Former Indiana standouts, Howard and Sudfeld, make final rosters

Former Indiana standouts, Nate Sudfeld and Jordan Howard, did not have guaranteed spots on their teams. Sudfeld, with the Redskins, and Howard, with the Bears, earned their spots through stellar performances in the preseason.

Jordan Howard hadn’t showed much in the preseason. Three weeks in, he appeared to be the fourth running back down on the depth chart, being behind Jeremy Langford, Kadeem Carey, and Jacquizz Rodgers. In the Bears’ three losses, Howard was only able to rush for 64 total yards, and failing to show any big play potential. Some even begin to doubt if he would make the final roster, and be replaced with a more veteran Rodgers.

Luckily, Howard was given his break in the Bears’ final preseason game against the Browns. He was the premier back, rushing 16 times for 107 yards, and adding one touchdown – even busting one run for 16 yards, which is about as far as his speed will take him in the NFL. While Howard is not known for receiving, he did catch two passes out of the backfield for 33 yards, showing some versatility. His final preseason appearance earned him the last spot in the Bears backfield, as Rodgers was released the following round of cuts.

While Howard has a long way to go before he is the Bears starting back, he showed promise and determination. If nothing else, he gives the team a bruising back that they can put in when they need to grind out a 3rd and 1 or similar situations. He is a change of pace from the small and speedy Langford, who will be their starting running back, assuming his foot doesn’t cause him too much discomfort.

Aug 11, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Nate Sudfeld (2) drops back to pass against the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons defeated the Redskins 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Howard earned his spot through a great final game, but former Indiana teammate Nate Sudfeld was excellent throughout. From the Redskins first preseason game, it was obvious that Sudfeld possesses professional talent – connecting on 10 of his 15 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. It was the following week that he proved he was cool under pressure, leading the team on a game winning drive where he hit Kendell Thompson on an 18 yard pass for the touchdown.

He sat out the third game, as teams primarily play their starters and immediate backups throughout, but in the final game he once again had a composed performance, throwing for 72 yards and one touchdown. Sudfeld made the most out of his opportunity. He was the Big Ten’s leading passer in his senior season with Indiana, and joined a team who doesn’t have a long term quarterback solution. If he continues to shine when given chances, he could rise up in the depth chart, at the very least surpassing Colt McCoy.

Two other Hoosiers, Darrius Latham (Oakland) and Jason Spriggs (Green Bay), made their team’s 53-man rosters. Having four rookies make it through camp and shine in their preseason games bodes well for Indiana’s future. Hopefully this is the start of a new trend of successful Hoosiers in the NFL, and evidence that their recruiting classes are a step up in quality. These four may not be breakout players during the regular season, but seem to have a place in their team’s future plans.

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