowns, including a 62-yarder.
DL Bruce Hector (2014-17) — Free-agent signing (Eagles, 2018). Played in eight games as a rookie. He spent parts of six other seasons on the practice squad with six different teams.
DB Anthony Henry (1997-00) — Drafted by Browns (2001, fourth round, 97th overall pick). Played 132 games in nine seasons (96 starts) with Browns and Cowboys. Had 31 career interceptions, including an NFL-leading 10 picks as a rookie, and 512 career tackles.
DB Mike Jenkins (2004-07) — Drafted by Cowboys (2008, first round, 25th overall pick). Played 101 games in eight seasons with Cowboys, Raiders and Bucs. Had 10 career interceptions and 244 tackles. Selected for the Pro Bowl following the 2009 season.
OT Donovan Jennings (2018-21) — Free-agent signing (Packers, 2024). Played two games in two seasons. Active heading into 2026 season.
RB D'Ernest Johnson (2014-17) — Free-agent signing (Browns, 2019). Played 103 games in seven seasons (three starts) with Browns, Jaguars, Cardinals and Patriots. Has 1,014 career rushing yards (including 534 in 2021) and 53 career receptions. Averaged 23.8 yards on 38 kickoff returns. Had four kickoff returns for Patriots in Super Bowl LV. Active heading into 2026 season.
OT Kenyatta Jones (1997-00) — Drafted by Patriots (2001, fourth round, 96th overall pick). Played 21 games in four seasons (13 starts) for Patriots and Redskins. Member of Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI victory.
DL Eric Lee (2012-15) — Free-agent signing (Texans, 2016). Played 15 games in two seasons (five starts) for Patriots and Lions. Member of the Patriots' Super Bowl LII team. Had 19 career tackles, an interception and 3.5 sacks.
DL Mike Love (2014-17) — Free-agent signing (Bills, 2018). Played five games over three seasons and had seven career tackles.
DE Aaron Lynch (2013) — Drafted by 49ers (2014, fifth round, 150th overall pick). Played 81 games in seven seasons (22 starts) with 49ers, Bears and Jaguars. Had 111 career tackles and 21 sacks.
RB Marlon Mack (2014-16) — Drafted by Colts (2017, fourth round, 143rd overall pick). Played 55 games in six seasons (23 starts) for Colts, 49ers and Broncos. Had 2,568 career rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. Career-best 1,091 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in 2019. Had 65 career receptions for 547 yards and three scores. Rushed for career-best 174 yards against Chargers, including 63-yard touchdown.
DL Terrell McClain (2007-10) — Drafted by Patriots (2011, third round, 65th overall pick). Played 92 games in nine seasons (34 starts) with Panthers, Patriots, Texans, Cowboys, Commanders, Falcons, Chiefs and Raiders. Had 133 career tackles and 7.5 sacks.
WR Carlton Mitchell (2007-09) — Drafted by Browns (2010, sixth round, 177th overall pick). Played 16 games in two seasons (no starts). Had three receptions for 31 yards.
LB Kawika Mitchell (1999-02) — Drafted by Chiefs (2003, second round, 47th overall pick). Played 97 games in eight seasons (86 starts). Had 492 career tackles, 13 sacks and 38 tackles for a loss, along with six interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) with the Chiefs, Giants, Bills and Saints. Won Super Bowl XLII with the Giants, posting eight tackles and a sack of Patriots QB Tom Brady in the game.
DB Jerome Murphy (2006-09) — Drafted by Rams (2010, third round, 65th overall pick). Played 33 games in three seasons (one start) with the Rams, Saints, Lions and Commanders. Had 41 career tackles and one interception.
LB Stephen Nicholas (2003-06) — Drafted by Falcons (2007, fourth round, 109th overall pick). Played 101 games in seven seasons (50 starts) with Falcons. Had 378 career tackles, eight sacks and two interceptions.
DE Shurron Pierson (2001-02) — Drafted by Raiders (2003, fourth round, 129th overall pick). Played 12 games in two seasons (no starts) with Raiders and Bears. Had 12 career tackles.
DB Mistral Raymond (2009-10) — Drafted by Vikings (2011, sixth round, 170th overall pick). Played 32 games in three seasons (10 starts) with Vikings. Had 53 career tackles and one interception.
DB J.R. Reed (2000-03) — Drafted by Eagles (2004, fourth round, 129th overall pick). Played 40 games in four seasons (four starts) with Eagles and Rams. Had 73 career tackles. Had 81 career kickoff returns with a 22.3-yard average and a long of 66. Returned kicks for Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX.
C Austin Reiter (2011-14) — Drafted by Redskins (2014, seventh round, 222nd overall pick). Played 65 games in six seasons (38 starts) with Browns, Chiefs and Dolphins. Played in four Super Bowls with Chiefs, winning three of them (LIV, LVII, LVIII).
DE George Selvie (2006-09) — Drafted by Rams (2010, seventh round, 226th overall pick). Played 80 games in six seasons (32 starts) with Rams, Panthers, Jaguars, Cowboys and Giants. Had 143 career tackles, 14 sacks and 37 tackles for a loss. Made first NFL start in 2013 with Cowboys and started all 16 regular-season games that season.
DT Deadrin Senat (2014-17) — Drafted by Falcons (2018, third round, 90th overall pick). Played 37 games in five seasons (two starts) with Falcons and Bucs. Had 52 career tackles and one sack.
DB Kayvon Webster (2009-12) — Drafted by Broncos (2013, third round, 90th overall pick). Played 69 games in seven seasons (16 starts). Had 129 career tackles and two interceptions. Played in two Super Bowls, winning XLX with the Broncos.
TE Mitchell Wilcox (2016-19) — Free-agent signing (Bengals, 2020). Played 50 games in four seasons (nine starts) with Bengals and Patriots. Had 29 career receptions for 211 yards and one touchdown. Played in Super Bowl LVI with Bengals.
OL Darrell Williams (2011-14) — Free-agent signing (Rams, 2015). Played 21 games in two seasons (one start) with Rams.
LB Jacquian Williams (2009-10) — Drafted by Giants (2011, sixth round, 202nd overall pick). Played 51 games in four seasons (22 starts). Had 242 career tackles and two sacks. Had a forced fumble in the 2012 NFC Championship Game that led to the game-winning field-goal attempt and a spot in Super Bowl XLVI, which the Giants won.
-#GoBulls–
Joey Johnston
Athletics Senior Writer
