CALDWELL — It’s been more than 60 years since the College of Idaho was home to a future National Football League player.

But at Frontier Conference Media Days last month, Yotes coach Mike Moroski wasn’t shy about dropping references to one of his players who could be playing on Sundays soon.

Offensive tackle Josh Brown comes into his senior season having attracted some looks from NFL scouts. And with his 6-foot-7 and 305-pound frame, coupled with his skill set, Moroski said, it comes as no surprise that the senior is getting a chance to impress teams looking to bolster their roster.

“It’s the dimensions, but he’s also athletic,” Moroski said. “He could stand on the ground right here and do a back flip. He’s a tremendous guy, very smart, but I think it’s the athleticism. He’s a superb athlete. He has quick feet, and he’s a young football player, even this being his fourth year of college football. He’s learning, and that’s what I would tell anyone who comes in, he’s a very coachable guy.”

Brown has been a starter for the Yotes since transferring in from Western Oregon University after his redshirt season. He has started all 33 games for the Yotes over the past three years and is expected to once again anchor the offensive line — which returns all five starters — from the tackle position.

Last season, he helped lead the Yotes to a No. 2 ranking in the Frontier Conference in rushing. The College of Idaho also put up its highest scoring total for a season in program history in 2018.

Brown said last season that former Yotes offensive line coach Nate Potter mentioned the NFL chances to him. Having grown up in Colfax, Washington, a tiny town north of Pullman, Brown admitted that dreams of playing professionally seemed unlikely to him while growing up.

“Last season it was starting to maybe be a possibility,” Brown said. “They weren’t just (saying it), but said ‘you do have the size and frame for it. So if you really work hard, it could be possible. You won’t have it handed to you, you got to work hard.’”

Having an NFL player come from the NAIA, or even the Frontier Conference, would not be unprecedented. New York Giants kicker Aldrick Rosas went undrafted out of Southern Oregon in 2016, but made the Pro Bowl last season after making 32 of 33 field goals. Former Eastern Oregon wide receiver Jace Billingsley spent parts of 2016 and ‘17 on the Detroit Lions’ active roster.

Other former NAIA players who are currently in the NFL include Lions nose tackle Damon Harrison (William Penn) and Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Krishawn Hogan (Marian).

NFL Hall of Famers Mel Blount and Walter Payton both played at the NAIA level when they were in college.

“In this day and age, the scouts will go out and find you, no matter what level you’re at,” Moroski said, “which is kind of encouraging.”

Former College of Idaho quarterback TeeJay Gordon spent time after graduating playing for the Dodge City Law of the Champions Indoor Football League before spending two seasons playing in professional leagues in Europe. But R.C. Owens, who played for the Yotes from 1952-56 before going on to a career with the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Colts and New York Giants, remains the last College of Idaho product to go from Caldwell to The League.

The support Brown gets from his coaches and the College of Idaho community helps drive his desire to try and become the first since Owens to get there.

“It really means a lot and I want to make sure I’m doing everything I can to see if I can make that happen,” Brown said. “I appreciate their support.”

If he does make it, Brown could be just the start of the College of Idaho pipeline to the NFL. Moroski mentioned senior quarterback Darius-James Peterson and senior wide receiver/tight end Keegan Crafton as other players who he thinks could get pro looks with a big season.

And depending on how they develop, Moroski added that more underclassmen could be getting those looks in the future.

“We’re such a developmental program,” Moroski said. “I think the advantage to coming here is you get to play a lot of football. You get to develop, you get to learn the game. And then you can be a smart football player and your confidence comes from there.”