When the National Football League’s Baltimore Ravens released their first depth chart of the preseason this week no one was surprised that former University of Alabama player C.J. Mosley was listed as the starter at inside linebacker along with veteran Daryl Smith.

“He’s a really sharp guy,” Coach John Harbaugh told reporters in Baltimore. “He really understands football.

“You don’t have to tell him (something) more than once, and he makes corrections really quickly. The next step for C.J. is like all of them – it’s going to be to get on the field and play an NFL game against another NFL team, get that experience.”

While tackle Cyrus Kouandjio has already played in his first preseason game, as Buffalo played in last week’s Hall of Fame game, numerous former Crimson Tide players will be making their NFL debuts over the next few days.

Thursday’s games, Time (ET), TV
Indianapolis at NY Jets, 7 p.m.
New England at Washington, 7:30 p.m.
San Francisco at Baltimore, 7:30 p.m., NFL Network
Cincinnati at Kansas City, 8 p.m.
Seattle at Denver, 9 p.m.
Dallas at San Diego, 10 p.m., NFL Network

Friday’s games
Oakland at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Miami at Atlanta, 7 p.m.
Buffalo at Carolina, 7:30 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Jacksonville, 7:30 p.m.
Philadelphia at Chicago, 8 p.m.
New Orleans at St. Louis, 8 p.m., NFL Network

Saturday’s games
Cleveland at Detroit, 7:30 p.m., NFL Network
Pittsburgh at NY Giants, 7:30 p.m.
Green Bay at Tennessee, 8 p.m.
Houston at Arizona, 8:30 p.m.

Leading that list, of course, is Mosley, the 17th-overall selection of the draft and first of eight Crimson Tide selections this year, while many other Alabama players signed free-agent contracts. He’ll play his first preseason game in a rematch of Super Bowl XLVII when Baltimore hosts San Francisco on Thursday night, which will be shown on the NFL Network 7:30 p.m. (ET).

“C.J. is one of those rare, young players that has a great deal of exposure to a lot of good defense, so the transition for him mentally hasn’t been very difficult at all,” Linebackers Coach Ted Monachino said. “We’ve gone through that situation – same situation with Courtney (Upshaw) two years ago. The transition, physically, is one that he’s got to catch up. He’s got a little bit of a curve there, but has made a huge jump just in the first 10 days of practice. So, we’re thrilled where he is right now.”

Alabama players in the pros (updated August 6)
NFL rosters must be trimmed to 75 players by Aug. 26, 53 players Aug. 30.
Javier Arenas, Atlanta Falcons, CB
Mark Barron, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, S
Deion Belue, Jacksonville Jaguars, CB
James Carpenter, Seattle Seahawks, G
Josh Chapman, Indianapolis Colts, NT
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Green Bay Packers, S
Terrence Cody, Baltimore Ravens, DT (on physically unable to perform list)
Marcell Dareus, Buffalo Bills, DT
Brandon Deaderick, New Orleans Saints, DE
Quinton Dial, San Francisco 49ers, DT
D.J. Fluker, San Diego Chargers, T
Wallace Gilberry, Cincinnati Bengals, DE
Roman Harper, Carolina Panthers, S
Jerrell Harris, Denver Broncos, LB
Dont’a Hightower, New England Patriots, LB
Adrian Hubbard, Green Bay Packers, LB
Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints, RB
Kareem Jackson, Houston Texans, CB
Jarret Johnson, San Diego Chargers, LB
Mike Johnson, Atlanta Falcons, G
Nico Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs, LB
Rashad Johnson, Arizona Cardinals, S
Barrett Jones, St. Louis Rams, OL
Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons, WR
Dre Kirkpatrick, Cincinnati Bengals, CB
Cyrus Kouandjio, Buffalo Bills, OL
Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers, RB
Robert Lester, Carolina Panthers, S
Cody Mandell, Dallas Cowboys, P
Evan Mathis, Philadelphia Eagles, G
A.J. McCarron, Cincinnati Bengals, QB (non-football injury list)
Rolando McClain, Dallas Cowboys, LB
Dee Milliner, New York Jets, CB
C.J. Mosley, Baltimore Ravens, LB
Kevin Norwood, Seattle Seahawks, WR
Jeoffrey Pagan, Houston Texans, DL
Trent Richardson, Indianapolis Colts, RB
DeMeco Ryans, Philadelphia Eagles, LB
Andre Smith, Cincinnati Bengals, T
Damion Square, Philadelphia Eagles, DL
Anthony Steen, Arizona Cardinals, OL
Ed Stinson, Arizona Cardinals, DE
Vinnie Sunseri, New Orleans Saints, S
Carson Tinker, Jacksonville Jaguars, LS
Courtney Upshaw, Baltimore Ravens, LB
Chance Warmack, Tennessee Titans, G
Michael Williams, Detroit Lions, T

Injured reserve
Jesse Williams, Seattle Seahawks, DT

Team-by-team list with jersey numbers
Arizona Cardinals: Rashad Johnson, 26, S; Antony Steen 71, G; Ed Stinson, 72, DE
Atlanta Falcons: Javier Arenas, 28, CB; Mike Johnson, 79, G; Julio Jones, 11, WR
Baltimore Ravens: Terrence Cody, 62, DT; C.J Mosley, 57, LB; Courtney Upshaw, 91, LB
Buffalo Bills: Marcell Dareus, 99, DT; Cyrus Kouandjio, 71, T
Carolina Panthers: Roman Harper, 41, S; Robert Lester, 38, S
Chicago Bears: None
Cincinnati Bengals: Wallace Gilberry, 95, DL; Dre Kirkpatrick, 27, CB; A.J. McCarron, 5, QB; Andre Smith, 71, T
Cleveland Browns: None
Dallas Cowboys: Cody Mandell, 2, P; Rolando McClain, 55, LB
Denver Broncos: Jerrell Harris, 52, LB
Detroit Lions: Michael Williams, 89, T
Green Bay Packers: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, 21, S; Adrian Hubbard, 49, LB; Eddie Lacy, 27, RB
Houston Texans: Kareem Jackson, 25, CB; Jeoffrey Pagan, 97, DL
Indianapolis Colts: Josh Chapman, 96, DT; Trent Richardson, 34, RB
Jacksonville Jaguars: Deion Belue, 43, CB; Carson Tinker, 46, LS
Kansas City Chiefs: Nico Johnson, 57, LB
Miami Dolphins: None
Minnesota Vikings: None
New England Patriots: Dont’a Hightower, 54, LB
New Orleans: Brandon Deaderick, 67, DL; Mark Ingram, 22, RB; Vinnie Sunseri, 43, S
New York Giants: None
New York Jets: Dee Milliner, 27, CB
Oakland Raiders: None
Philadelphia Eagles: Evan Mathis, 69, G; DeMeco Ryans, 59, LB; Damion Square, 77, DT
Pittsburgh Steelers: None
St. Louis Rams: Barrett Jones, 67, OL
San Diego Chargers: D.J. Fluker, 76, T; Jarret Johnson, 96, LB
San Francisco 49ers: Quinton Dial, 92, DL
Seattle Seahawks: James Carpenter, 77, T; Kevin Norwood, 81, WR; Jesse Williams, 90, DT
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mark Barron, 23, S
Tennessee Titans: Chance Warmack, 70, G
Washington Redskins: None

CFL
Calgary Stampeders: Juwan Simpson, 12, LB
(Montreal Alouettes: Duron Carter, 89, WR)