Hampton, Va. – As the 2006 NFL season kicks off, three former Hampton University football standouts are listed among the 53-man rosters of several teams. Jerome Mathis (2002-04) is with the Houston Texans, Darian Barnes (2001) is with the Miami Dolphins and Jamal Brooks (1995-98) is with the St. Louis Rams.

The Pirates’ most recent NFL product is wide receiver Jerome Mathis who was a fourth round selection by the Texas in 2005. Mathis exploded on the scene as a rookie, finishing second in the league in kickoff returns and earning himself a trip to the Pro Bowl. He has the distinction of being the first Texan to return a kickoff return for a touchdown with his franchise-long 89-yard return against Indianapolis on Oct. 23.

Darian Barnes spent the 2001 season as a full back at Hampton and signed a free agent contract with the New York Giants in 2002 after not getting drafted. Barnes was eventually cut by the Giants and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with whom he won a Super Bowl in 2003. The 2006 season will mark his fifth year in the NFL, and his second as a member of the Miami Dolphins.

A five-year NFL veteran himself, Jamal Brooks has spent a year with the Dallas Cowboys and several more on various NFL Europe rosters. The middle linebacker appears to have found a home in St. Louis where he’s been since signing with the Rams back in February.