ST. LOUIS – Nearly a decade without an NFL team in St. Louis, it might still be difficult for some locals to invest their fandom in the Rams or another football team.
Fortunately, there are lots of homegrown talents to follow with the 2024 NFL season on the horizon. Although St. Louis doesn’t have its own team to cheer for, there are more than 15 athletes from the St. Louis area, including six athletes on the Detroit Lions , that football fans can closely follow.
The new NFL season kicks off Thursday with the defending back-to-back Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs set to host the Baltimore Ravens, a rematch of January’s AFC Championship. And after that, we’re only a few more days away from the first of many Sundays with football in 2024.
Before fans kick off the tailgates, the football watch parties, fantasy football lineups, and touchdown celebrations, lets take a look at the athletes with St. Louis roots that can make those moments a little more special for local fans.
Coming out of Belleville, Ill., Tony Adams was a product of St. Louis University High School before attending University of Illinois for five years. Following his playing career with the Fighting Illini, Adams went undrafted in the 2022 NFL Draft and signed with the New York Jets.
Entering his 3rd year in the NFL, Adams expanded his role following his rookie year and was named the starting free safety for the Jets in 2023 and 2024. As he continues to grow in his role with the Jets, Adams continues to support his community through charitable efforts .
After spending the majority of his career with the New Orleans Saints, the 12-year NFL veteran is entering his 3rd season with the Miami Dolphins. A four-time Pro Bowl pick, Armstead has proven to be a reliable blocker for quarterbacks in the NFL.
Attending Cahokia High School, Armstead has given back to his community by hosting charitable acts in recent years for his hometown of Cahokia and in the St. Louis region.
Born in Alton, Illinois and a product of John Borroughs High School, Elliot returns to the Dallas Cowboys for his ninth NFL season, following a brief stint with the New England Patriots in 2023. With the Patriots, Elliot rushed for a career-low 642 yards and 5 total touchdowns.
With his return to Dallas, ‘Zeke’ looks to bounce back with the team he spent the majority of his career with, after being drafted fourth overall in the 2016 NFL draft.
Jack Fox attended Ladue Horton Watkins High School in St. Louis before moving to Houston, Texas, to attend Rice University.
Fox went undrafted out of college and signed as a free agent with the Lions in 2020, where he has remained since.
Sam LaPorta is entering his second year with the Lions after his rookie year ended with a loss in the 2024 NFC Championship. LaPorta took the league by storm in his rookie year after scoring double-digit touchdown passes and breaking the league record for most receptions by a rookie tight end , a record originally set in 1988.
LaPorta is a product of Highland High School in the Illinois Metro East. He attended the University of Iowa before being drafted 34th overall in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Michael Niese was born in Chesterfield and attended St. Louis University High School. Out of high school, Niese attended the University of Dayton for four years and later finished his college career at Temple University.
Niese went undrafted in 2022 and had stops in Chicago and Denver before finding a home with Detroit.
Foyesade Oluokun is a St. Louis native and attended John Borroughs High School before taking his talents to Yale University. Oluokun was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 2018, where he would spend four years before joining his current team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, in 2022.
During his 2023 campaign, Oluokun led the Jaguars defense with 173 tackles, while adding along 2.5 sacks and 1 interception. Oluokun has previously led the league in tackles in back-to-back seasons in 2021 and 2022.
Owens was born in St. Louis and was a product of Christian Brothers College High School (CBC). Entering his 6th year in the league, Owens joins the Chicago Bears after playing one season with division rival Green Bay Packers in 2023.
In 2023, Owens played in all 17 games for the Packers and had a total of 84 tackles, 1 forced fumble, and returned a fumble for a touchdown. Owens was in the news over the summer following a sweet exchange he had with his wife, Simone Biles, following her all-around gold medal performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Payton is a St. Louis native who attended Lindbergh High School before attending Southern Illinois-Carbondale and later transferring to Pittsburgh State in Kansas.
Payton signed to the New Orleans Saints after going undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft and was able to earn a roster spot on the Saints initial 53-man roster after making an immediate impact to the team in training camp, according to Sports Illustrated .
Perkins is a St. Louis native that attended Lutheran North High School. Following high school, Perkins attended the University of Oklahoma, where he started 25 out of 33 games before getting drafted by the New England Patriots with the 96 overall pick in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Now entering his fourth year in the NFL as a member of the Denver Broncos, Perkins was placed on injury reserve and will miss the entire 2024 season.
Dominick Puni was born in St. Charles and attended Francis Howell Central High School before attending the University of Central Missouri and later transferring to the University of Kansas, where he allowed zero sacks and zero quarterback hits in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus .
Puni was drafted 86th overall in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft and will serve as the starting right guard for the San Francisco 49ers.
The St. Louis native Khalen Saunders attended Parkway Central High School before committing and playing at the University of Western Illinois. After playing 4 years at Western Illinois, Saunders was drafted with the 84th overall pick in the 3rd round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, where he would go on to win two Super Bowls in 2020 and 2023.
Saunders is entering his sixth NFL season and will play his second with the New Orleans Saints.
Former Mizzou standout running back Cody Schrader is a St. Louis native and is a product of Lutheran South High School. After high school, Schrader attended Truman State before transferring to Mizzou in 2022.
Entering the 2024 NFL season, Schrader joins fellow St. Louis native Kyren Williams on the Los Angeles Rams after being waived by the San Francisco 49ers in August, after signing on as a undrafted free agent.
Wharton is a St. Louis native that played a majority of his high school ball at Maplewood Richmond Heights High School before transferring to University City high School for his senior year. After high school, Wharton played 4 years at Missouri S&T before signing with the Kansas City Chiefs as a undrafted free agent in 2020.
Wharton is heading into his 5th season with the Chiefs and is coming off back-to-back Super Bowl wins in 2023 and 2024 with the team in his home state of Missouri.
Isaiah Williams was born in St. Louis and attended Trinity Catholic High School, where he nabbed back-to-back Gatorade Player of the Year awards in Missouri in 2018 and 2019. Williams signed with the Detroit Lions after going undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Williams was a standout wide receiver at the University of Illinois after playing two seasons prior as a quarterback. After making the switch to WR in 2022, Williams led the team in receptions and receiving yards during both the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Wide receiver Jameson Williams was born in St. Louis and attended Cardinal Ritter College Prep. Nicknamed ‘Jamo’, Williams was drafted 12th overall in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Jamo .
The speedy receiver was a standout receiver during his time at the University of Alabama after transferring from Ohio State in 2021. Since making his debut with the Lions in December 2022, Williams has continued to show growth in his role, playing a big role as a vertical threat for the Lions.
Growing up a St. Louis Rams fan, running back Kyren Williams attended St. John Vianney High School before commiting to the University of Notre Dame and eventually being drafted by the Los Angeles Rams with the 164 overall pick in the 5th round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Williams had a breakout year with the Rams in 2023 after only taking 35 carries in his rookie year in 2022. Despite missing 5 games in 2023 with an ankle injury, Williams racked an impressive 1,144 rushing yards, 206 receiving yards, and 15 total touchdowns, leading the Rams into the playoffs.
Mekhi Wingo was born in St. Louis and attended De Smet Jesuit High School before attending the University of Missouri. Wingo would only spend one season with Mizzou before transferring to LSU for his sophomore and junior seasons, where he made third team All-America in 2022 . Wingo was drafted in the sixth round with the 189 pick by the Detroit Lions in April’s draft.
In addition to the athletes mentioned, there are other NFL athletes that have ties to the St. Louis region that are on NFL rosters or are looking for an opportunity this season.
- Brandon Aubrey (Dallas Cowboys – K)
- A.J. Epenesa (Buffalo Bills – DE)
- Mike Ford (Cleveland Browns – CB)
- Armon Watts (New England Patriots – DE)
- Andrew Forbes (Free agent – OT)
- Blaine Gabbert (Free agent – QB)
- Austin Siebert (Free agent – K)
- Renell Wren (Free agent – DE)
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