Beyond the Gridiron: The Ultimate Tracker of Last Chance U Players Who Made It to the NFL

Since its explosive debut on Netflix in 2016, Last Chance U has offered viewers an unflinching, visceral look at the raw underside of American collegiate athletics. Centered on the high-stakes world of Junior College (JUCO) football, the acclaimed docuseries documented the journeys of young men standing at literal and metaphorical crossroads. For these athletes, JUCO programs represented a final opportunity—their "last chance"—to correct academic missteps, overcome personal trauma, and catch the eye of major Division I scouts before the dream of professional football slipped away forever.

Every Player From Last Chance U That Made It To The NFL

While the overwhelming majority of players featured across the show’s five football-centric seasons ultimately faced the harsh reality of life after football, a select few carved a path from the junior college mud all the way to the National Football League (NFL). Their stories are a testament to grit, redemption, and the volatile nature of professional sports scouting.

Main Facts: The JUCO-to-NFL Pipeline

The overarching premise of Last Chance U is simple yet demanding: take elite athletes whose off-field troubles, academic deficiencies, or behavioral red flags have alienated them from major programs, place them in austere and high-pressure JUCO environments, and track their efforts to rebuild their lives.

Over its run, the series documented three distinct powerhouse institutions:

Seasons 1 & 2: East Mississippi Community College (EMCC) Lions in Scooba, Mississippi.
Seasons 3 & 4: Independence Community College (ICC) Pirates in Independence, Kansas.
Season 5: Laney College Eagles in Oakland, California.

While hundreds of players cycled through these locker rooms under the watchful eyes of coaches like Buddy Stephens and Jason Brown, only a fraction graduated to major Division I universities, and an even smaller elite group broke into the NFL. The journey required surviving rigorous athletic training, stringent National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) credit transfer requirements, and intense media scrutiny brought on by the Netflix cameras.

Chronology of Success: From EMCC, ICC, and Laney to the Pros

The pipeline from Last Chance U to the NFL developed gradually as scouts realized the sheer volume of hidden talent residing in America’s junior college system. Below is the chronological breakdown of the most notable alumni who transitioned from the docuseries to professional rosters.

1. Rejzohn Wright (Season 5)

NFL Affiliations: Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints
The Path: Wright spent two seasons playing defensive back at Laney College, featured prominently in Season 5. Following the show, he accepted a transfer offer to Oregon State, where he started all 13 games in 2021 and earned All-Pac-12 first-team honors. Wright entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent, spending time on the practice squads of the Carolina Panthers and Las Vegas Raiders before securing a reserve/future contract with the New Orleans Saints.

2. John Franklin III (Season 1)

NFL Affiliations: Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Path: As the charismatic and often frustrated quarterback of EMCC in Season 1, Franklin transferred to Auburn, later transitioned to a wide receiver at Florida Atlantic University, and went undrafted in 2018. He signed with the Chicago Bears and later joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Though an injury sidelined him during the team’s 2020 run, Franklin earned a Super Bowl ring as a member of the Bucs. He has since continued his professional career in the USFL and the Canadian Football League (CFL).

3. Allenzae Staggers (Season 1)

NFL Affiliations: Washington Commanders
The Path: Staggers starred as a dynamic wide receiver for EMCC before transferring to Southern Miss, where he set a school record with 292 receiving yards in a single game and hauled in 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns. His stellar play earned him a minicamp invite with the Washington Commanders (then the Redskins) ahead of the 2019 season, though he was ultimately cut before the final roster lock.

4. Ronald Ollie (Season 1)

NFL Affiliations: Oakland Raiders
The Path: Easily one of the most recognizable and fan-favorite breakout stars of Season 1, defensive tackle Ronald Ollie charmed audiences with his humor and raw vulnerability. After overcoming academic hurdles at EMCC with the help of a dedicated tutor, Ollie transferred to Nicholls State, earning All-Southland Honorable Mention honors as a senior. He participated in the Oakland Raiders’ 2019 minicamp and was officially signed before being waived during training camp. He later played in the CFL with the Toronto Argonauts before retiring to mentor youth athletes.

5. C.J. Reavis (Season 1)

NFL Affiliations: Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons
The Path: Dismissed from Virginia Tech following a student conduct hearing, safety C.J. Reavis rehabilitated his career at EMCC. He completed his collegiate career at Marshall before signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2018. In November 2018, Reavis made his regular-season debut, etching his name in history as the very first Last Chance U alumnus to appear in an official NFL game. He later spent time with the Atlanta Falcons and transitioned to the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders.

6. Chauncey Rivers (Season 2)

NFL Affiliations: Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers
The Path: After being dismissed from the University of Georgia following drug-related arrests, Rivers spent Season 2 at EMCC before playing a standout year at Mississippi State. In April 2020, he signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent. Rivers later caught on with the Green Bay Packers, cracking the initial 53-man roster and recording two tackles before a torn ACL halted his momentum. He has since competed in the UFL and CFL.

7. Dakota Allen (Season 2)

NFL Affiliations: Los Angeles Rams, Las Vegas Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos
The Path: A former freshman standout at Texas Tech, Allen was dismissed following a burglary charge. He rebuilt his reputation during Season 2 at EMCC, earning a triumphant return to Texas Tech. In 2019, the Los Angeles Rams selected Allen in the seventh round of the NFL Draft, making him the first drafted Last Chance U player in history. He went on to log meaningful snaps on special teams and defense across a multi-year career with the Raiders, Jaguars, Browns, and Broncos.

8. Jermaine Johnson II (Season 4)

NFL Affiliations: New York Jets
The Path: Documented during Seasons 3 and 4 at Independence Community College under Coach Jason Brown, defensive lineman Jermaine Johnson II transformed his career through a transfer to Georgia, followed by a dominant senior season at Florida State where he led the ACC in sacks. In 2022, Johnson shattered previous milestones by becoming the first Last Chance U player selected in the first round, going 26th overall to the New York Jets. He quickly solidified his status as a defensive cornerstone, earning Pro Bowl honors in his second season with 7.5 sacks and an interception returned for a touchdown.

9. Kuony Deng (Season 4)

NFL Affiliations: Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Path: Though not heavily spotlighted during his time at Independence, outside linebacker Kuony Deng parlayed his junior college foundation into a successful stint at California before entering the professional ranks. He signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 2022 and subsequently spent time on the practice squads of the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers. Deng has since transitioned into coaching, serving as a graduate assistant at Oregon State and an outside linebackers coach at Georgetown.

Supporting Data: The Odds of the Gridiron

The path from junior college to the National Football League is notoriously narrow, and Last Chance U did not shy away from exposing the mathematical realities of professional sports.

The JUCO Reality: According to NCAA statistics, only a tiny fraction of high school football players ever make it to Division I programs, and an even smaller percentage of junior college athletes secure scholarships to major universities. Out of the hundreds of players featured across five seasons of the show, fewer than 10% achieved sustained professional playing careers in the NFL, CFL, or indoor leagues.
Draft Milestone: The historic achievement of Jermaine Johnson II going in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft represented an anomaly in sports documentary television—proving that the raw infrastructure of JUCO programs could, under the right conditions, yield elite first-tier talent.
Academic Support: A core pillar of the series was the academic advising staff, notably Brittany Wagner at EMCC. Data highlighted in the series underscored that academic eligibility was frequently the primary barrier keeping athletes from signing Division I letters of intent, making academic counseling just as vital as physical conditioning.

Official Responses and Cultural Impact

The release of Last Chance U sparked widespread debate regarding the ethics of collegiate sports, the exploitation of vulnerable student-athletes, and the heavy-handed management styles of junior college coaches.

The Coaches: High-profile figures like Jason Brown became lightning rods for controversy. Brown’s turbulent tenure at Independence Community College ended in his resignation following a scandal involving offensive text messages sent to a player. Brown subsequently voiced public criticism of the production team, claiming the show sensationalized personal struggles for dramatic effect. Conversely, academic advisor Brittany Wagner became a beloved national figure, utilizing her platform to advocate for systemic reform in how junior college athletes are supported academically and emotionally.
The NFL Perspective: NFL scouts and general managers praised the series for shining a light on "diamond in the rough" talent pools that traditional scouting combines often overlooked. Programs like EMCC and Laney College suddenly found themselves inundated with media attention and prospective talent eager to replicate the success of players like Dakota Allen and Jermaine Johnson II.

Implications: What Happens When the Cameras Leave?

While the ultimate dream for many participants was a lucrative NFL contract, the true legacy of Last Chance U lies in its portrayal of human resilience in the face of systemic adversity.

For every Jermaine Johnson II or Dakota Allen who achieved financial security and athletic stardom, there were dozens of others whose stories took tragic or cautionary turns. The series exposed the fragility of athletic dreams: players like Isaiah Wright faced catastrophic legal troubles far removed from the gridiron, while others like Kerry Buckmaster quietly stepped away from the sport altogether to pursue ordinary civilian lives.

Ultimately, Last Chance U challenged viewers to redefine success. For many young men trapped in cycles of poverty, institutional failure, and personal turmoil, the show was not merely a stepping stone to the NFL—it was a crucible that forced them to grow up, earn their degrees, and find a foothold in society long after the stadium lights went dark.