Montee Ball plays for the Denver Broncos.
Montee Ball plays Running Back for the Denver Broncos.
NFL player Alan Ball played for Illinois.
NFL player Marcus Ball played for Memphis.
NFL player Keith Wenning played for Ball State.
NFL player Jonathan Newsome played for Ball State.
NFL player Sean Baker played for Ball State.
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No, the player would lose is amateur status and no longer be eligible.
In college football, once a player's knee touches the ground the play is whistled dead regardless of whether a defensive player made contact with the ball carrier. In the NFL, a defensive player must make contact with the ball carrier to have the play whistled dead. So to answer your question, in college the player is down and the play is over. In the NFL, the player is not down and the play continues.
In the NFL, the play would be a fumble as a player must be 'downed by contact' for the play to be whistled dead. If there was no contact causing the player to hit the ground the play is still active. In college football, the play would be dead as there is no 'downed by contact' rule and once the player is on the ground the play is whistled dead.
Aaron Rodgers play college ball at the University of California.