In 2008, Flacco was a first-round draft choice of the Ravens, the 18th overall selection, from the University of Delaware. He is the last South Jersey player to be selected in the first round.
Flacco is the only starting quarterback since the 1970 merger to reach the playoffs in each of his first four seasons. He is among 16 area players since 1963 who have been selected in the first round of the NFL draft.
Another in that category is South Jersey's most successful player, former Pittsburgh Steelers and Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris, from Rancocas Valley. Harris starred on four Super Bowl-winning teams for the Steelers.
In addition to the players, there will be one head coach this season with area ties, but an asterisk has to be put next to his name. After serving a six-week suspension given for the New Orleans Saints' bounty system, Joe Vitt will serve as interim head coach the rest of the season. Vitt is a graduate of Highland.
South Jersey Players in the NFL
These players from the seven-county South Jersey area were on 53-man rosters, injured reserve, or practice squads to begin the NFL season.
Player Team Pos. School
Phil Costa Dallas C Holy Cross
Jack Crawford Oakland DE St. Augustine
Mike Daniels Green Bay DE Highland
Joe Flacco Baltimore QB Audubon
Shonn Greene N.Y. Jets RB Winslow Twp.
*-Jonathan Grimes Houston RB Paul VI
**-Ben Ijalana Indianapolis OT Rancocas Valley
George Johnson Tampa Bay DE Glassboro
Dennis Landolt N.Y. Jets OT Holy Cross
Turk McBride New Orleans DE Woodrow Wilson
Bryant McKinnie Baltimore OT Woodbury
Jeromy Miles Cincinnati DB Winslow Twp.
*-Kashif Moore Indianapolis WR Burlington Twp.
Shaun Phillips San Diego LB Willingboro
Chris Pressley Cincinnati FB Woodbury
Isaac Redman Pittsburgh RB Paulsboro
*-Alex Silvestro New England TE Paulsboro
***-Johnnie Troutman San Diego OG Pemberton
*- practice squad
**- on injured reserve
*** - reserve/non-football injury list
- Marc Narducci
Send additions to mnarducci@phillynews.com.
Contact Marc Narducci at 856-779-3225, mnarducci@phillynews.com
or @sjnard on Twitter.
