Feb. 1, 2008

By Tyler Koonce, Assistant Football Contact

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri State has more NFL players than any other team in the Ohio Valley Conference. Four former Redhawks, Eugene Amano, Dan Connolly, Edgar Jones and Dimitri Patterson currently play for the Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs, respectively.

Eugene Amano has played in all but one game over his 4-year career as a center for the Tennessee Titans. (Photo courtesy of the Tennessee Titans)

Amano, who won the 2003 Rimington Award as the top center in the Football Championship Subdivision, played in all 16 games, starting five at center, for the Tennessee Titans in 2007. After being drafted in the 7th round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Titans, he has spent his entire 4-year career with the franchise. He has played in all but one game of that span and has not missed a game since Nov. 14, 2004.

Connolly, the only former OVC player on the roster of a Super Bowl team, is in his third NFL season and first with the Patriots. He originally signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as as undrafted free agent immediately following the 2005 Draft. He played in four games for the Jaguars as a rookie.

Jones, who led the nation with 12 sacks as a senior in 2006, played in four games as a rookie for the Baltimore Ravens in 2007. He made three tackles from his outside linebacker position and registered his first career sack against the Miami Dolphins in Week 15. He was named an All-American in Tony Samuel's first season as the Head Coach at Southeast.

Patterson played cornerback at Southeast from 2001-2003. He played in 13 games in 2007 as a cornerback for the Kansas City Chiefs. He made 12 tackles last season in the secondary and on special teams. Patterson has also played for the Washington Redskins and Minnesota Vikings. In 2005, he returned his first career interception 20 yards versus the Dallas Cowboys while playing for the Redskins.