For University of New Hampshire alumni tracking the Wildcats' footprint in the NFL, the week of August 9–15 brought a roster move worth noting: defensive back Wande Owens signed with the Buffalo Bills, securing a spot on an NFL roster heading into the 2026 preseason.
Owens, a DB out of Durham, is back with Buffalo — a reunion that signals the Bills see something worth keeping in the UNH product. Making an NFL roster at any stage is no small feat, and for a program like UNH, which competes at the FCS level, every player who sticks in the league is a validation of the program's ability to develop professional-caliber talent.
Details on the contract terms were not disclosed, but the signing puts Owens in the mix during one of the most competitive stretches of the NFL calendar — the final push through training camp and preseason, when rosters get trimmed and every rep counts.
Also in the League
Owens isn't the only Wildcat on an NFL roster this summer. Running back Dylan Laube remains with the Las Vegas Raiders, giving UNH two active alumni in the league simultaneously — a genuinely impressive figure for an FCS program.
Laube's presence on the Raiders' roster alongside Owens' return to Buffalo means UNH has representation on both sides of the ball heading into the 2026 preseason window. For a program that doesn't recruit five-star prospects or play in Power Four conferences, having multiple players compete at the highest level of professional football speaks to the coaching and development infrastructure in Durham.
The Bigger Picture
UNH's NFL presence may be small in number, but it's meaningful in context. The FCS-to-NFL pipeline is narrow and unforgiving — most players who attempt it don't last beyond training camp. The fact that Owens has found his way back to Buffalo, a perennial AFC contender, and that Laube is holding down a spot in Las Vegas, suggests both players have done enough to earn genuine roster consideration rather than just a camp invite.
Alumni should keep an eye on final roster cuts as the preseason progresses. The next few weeks will determine whether Owens and Laube are on 53-man rosters when the regular season kicks off — but for now, both Wildcats are in the building and competing.
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