NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Two more Yale University football standouts have made their NFL mark as tight end JJ Howland and wide receiver/cornerback/returner Melvin Rouse II have earned rookie mini-camp invites from the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively.
 
Howland and Rouse are the second and third Bulldogs from the Class of 2022 to earn NFL attention after Rodney Thomas II was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday.
 
"Melvin and JJ have worked tirelessly for the opportunity they have earned in the NFL," said Tony Reno, Joel E. Smilow '54 Head Coach of Football. "We are really excited for them as they enter their first NFL camp."
 
Both Howland and Rouse showcased their skills in mid-January as participants in the Tropical Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.
 


Rouse, a 5-foot-9 dynamo and Yale's 2021 team MVP, was the Ivy League's only player this past season to earn multiple All-Ivy honors as both a wide receiver and return specialist.
 
His versatility has been sought after by NFL scouts as he also played defensive back during Yale's 2019 Ivy Championship season.
 
Howland, a 6-foot-6, 255-pound tight end, earned First Team All-Ivy League honors this past season; his second year as an All-Ivy performer.
 
His profile of size and speed was evident all season and flashed in game one of the year as he sprinted for a 74-yard touchdown reception against Holy Cross.
 


The Bulldogs now have six active NFL participants as Howland and Rouse join Thomas, Foye Oluokun '18 (Jacksonville), Jaeden Graham '18 (Atlanta) and Dieter Eiselen '20 (Chicago).