Former Sun Belt Players in Super Bowl LVII

The 57th edition of the Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will kick off on Fox at 6:30 PM ET on Sunday, February 12. Both squads will feature a substantial amount of players who once featured for teams that UDD readers have become very familiar with over the last several years.

Some of those names will play significant roles in the game, some will dot the sideline waiting for an opportunity. Either way, we jotted down some notes of what to expect from the former Sun Belt names in the big game.

Philadelphia Eagles

Old Dominion fans will recognize a few names for the NFC champs. Long snapper Rick Lovato will handle his titular duties as always, now in his eighth NFL season. Lovato was a Pro Bowl nod in 2020 and was a member of the Eagles during their Super Bowl championship run in 2018.

Former ODU wide receivers Zach Pascal also plays about 30% of offensive snaps for the Eagles and will also be part of the special teams plan on Sunday. Pascal hasn’t seen more than three targets in a game yet this season.

Southern Miss alum Quez Watkins played 57% of the offensive snaps in the NFC Championship game, but was targeted just once. Watkins has caught 33 passes for 354 yards and three touchdowns.

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive end Tarron Jackson out of Coastal Carolina and offensive lineman Cameron Tom out of Southern Miss also advanced to Super Bowl LVII as members of the Eagles practice squad.

Kansas City Chiefs

Former Georgia Southern running back Jerick McKinnon, now in his seventh pro season has seen his per game carry count stay in the single digits for most of the season. He can also be a threat in the Chiefs’ passing game, adding another weapon to an already dangerous attack there. He’s played a bit less than half of the offensive snaps for the Chiefs this year and will once again see time on special teams as well.

Former Marshall safety Nazeeh Johnson, who has yet to play a defensive snap for the Chiefs, appears in most special teams scenarios for the Chiefs. The rookie from Martinsburg, West Virginia made his first postseason tackle in the AFC Championship game against the Bengals. He has nine total tackles this season.

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports