While NFL players are busy taking part in offseason workouts and minicamps, many are also completing classroom work for their college degrees.

Before playbooks are picked up in July, many diplomas are being earned in May…

Cleveland Browns defensive end DERRICK ALEXANDER was presented with his at Florida State on May 2.

"It made my mother and father happy," said Alexander, who earned his degree in social sciences. "It was important to me to give that back to them. And it was important to me because no one can ever take my education away from me."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback BRIAN KELLY, a second-round draft choice in 1998, graduated this month from the University of Southern California with a history degree.

"It has been a life-long dream for me to graduate from college," Kelly said. "My goals were to play in the NFL and graduate from college. I always planned on completing my degree after being drafted. My mom challenged me to finish school and I accepted the challenge."

Cincinnati Bengals cornerback ROOSEVELT BLACKMON earned his degree in health and physical education from Morris Brown and received his diploma at Herndon Stadium, the field on which he started for four years at the school. "I always knew I was coming back," he said. "Having the graduation in the football stadium, where I did so many things on this field, is great. This is bigger than anything I have ever done in a game here."

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver REGGIE BARLOW taught children in Jacksonville’s elementary and junior high schools this spring to earn the final credits for his degree in education from Alabama State.

Many NFL players who earned their college degrees this month did so through the Continuing Education Program of the NFL Player Programs department.

NFL Player Programs was created in 1991 by Commissioner PAUL TAGLIABUE to assist players and their families in their lives off the field. In the past seven offseasons, more than 1,900 players and their wives have returned to college as part of the continuing education program. This spring, 450 players and spouses returned to school through the program.