Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — The University of Utah has joined the conversation as the de facto football factory in the Beehive State, and the list of Utah players who have enjoyed successful careers in the league seems to grow more and more each year.
Utah’s football team has produced key NFL contributors at nearly all positions, with a special credence given to defensive players during the Kyle Whittingham tenure.
With the list of Utes in the NFL growing year after year, it is time to list the former Utah players who deserve to be watched most this NFL season.
#BestUte
Eric Weddle
Weddle is already one of the league’s best defensive backs, and he’s entering the prime of his career. He’s one of the only reasons to watch a Chargers game, a team that ended 2012 with no direction.
When Weddle was drafted in 2007, the Chargers featured defensive stars like Shawne Merriman, Antonio Cromartie and Luis Castillo. Now, Weddle is the only established star in his prime, with former Colt Dwight Freeney well past the prime of his career.
This gives Weddle the unique opportunity to be the face of a Chargers organization that is increasingly searching for one. His strong play is the main reason, as Weddle made 97 tackles and three interceptions in 2012, but he’s also the most likable marketing tool the franchise has.
There is no doubt his chase of a fourth-consecutive All-Pro season will bring smiles to all those who wear a red “U” on their sleeves.
Alex Smith
When you’re the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft and you played college football at the state’s flagship university, you universally deserve to be watched every single year in the league. However, Alex Smith’s new Kansas City digs make him deserve even more attention this year.
First, it’s important to know what the Chiefs are getting with Smith — a quarterback with universally praised football intelligence, but a nearly universally panned arm. Certainly, Smith is a game-manager; not a game-changer.
While he may not be the most flamboyant of quarterbacks, Smith has a chance to impact a roster that has pieces. The roster features solid offensive pieces like running back Jamaal Charles and wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. Additionally, the Chiefs drafted offensive lineman Eric Fisher, who looked to be one of the surest picks at any position in the draft. If anything, Smith’s intelligence will help mold the team’s pieces into a solid unit.
Finally, one can’t underestimate Smith’s competitive urges and his desire to show San Francisco he can lead a team to the Promised Land. Quite simply, there are just too many motivators to not watch Smith lace it up for one of the NFL’s most-dedicated fan bases this season.
Zane Beadles
There are few Utes who have come into the league and had as big an impact as Beadles has had in his career. The Hillcrest High graduate has started 46 of the 48 NFL games he’s been eligible to play in and earned his first Pro Bowl honor this past season.
Additionally, he helped the Broncos become the league’s top rushing offense in 2011, and helped Denver to the fourth-best offense this past season. There is no doubt that Beadles is a Bronco through and through and that his impact has helped Denver be considered one of the Super Bowl favorites in 2013.
At this point, Beadles’ career has him tracking towards an All-Pro season. And his constant presence on national television gives him an even bigger chance for exposure and attention. No one is happier about this than the University of Utah and its fans.
Paul Kruger
Paul Kruger is an interesting case-study in the NFL as he’s a player who made a huge impact without a high amount of starts.
This led the former Ute to being signed to a massive five-year, $40 million contract with the Cleveland Browns, leaving the comfort of one of the NFL’s best defensive units over the past decade for one of its worst.
Fortunately for Kruger, though, the Browns heavily upgraded their defense over the offseason, adding all-world SEC outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo from Louisiana State University. Additionally, Cleveland has a very strong cornerback in Joe Haden, and linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, who registered 118 tackles in 2012.
All in all, Paul Kruger doesn’t have to be all-world to be a difference maker for Cleveland; he just has to be a leader, a role he filled admirably for Utah when he was in college, and he has to focus on using his speed and agility to create matchup problems for offensive lines across the league.
Steve Smith
What can you say about Steve Smith, other than he is the consummate professional and one of the greatest Utes to ever play in the league.
You could safely say his level of play at the age of 34 is impressive. He still is considered Carolina’s best receiver, and routinely demands both a team’s best cornerback with a safety rolling over the top to provide help in covering one of the most physical receivers the game has seen over the past decade.
With that being said, the end will eventually come, and it safe to say Smith’s years of elite production are probably behind him. However, it is expected he will easily match last year’s 1,174 receiving yards, and another two years of that production will work just fine as Smith tries to pad his career in an attempt to have an outside chance at a potential Hall of Fame bid.
