Division III has lost several NFL alumni in recent years. R.J. Bowers’ brief career (two NFL touchdowns) has come and gone. Michael Coleman is in and out of training camps and practice squads. Ethan Brooks has gone from starting with the Ravens to the Cowboys bench to seemingly unemployed, while R-Kal Truluck and Tony Beckham are unrestricted free agents.

So who will replace these players, especially if nobody has been drafted in three years?

They don’t have to come from the draft, or even this year’s free agent class. There are players still in the pipeline who have yet to be on a regular season NFL roster.

Fred Jackson, Coe: Jackson got a tryout and signed a free agent contract with the Buffalo Bills earlier this year. Now 25, Jackson spent two seasons in the United Indoor Football League and was named its MVP this past season after rushing for 1,770 yards and scoring 53 touchdowns. Jackson follows Carey Bender, a fellow former Coe All-American running back who was also signed by the Bills and played in NFL Europe. Jackson plays for the Rhein Fire, and you can follow his stats on the NFL Europe site, though they are not yet updated after Saturday afternoon’s game.

Jermaine Taylor, Bridgewater (Va.): Taylor is with his second NFL team, having been in the Packers’ training camp his first year out of college. He’s now a Tampa Bay Buccaneer. Taylor leads the team in tackles as of the last time NFL Europe stats were updated. He could be the next London Fletcher, only bigger. Or he could be the next Brenden Givan, the D3football.com 2000 All-American from Stillman who racked up great tackles numbers in NFL Europe two years ago.

Bryant Shaw, Mississippi College: Never heard of him? He could be the next R-Kal Truluck, working his way up from Arena ball to the NFL. The Detroit Lions signed the Grand Rapids Rampage lineman a week and a half ago during his fifth season in the league. Shaw stands 6-3, 287 now at the age of 27. He was the American Southwest Conference defensive player of the year in 1999, his senior season and the first year of D3football.com.

Eventually we’ll start learning who is going where from the current rookie class. But even if they don’t stick in the league right away, don’t forget about them. They may pop up years later.