Two-Time Ferris State National Champion Alum Mason Pline Signed By NFL's San Francisco 49ers

Big Rapids, Mich. - Two-Time Ferris State University football national champion and Bulldog two-sport alum Mason Pline (Fowler), who competed as a graduate transfer this past fall at FCS member Furman University, has received an opportunity in the National Football League as he agreed to a free agent contract with the San Francisco 49ers following this weekend's NFL Draft.

Pline joins standout All-America defensive back Shon Stephens (Bakersfield, Calif.), who accepted a rookie mini camp invite from the Philadelphia Eagles, as recent Bulldogs to earn a NFL opportunity this weekend.

Pline began his collegiate career as a men's basketball student-athlete under head coach Andy Bronkema at Ferris State, appearing in 83 games for the Bulldogs from 2018 to 2021. He helped lead the Bulldogs to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championship on the hardwood in 2019-20.

The 6-8 Pline then joined the Bulldog Football squad in 2021 and appeared in 25 games for head coach Tony Annese during back-to-back NCAA Division II National Championship seasons in 2021 and 2022 while scoring a pair of touchdowns in his FSU career.

This past season, Pline hauled in 32 catches for 287 yards while claiming all-conference honors and helping lead Furman to a 10-3 record as a graduate transfer, including a run to the FCS National Quarterfinals. Pline earned opportunities to showcase his skills following this past season in both the Hula Bowl and the Shrine Bowl collegiate all-star events.

Pline joins a long list of former Bulldog standouts to earn an NFL opportunity following their collegiate careers.

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.