IRVING, Texas – Colorado State University Pueblo has 10 student-athletes who have already earned their undergraduate degrees playing this season for the ThunderWolves according to a release on Wednesday by the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Football Hall of Fame.

The 10 graduated student-athletes playing in 2025 for the Pack are senior defensive end Samuel Amponsah (Romeoville, Ill./McKendree), redshirt junior receiver Bryce Boyd (Shakopee, Minn./University of St. Thomas), redshirt senior receiver Andrew Cook (Tucson, Ariz./Ironwood Prep), senior quarterback Roman Fuller (Decatur, Texas/University of Tulsa), senior defensive tackle Rashard Jackson (Upper Marlboro, Md./Wheeling University), senior defensive end Stephen Nagbe, Jr. (Willingboro, N.J./Western New Mexico), senior cornerback Jaylen Shaw (McKinney, Texas/Midwestern State), senior defensive lineman Cameron Smith (Parker, Colo./Stephen F. Austin), and redshirt junior receiver Cedric Tillman (Pueblo, Colo./Pueblo South).  

CSU Pueblo's 10 graduated student-athletes are among the record 3,675 student-athletes who have already earned their undergraduate degrees and will be playing college football this fall while pursuing additional diplomas. This the eighth year that the NFF has compiled a list of graduate players.

In total, there are 238 players from 39 NCAA Division II schools represented on the list of graduated student-athletes. Overall, there are 2,245 players from 133 schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), 1,083 players from 86 schools in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), 71 players from 33 schools in NCAA Division III and 38 players from 11 NAIA schools.

"This is proof that education remains at the heart of college football and that the game continues to shape leaders beyond the field, something we should celebrate just as much as the competition itself," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "The NFF compiled this list with the help of sports information directors from all divisions of the NCAA and NAIA who identified the players on their 2025 fall rosters who have already earned their undergraduate degrees. 302 schools submitted their information for inclusion."

In addition to CSU Pueblo, the only other Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference school listed with graduated student-athletes competing this season was Colorado School of Mines, who has 12 graduated student-athletes this season. Augustana (S.D.), Mines, and Valdosta State lead the way with 12 graduates each.

Northwestern and Virginia (FBS) lead the way with a total of 34 graduates each, while the FCS leader is Tennessee Tech with 32 graduates and the Division III leaders are Johns Hopkins (Md.) and Saint John's (Minn.) with five graduates each. Southeastern (Fla.) leads the NAIA with 10 graduates.

The NFF compiled the list with the help of sports information directors from all divisions of the NCAA and NAIA who identified the players on their 2025 fall rosters who have already earned their undergraduate degrees. A total of 302 schools responded to the NFF this year.

The annual list of graduates playing college football is part of the NFF's long-standing commitment to celebrating the scholar-athlete ideal, a tradition that began in 1959 with the launch of the prestigious NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards. Today, that commitment continues through signature initiatives such as The William V. Campbell Trophy®, the NFF Faculty Salutes presented by Fidelity Investments, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF Team of Distinction, the NFF Hatchell Cup presented by Bob's Steak & Chop House, and the National High School Academic Excellence Awards presented by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation.