Which NFL players came from Fort Morgan, Colorado? Exploring High School's pipeline of athletes

Making the NFL is a dream for most football players, and prospects from Fort Morgan, Colorado, are no different. The city of Fort Morgan, Colorado, has had its fair share of solid NFL prospects coming from humble locations and going on to make a name for themselves.

With the 2023 NFL draft in the rearview mirror, it's high time we look at some players who got their first taste of football in a reputable academy.

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Who are the current Fort Morgan Colorado products in NFL?

There are two Fort Morgan Colorado prospects in the National Football League: Ryan Jensen of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals.

Ryan Jensen is a center who plays for 2021 Super Bowl champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jensen has been in the NFL since 2013 when the Baltimore Ravens selected him in the sixth round of the 2013 draft. He played for the Ravens from 2013 till 2017, becoming a full-time starter in 2017 and starting all available games that season as their designated center.

However, he left the Ravens in 2018 to sign a four-year, $42 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This contract made him the best-paid center in the NFL and put some added expectations on his broad shoulders. So far in Tampa Bay, he has lived up to expectations, helping the Bucs to the 2021 Super Bowl and being one of the best centers in the league in the process.

Another player flying the Fort Morgan flag is Trey McBride, a tight end selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft. McBride is less accomplished than his fellow Fort Morgan Colorado alum, Ryan Jensen, but at least he's attempting to carve out a nice niche for himself at the pros.

As a rookie, he appeared in 16 games and started 13. McBride finished with 29 receptions for 265 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. He will hope for a more prominent role on the Cardinals' offense in the upcoming 2023 NFL season.

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Who's the most iconic Fort Michigan product to play in the NFL?

Despite the forays made by Ryan Jensen and Trey McBride, they're not the most iconic Fort Morgan, Colorado products in NFL history. That honor belongs to Joel Dreessen, a Colorado state legend who played in the NFL from 2005 to 2013.

Joel Dreessen retired from the league, having put up a stat line of 158 receptions, 1,767 receiving yards and 19 receiving touchdowns as a pass-catching tight end. Dreessen appeared for three NFL teams: New York Jets (the team that drafted him), Houston Texans and Denver Broncos.

He was a starter on all the teams and is a significant inspiration for NFL prospects coming out of Colorado, especially Trey McBride, who has repeatedly called Joel Dreessen his biggest idol.