First 26 players chosen for Pro Bowl teams by Irvin, Carter

Posted January 19, 2015 10:00 pm

The Associated Press

Michael Irvin, right, NFL Hall of Fame member and Pro Bowl Alumni captain, and Cris Carter, left, NFL Hall of Fame member and Pro Bowl Alumni captain, laugh as they playfully try to pull the Pro Bowl trophy away from one another during the Pro Bowl Kickoff news conference Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015, in Phoenix. The upcoming NFL Pro Bowl football game will be played on Sunday. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) The Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) - The first 26 players were drafted by the two Pro Bowl teams Tuesday, with the remainder from more glamorous positions to be chosen in a televised event Wednesday night.

The players were picked Tuesday after Dallas running back DeMarco Murray and Cleveland cornerback Joe Haden were selected co-captains for Michael Irvin's team. Houston defensive end J.J. Watt and Pittsburgh wide receiver Antonio Brown were chosen by Chris Carter as co-captains of his team.

After an introductory news conference, Irvin and Carter drafted players from lower-profile positions - guards, centers, fullbacks, interior defensive linemen, placekickers, punters, special teams players, and return specialists. The rest will be drafted in an event to be televised by the NFL Network on Wednesday night.

Last year the NFL scrapped its NFC vs. AFC format and decided to have a pair of big names from the past pick sides.

Because Irvin won a coin toss Tuesday, he got to select his co-captains first. But Carter got the first pick in Tuesday's draft and will have it on Wednesday, too.

Among those chosen for Team Irvin were defensive tackles Aaron Donald of St. Louis, Sheldon Richardson of the New York Jets and Geno Atkins of Cincinnati. They join guards Zack Martin of Dallas, Marshal Yanda of Baltimore and Kyle Long of Chicago, and centers Nick Mangold of the New York Jets and Travis Frederick of Dallas.

Irvin has fullback Marcel Reese of Oakland, punter Kevin Huber of Cincinnati, kicker Adam Vinatieri of Indianapolis, special teams player Darrell Stuckey of San Diego and return specialist Darren Sproles of Philadelphia.

Team Carter has Buffalo defensive tackles Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams, and Dontari Poe of Kansas City, guards Mike Pouncey of Miami, Josh Sitton of Green Bay and Evan Mathis of Philadelphia.

Irvin's centers are Maurice Pouncey of Pittsburgh and Jason Kelce of Philadelphia. He has fullback John Kuhn of Green Bay, punter Pat McAfee of Indianapolis, kicker Cody Parker of Philadelphia, special teams player Justin Bethel of Arizona and return specialist Devin Hester of Atlanta.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

From left, John Randle, NFL Hall of Fame member and Team Carter Pro Bowl Alumni Co-Captain, Houston Texans Pro Bowl player J.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Bowl player Antonio Brown, Cris Carter, NFL Hall of Fame member and Team Carter Pro Bowl Alumni Captain, Michael Irvin, NFL Hall of Fame member and Team Irvin Pro Bowl Alumni Captain, Darren Woodson, NFL Hall of Fame member and Team Irvin Pro Bowl Alumni Co-Captain, Cleveland Browns Pro Bowl player Joe Haden, and Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl player DeMarco Murray, pose for photographers with the Pro Bowl Trophy during the Pro Bowl Kickoff news conference Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) The Associated Press

Troy Vincent, center, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations, smiles as he watches Michael Irvin, right, NFL Hall of Fame member and Pro Bowl Alumni captain, and Cris Carter, left, NFL Hall of Fame member and Pro Bowl Alumni captain, laugh as they battle for the coin toss on who gets to pick the first player during the Pro Bowl Kickoff news conference Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015, in Phoenix. The upcoming NFL Pro Bowl football game will be played on Sunday. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) The Associated Press

As Troy Vincent, second from right, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations, holds the Pro Bowl Trophy, and Michael Irvin, right, NFL Hall of Fame player and Pro Bowl Alumni team captain, the group poses for photographers, Darren Woodson, left, NFL Hall of Fame player and Pro Bowl Alumni co-captain, smiles as he points to Houston Texans Pro Bowl Player J.J. Watt, second from left, who jokingly jumps into the group picture during the Pro Bowl Kickoff news conference Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) The Associated Press

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