BUFFALO, NY - It has been a hectic and exciting time for some former University at Buffalo football stars, and the result will be a record-breaking number of former Bulls in National Football League camps this summer.

The latest to rejoin the NFL ranks is all-time UB great Drew Haddad, who signed a contract with the Buffalo Bills on Friday, rejoining the team that drafted him in 2000 and returning to the city that has been his second home since coming to UB from Cleveland's St. Ignatius High School in 1996.

"I was extremely excited to find out that Buffalo was interested in me," Haddad told buffalobills.com. "Coming back to this area is a great feeling and I just want to get out and put that jersey on and make plays for this team."

After the Bills released him, the Colts were fast to pick him up in 2000. His most successful pre-season came with Indianapolis in 2001. Haddad caught 16 passes during those four games for 170 yards and one touchdown reception. But his most impressive performances were as a punt returner. Haddad returned 14 punts for a total of 292 yards, an average of nearly 21 yards per return. He also took back two of those for TDs, one for 84 yards, the other for 94.

Haddad has spent these past few months playing for the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe. The Galaxy went 7-3 this season thanks in part to Haddad's team-leading receiving performance in which he caught 28 receptions for 455 yards in the regular season, while also leading the team with 14 punt returns for 109 yards (7.8 average).

As a Bull, Haddad set numerous career records, including most career receptions (240), receiving yards (3,409), 100-yard receiving games (18), all-purpose yards (4,768), punt return yardage (735) and punt return average (13.9).

In Frankfurt, Haddad played alongside offensive tackle David Pruce, another former UB standout from 1997-2000. Pruce started every game for the Galaxy, who advanced to World Bowl XII before losing to Berlin, and was named as one of only two tackles on the All-NFL Europe team. Pruce is property of the New England Patriots, who signed him last winter before allocating him to Europe.

Another former UB standout, Andre Forde, was also in Europe this summer, playing for the Amsterdam Admirals. Forde, who set a single-season all-purpose yardage record for the Bulls in 2002 (1,556 yards), battled injuries this spring and finished with eight receptions for 85 yards and a 31-yard touchdown for the Admirals. Forde was allocated by the Chicago Bears, who he spent last year's training camp with. In addition, two-time All-Mid-American Conference tight end Chad Bartoszek has resigned with the Indianapolis Colts, the team that signed him as a free agent after his graduation from UB in 2002.

With Haddad's signing, UB will see a record eight players in NFL training camps this summer. Here is the list of former Bulls and their current teams.

Player Years at UB Current NFL Team

Chad Bartoszek 1999-2002 Indianapolis Colts

Ed Ellis 1993-96 New York Giants

Andre Forde 1999-2002 Chicago Bears

Mark Graham 2000-03 Buffalo Bills

Drew Haddad 1996-99 Buffalo Bills

Adam Johnson 2001-03 Carolina Panthers

Omari Jordan 2001-02 Carolina Panthers

David Pruce 1997-2000 New England Patriots