Ferris State Football Alum Xavier Wade Earns NFL Opportunity From Pittsburgh Steelers

Big Rapids, Mich. - Another Ferris State University football alum has received his opportunity to compete in the National Football League (NFL) as standout receiver Xavier Wade (Holland/West Ottawa) has accepted a rookie mini camp invite from the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers.

Wade, who concluded his Bulldog Football eligibility this past fall, joins a pair of former FSU Football standouts who have already joined pro football teams following the recent NFL Draft in defensive back Shon Stephens (Philadelphia Eagles) and tight end Mason Pline (San Francisco 49ers) this spring.

This past season, Wade helped the Bulldogs to a nation-leading ninth consecutive NCAA D2 Playoff berth, totaling a squad-best 42 catches for 855 yards and 12 touchdowns. He averaged 20.4 yards per reception and finished his FSU career listed among the school's all-time leaders with 132 catches for 2,746 yards and 29 scores in 51 career contests. The five-year letter winner was an All-GLIAC First Team honoree this past season for head coach Tony Annese. Wade was a member of the Bulldogs' back-to-back NCAA Division II National Championship teams in both 2021 and 2022.

The Bulldog wideout joins a long list of former FSU standouts who have earned an oppportunity to showcase their skills in the NFL.

Six years ago, former defensive tackle Zach Sieler (Pickney) became Ferris State's first-ever NFL Draft choice when he was picked in the seventh round as the 238th overall selection by the Baltimore Ravens.

Overall, the Bulldogs have had a total of 11 different players in a NFL Preseason Camp over the past three summers, which is the most of any D2 school in the country. The 'Dawgs who took part in NFL camps from 2021 to 2023 have included former DB Tavierre Thomas (Houston), DL Zach Sieler (Miami), DT Justin Zimmer (Buffalo), WR Jake Lampman (New Orleans), WR Malik Taylor (Green Bay/NY Jets), DL Austin Edwards (Kansas City), DT Chris Okoye (LA Rams), receiver Jared Bernhardt (Atlanta), offensive tackle Zein Obeid (Detroit), offensive tackle Dylan Pasquali (Tampa Bay) and defensive end Caleb Murphy (Tennessee).

Four Bulldog alums are currently still with NFL organizations, including Thomas (Tampa Bay), Sieler (Miami), Taylor (New York Jets) and Murphy (Tennessee), which is among tops of all D2 schools. Presently, several other Bulldog alums are also competing professionally in various other indoor and outdoor leagues.

The recent Bulldog alums in the NFL have also included former linebacker Brady Sheldon and former two-time Harlon Hill Trophy winner Jason Vander Laan. A total of 10 of the alums have played in at least one NFL regular-season game since 2016. Three former Bulldogs were part of team's that made the NFL Conference Championship Games in 2020 in Taylor, Zimmer and Edwards.

While Sieler is the only Ferris State football player to ever be drafted by an NFL team, several other former Bulldogs have inked NFL contracts as free agents and played in the league. The Bulldogs have now had at least one NFL free agent pickup following the draft each of the past nine seasons in which they've played a campaign. A total of 16 alumni have now earned camp invites over the past five years as offensive tackle Devon Johnson and receiver Keyondre Craig also competed in training camps in 2019.

Over the past nine seasons, Sieler, Vander Laan, Sheldon, Zimmer, Thomas, Lampman, Taylor, Edwards, Bernhardt and Murphy have all seen NFL regular-season action after Lampman became the first to do so in 13 years back in 2016.

Unofficially, at least 27 former Ferris State players have previously inked NFL free agent deals. Former defensive back Marvin Robinson inked with the Dallas Cowboys in 2014 with defensive tackle Marcus Cribbs signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2015. Those two represented the first since free agent cornerback Angelo Williams with the Minnesota Vikings in 2010. Previously, in 2013, former defensive end Jordan Morgan received a rookie tryout with the New York Giants, but did not sign. In 2016, Vander Laan, Lampman and Zimmer all signed and reached NFL camps while Sheldon did likewise in 2017 before Sieler, Thomas and Okoye joined NFL organizations in 2018. In 2019, the trio of Taylor, Johnson and Craig all were signed following the draft while Bernhardt, Obeid and Pasquali garnered opportunities in 2022 followed by Murphy in 2023.

The select group also consists of running back Dave Gagnon (1974-Chicago Bears), outside linebacker Monty Brown (1997-New York Jets), defensive tackle Ed Philion (1994-Buffalo Bills), defensive end Dave Zuiderveen (2001-Atlanta Falcons), flanker Clarence Coleman (2002-Buffalo Bills), tackle Matt McCoy (2004-Detroit Lions), wide receiver Carlton Brewster (2006-Cleveland Browns) and defensive tackle Jake Visser (2009-Houston Texans).

Two other former Ferris State players, offensive guard Bill Bourdlais and safety Patrick Wells, received tryout invitations from the Cleveland Browns in 2008 and participated in the team's rookie minicamp, but did not ink a deal. Several others have also had NFL tryouts including wide receiver Andre Johnson (1989), quarterback Dave DenBraber (1987), tight end Scott Alward (1984-Detroit Lions/NY Giants) and receiver/returner Fred Kirkland (1981). Defensive back James Skodak (2006) also had tryouts with several NFL organizations among other past Bulldog standouts.