ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – With the 2025 NFL Preseason underway, players who hail from Alaska are looking to make the most of their opportunity and earn a spot on an NFL roster.
Here’s a look at who’s playing this year:
Brandon Pili – Seattle Seahawks – DL
Brandon Pili of Dimond High fame enters his third season in the NFL and first with the Seattle Seahawks after signing as a free agent in November.
Pili recorded two tackles in his preseason debut with Seattle on Thursday in a 23-23 tie with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Pili spent two seasons of his career with the Miami Dolphins after being pick up as an undrafted free agent in 2023. The 6-foot-3, 334-pound defensive lineman appeared in 12 games for Miami, totaling four tackles.
After three years of destruction on the gridiron at Dimond, Brandon, of the prolific Pili family, spent his senior season playing in Oregon before a 38-game career at USC. He is currently listed as Seattle’s third-string nose tackle.
Edefuan Ulofoshio – Buffalo Bills – LB
Anchorage’s Edefuan Ulofoshio prepares for his sophomore season in the NFL after seeing about 60 defensive snaps and about 60 special teams snaps during his rookie season with the Buffalo Bills.
The former South Anchorage Wolverine was selected in the fifth round, 160th overall in 2024 and tallied five tackles and one pass defended as a rookie.
Ulofoshio, at 6-foot-1 and 239 pounds, recorded two tackles in Buffalo’s preseason opener. He is currently listed as Buffalo’s third string outside linebacker.
Aiden Williams – Pittsburgh Steelers – OL
Aiden Williams aims to go from undrafted to NFL roster this preseason with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 6-foot-5, 314-pound offensive lineman is off to a good start, seeing 54 snaps will protecting the quarterback and creating lanes in the run game in a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Williams, who primarily played tight end at Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School, spent four seasons with Division II’s Minnesota Duluth, was named a DII Honorable Mention All-American and was a nominee for DII lineman of the year in his final season.
He is currently listed as Pittsburgh’s third string right guard.
Note: Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Tyree Wilson was born in Anchorage. His mother, Tiffany Weatherton, is a former track star at Dimond High School. When Wilson was two, his family moved to Texas, eventually playing for Texas Tech University and was selected seventh overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. He has recorded 52 total tackles and eight sacks in two seasons with the Raiders.
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