Here are the Eagle Scouts playing in the NFL in 2016

Eagle Scouts become CEOs, scientists and soldiers.

They also become Broncos, Ravens, Dolphins, Redskins, Chiefs, Texans, Chargers and (Philadelphia) Eagles.

A search of the NFL’s 2016 active rosters — nearly 1,700 players in all — turns up a number of Eagle Scouts. These guys are living proof that great things start in Scouting.

Compiling this list, like winning a Super Bowl, was a team effort. BSA researcher Scott Olson created a spreadsheet of every player on NFL teams’ 53-man rosters. Then the National Eagle Scout Association’s Ryan Larson cross-referenced that list with his own spreadsheet of the 2 million-plus Eagle Scouts in history.

That spawned a list of Eagle Scout potentials for me to investigate. First, I eliminated the false positives. For example, there are several NFL players named Brandon Williams and lots of Eagle Scouts with that name, but there are no Eagle Scouts named Brandon Williams playing in the NFL.

After all that, we have confirmation that each of the NFL players below is an Eagle Scout.

Or put another way: Scott threw a deep pass, and Ryan caught it for the game-winning touchdown. I was simply there on the sidelines to give them both a high five.

Two things to know:

  • Unlike my annually updated list of Eagle Scouts with Super Bowl ties, this list includes only Eagle Scouts currently on NFL rosters as of the time of this writing.
  • There’s a chance this list is incomplete, so let’s crowdsource it. If you know of an Eagle Scout on a current NFL team, leave a comment below.

OK, it’s game time. Here’s the list!

matt-paradisMatt Paradis, Denver Broncos

Position: Center

Date of birth: Oct. 12, 1989

Eagle earned: 2008

Council: Ore-Ida Council

College: Boise State

More: For his Eagle Scout service project, Paradis renovated and enlarged a long-jump pit and shotput area.

dennis-pittaDennis Pitta, Baltimore Ravens

Position: Tight End

Date of birth: June 29, 1985

Eagle earned: 2000

Council: Utah National Parks Council

College: Brigham Young University

More: Pitta is so proud of being an Eagle Scout that his official Ravens bio even lists the honor. After helping his team win the Super Bowl in 2013, he chatted with Boys’ Life for the magazine’s Heads Up blog: “From an early age, it teaches you a lot,” he said of Scouting.

john-denneyJohn Denney, Miami Dolphins

Position: Long snapper

Date of birth: Dec. 13, 1978

Eagle earned: 1996

Council: Denver Area Council

College: Brigham Young University

More: Denney, signed by the Dolphins in 2005, is the team’s longest-tenured player. He entered the 2016 season with a string of 176 consecutive starts.

brandon-scherffBrandon Scherff, Washington Redskins

Position: Offensive guard

Date of birth: Dec. 26, 1991

Eagle earned: 2009

Council: Mid-America Council

College: Iowa

More: Scherff, drafted fifth overall in the 2015 NFL Draft, is the highest-drafted Eagle Scout on this list. He could’ve skipped his senior year for the NFL but decided to return to finish his degree.

daniel-sorensenDaniel Sorensen, Kansas City Chiefs

Position: Defensive back

Date of birth: March 5, 1990

Eagle earned: 2008

Council: California Inland Empire Council

College: Brigham Young University

More: For his Eagle Scout service project, Sorensen planted 300 trees in his hometown of Grand Terrace, Calif. The trees are still there today — forever a reminder of the young man’s service.

xavier-sua-filoXavier Su’A-Filo, Houston Texans

Position: Offensive guard

Date of birth: Jan. 1, 1991

Eagle earned: 2009

Council: Utah National Parks Council

College: UCLA

More: Of his Scouting past, Su’A-Filo said: “I think it says a lot about me and my dedication, my leadership and my worth ethic. That’s something that I’ll bring and that I get to bring in the locker room in that environment.”

manti-teoManti Te’o, San Diego Chargers

Position: Linebacker

Date of birth: Jan. 26, 1991

Eagle earned: 2008

Council: Aloha Council

College: Notre Dame

More: In 2012, Te’o told a crowd about a good deed he had performed for a woman in need. “I had a big smile on my face expecting my dad to tell me how proud he was,” Manti told the group. “But instead, he just simply said, ‘That’s what being a Scout is all about.'”

donnie-jonesDonnie Jones, Philadelphia Eagles

Position: Punter

Date of birth: July 5, 1980

Eagle earned: 1998

Council: Istrouma Area

College: Louisiana State

More: Jones boomed a 72-yard punt in Week 1 against the Browns — not bad for a 36-year-old. He hasn’t missed a game since becoming a starter in 2005.

Any I missed?

I’m looking for more Eagle Scouts on current NFL rosters. If you have any you’d like me to check out, please leave a comment below.


About Bryan Wendell 3282 Articles
Bryan Wendell, an Eagle Scout, is the founder of Bryan on Scouting and a contributing writer.