There are different levels of accolades and success that alumni of a college program can achieve once they graduate to the professional level of a sport – and as the 2025 NFL season is set to kickoff this weekend, WVU football is one of few schools to see a player land one of the more impressive accolades an NFL quarterback can achieve.
Former West Virginia Mountaineers' quarterback Geno Smith is set the begin the season as the starting quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders following after a three-year stint in the same role for the Seattle Seahawks where he was named the 2022 NFL Comeback Player of the Year and shattered multiple records for the organization. With Smith earning the starting nod with his new team, it marks WVU as one of just 24 NCAA programs who have a quarterback starting in the NFL.
Since taking over the starting role in Seattle full-time in 2022, Smith has been incredible – over those three seasons, he's completed over 68 percent of his passes for 12,226 yards, 71 touchdowns, and 35 interceptions and become a two-time Pro Bowl selection.
That time of year 😍🏈
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 4, 2025
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Given that there are over 130 FBS teams alone and that there are only 32 teams in the NFL, it's easy to do the math and understand that most starting college quarterbacks will never get a chance to even sniff an NFL practice roster, nonetheless make the final roster and earn the starting role.
Other former WVU quarterbacks seeking out a role in the NFL include Will Grier and Garrett Greene. Grier started at WVU from 2017-2018 but has struggled to gain traction in the NFL, starting two games for Carolina as a rookie and bouncing around the league since. He's currently signed to the Dallas Cowboys' practice roster.
Greene started for the Mountaineers at signal caller from 2022-2024 but switched to wide reciever as he transitioned to professional football. Greene went undrafted but signed a contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he made a number of big plays during the preseason. It wasn't enough to make the final 53-man roster however, though he was re-signed by the Bucs to their practice squad as well.