Ferris State Football Alum Justin Zimmer Signs WIth NFL's Buffalo Bills

Big Rapids, Mich. - Former Ferris State University football standout Justin Zimmer (Greenville) has a new home in the National Football League (NFL) as he was signed this past weekend by the Buffalo Bills.

Zimmer arrived in Buffalo after spending time on the active roster last season in Cleveland (2019) and Atlanta (2018). The defensive tackle totaled five tackles and one tackle for loss in his three career games. In 2017, Zimmer was on the New Orleans Saints practice squad. The Bills originally picked up Zimmer as an undrafted free agent in 2016 out of Ferris State. He also spent time in the Canadian Football League with the Montreal Alouettes.

Zimmer finished his collegiate career as a three-time All-GLIAC First Team selection for the Bulldogs. He was both a nominee for the Gene Upshaw NCAA Division II Lineman of the Year Award and the Cliff Harris National Small College Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2015 after being a national finalist for both honors the previous campaign.

Statistically, Zimmer led Ferris State in tackles (81), quarterback sacks (13), tackles for loss (26) and forced fumbles (four). He was also chosen to the 2015 CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team squad, making him a three-time Academic All-American and two-time first-team recipient.

As a senior, Zimmer helped lead the Bulldogs to an 11-1 overall record for the second-straight year in 2015 as FSU captured the school's second-straight GLIAC Championship while capping off back-to-back unbeaten regular seasons. Ferris State also stretched its regular-season win streak to 25 games and posted its first playoff victory in 19 years during Zimmer's senior campaign.

During his collegiate career, FSU posted the GLIAC's best league record (34-6) and the squad owned the top overall four-year record of all 21 collegiate programs in Michigan (37-9).

A total of seven Ferris State University football alums were with NFL organizations when preseason training began in July. The total was tops among all NCAA Division II schools in the country. Last year, five different Bulldog alums, including Zimmer, were on active NFL rosters at one point during the season.