J.R. Reed: Class of ’03

JR Reed will return kickoffs in his rookie season for the Philadelphia Eagles and is No.2 on the depth chart at safety.

At USF, Reed led the nation with a kickoff return average of 31.7 yards. He had 301 tackles, 18 interceptions (both school records) and five fumble recoveries at free safety. He scored touchdowns on interceptions, kickoff returns and fumble recoveries.

In his second preseason game, Reed excited the Eagles when he returned a kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown.

— Thomas Simonetti

Kawika Mitchell: Class of ’02

Kawika Mitchell, former linebacker USF, was picked up in the second round by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2003 NFL Draft.

While at USF, Mitchell set the school record for most tackles in a season with 117, and holds the record for most career tackles at 367. In his senior year, after suffering a separated shoulder in a car accident, he was a leader on defense, and notched 4 sacks.

Mitchell is now the Chiefs’ starting middle linebacker after eight starts as a rookie. In those eight games, he recorded 25 tackles and an interception.

This year, Mitchell looks to outdo his 2003 performance, while veteran Chiefs linebacker Mike Maslowski looks to regain his starting position.

— Mike Camunas

Anthony Henry: Class of ’00

Anthony Henry will start at corner back for the Cleveland Browns in his fourth year in the NFL.

At USF, he played on offense, as a receiver, and on defense, as a cornerback. Henry, a four-year starter, recorded 256 tackles and 10 interceptions for the Bulls.

Since the Browns drafted him in the fourth round of 2001 NFL Draft he has recorded 13 interceptions in 46 games. In 2001, he tied for the lead in interceptions in the NFL with 10 as a rookie.

— Mike Camunas

Other Bulls in the NFL:

The Buccaneers waived Ryan Benjamin on May 20 after two seasons. Benjamin was a long snapper for the Bucs and in 2002 won a Super Bowl ring when his team trounced the Oakland Raiders 45-21 in Super Bowl XXXVII …

Kenyatta Jones is a second-string tackle for the Washington Redskins. Jones started 16 games for the New England Patriots over two seasons and, in 2001, became the first former USF player to play for a Super Bowl winner. The tackle was released by the Patriots in 2003 when he was arrested and charged for dumping boiling water on his roommate during a dispute …

Bill Gramatica is on the New York Giants roster but is sidelined with a back injury. The kicker, drafted in the fourth round in 2001 by the Arizona Cardinals, entered Giants camp as the team’s top kicker, but a poor performance resulted in coaches searching for a backup plan. Gramatica was USF’s all-time leading scorer until his brother Santiago eclipsed his total of 193 career points last year …

— Staff report