Kind of the like their classmates graduating this month, a slew of SEC alumni are starting their new jobs. The difference, of course, is that the football players are trying on new jerseys and helmets instead of settling into a new cubicle.

NFL minicamps are underway, with the league’s newest employees establishing themselves with their new teams or simply trying to earn a spot on a training camp roster.

Let’s check in with the SEC alums around the NFL to see what the news is on the league’s newest crop of rookies.

  • The biggest and worst news from minicamps is Dante Fowler’s injury. The No. 3 overall pick tore his ACL in the first Jacksonville Jaguars offseason workout and will most likely miss all of the 2015 season. Luckily, Fowler signed an injury-protection waiver before beginning workouts, and he recently signed a four-year, $23.5-million contract with the Jags.
  • After a bizarre and unfortunate set of circumstances knocked La’el Collins from potential first-round pick to undrafted free agent, the former LSU left tackle signed with the Dallas Cowboys. He agreed to a three-year, $1.65 million contract, which is reportedly fully guaranteed. If Collins had been drafted in the mid-to-late first round, where he was projected, his contract would have been worth at least $8 million. Collins’ agent said the player received interest from 29 teams.
  • Alabama was popular on draft night, but the Crimson Tide’s undrafted players have drawn plenty of interest as well. The Baltimore Ravens in particular have shown themselves fond of Alabama products, signing three players as undrafted free agents: guard Leon Brown, safety Nick Perry and linebacker Trey DePriest. Meanwhile, former Alabama quarterback Blake Sims earned a tryout with the Green Bay Packers, where he impressed coaches as a passer. If he can’t make a roster as a quarterback, Sims is willing to change positions.
  • Nick Marshall was one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC last year, but opened up to switching positions in the pros after his college career ended. After going undrafted, Marshall signed with the Jaguards as a UDFA. He flipped his jersey number from 14 to 41 and worked out at cornerback in Jacksonville’s minicamp. Former Auburn running back Corey Grant was also in the minicamp.
  • A couple of other former Auburn Tigers have caught on as undrafted free agents. Former running back Michael Dyer, the MVP of the 2011 BCS title game who finished his career at Louisville, reportedly signed with the Oakland Raiders, while last year’s starting cornerback Jonathan Mincy signed with the Atlanta Falcons.
  • Six former Ole Miss players have signed contracts as undrafted free agents after just one Rebel, Senquez Golson, went in the draft. Bo Wallace (Kansas City), Cody Prewitt (Tennessee) and Carlos Thompson (Houston) all signed shortly after the draft, while Byron Bennett (Dallas), Lavon Hooks (Green Bay) and Keith Lewis (Denver) have all signed in the last week.
  • Former Florida running back Matt Jones is already getting some high praise as a member of the Washington Redskins. The team’s general manager, Scott McLoughan, compared him to another powerful, dreadlocked running back: Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch. McLoughan was a member of the Seahawks front office when the team traded for Lynch.
  • In one of those “only in sports” type of stories, Shane Ray paid a teammate $2,000 to get his college jersey number, which may have been a bargain.