Ferris State four-time national champion Tim Anderson earns NFL minicamp invitation from Denver Broncos

Tim Anderson in his stance across a Minnesota State player.

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. —

Four-time Ferris State University football national champion and Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Tim Anderson earned a National Football League minicamp invitation from the Denver Broncos.

Anderson is the second Bulldog alum to earn an NFL opportunity this spring, following former teammate Lento Smith, a defensive back who signed with the Baltimore Ravens after last weekend's draft.

The 6-foot-6, 305-pound Anderson helped lead the Bulldogs to a historic 16-0 mark this past fall, setting an all-time NCAA record with 844 total points. Voters named the four-year letter winner for the nation's top offensive or defensive lineman, earning him consensus first-team All-America honors and GLIAC Offensive Lineman of the Year.

Anderson joins a long list of former Ferris State standouts who showcased their skills in the NFL. At least 28 former Ferris State players signed NFL free agent deals, most within the past decade.

Last year, three Bulldog alumni made active NFL opening day 53-man rosters: Zach Sieler with the Miami Dolphins, Tavierre Thomas with the Minnesota Vikings, and Caleb Murphy with the Los Angeles Chargers. All three remain in the league.

Murphy recently signed with the New York Giants, while Mason Pline spent last fall on the New Orleans Saints' injured reserve.

Over the past 11 seasons, 10 Bulldog alumni saw NFL regular-season action. Ferris State also placed 13 players in NFL preseason camps over the past five years, one of the highest totals among any Division II program in the country.