2023-10-31 18:01:25
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NEW ORLEANS – App State alum and current Chicago Bears running back Darrynton Evans hurdled his way into the end zone for the first touchdown of his professional career in Week 8 of the 2023 National Football League (NFL) season.
Evans accumulated 40 yards on four carries and three catches to highlight the Sun Belt alumni offensive output. Atlanta Falcons backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke out of Old Dominion completed 12-of-21 passes for 175 yards and a score, while rushing for 14 yards on two carries in relief of starter Desmond Ridder.
Georgia Southern alumni running backs Matt Breida of the New York Giants (17 Yards) and Jerick McKinnon of the Kansas City Chiefs (11 Yards) recorded double-digit yards on multiple touches. Coastal Carolina product Isaiah Likely—a tight end for the Baltimore Ravens—had a 10-yard reception.
Eight Sun Belt alumni recorded multi-tackle outings on the defensive side of the ball, led by Arkansas State alumnus linebacker Demario Davis with 12 tackles, a quarterback hit and a pass defended. David Mayo (Texas State, Washington Commanders) had nine tackles in his first start of the season, Percy Butler (Louisiana, Washington Commanders) posted a career-high seven tackles and a pass defended and Tracy Walker III (Louisiana, Detroit Lions) added six tackles, a tackle for loss, a sack and a quarterback hit.
Dean Marlowe (James Madison, Los Angeles Chargers) with five tackles, Josh Norman (Coastal Carolina, Buffalo Bills) with two tackles and Chandon Sullivan (Georgia State, Pittsburgh Steelers) with two tackles were also key defensive contributors.
Louisiana alumnus Eric Garror made a splash on two units for the Tennessee Titans, recording four tackles and a quarterback hit on defense and five punt returns for 32 yards on special teams.
The Sun Belt’s kicking quartet went 6-for-7 on field goal attempts and a perfect 13-for-13 on extra-point tries on the week. A 49-yarder by Younghoe Koo (Georgia Southern, Atlanta Falcons) was the longest field goal of the week.
App State product Sam Martin tallied four punts for 180 yards for the Buffalo Bills.
Eighty-seven Sun Belt alumni earned NFL roster spots entering the 2023 season, with 49 on active rosters, 21 on practice squads and 10 on injured or other reserve lists in Week 8. Forty-two saw the field, with 18 earning a start for their respective teams.
Sun Belt football alumni dot 31-of-32 NFL rosters.
App State
Akeem Davis-Gaither – LB, Cincinnati Bengals (DNP)
Darrynton Evans – RB, Chicago Bears (1 G, 4 Rushes, 18 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 3 Receptions, 22 Yards)
Nick Hampton – LB, Los Angeles Rams (DNP)
* Tae Hayes – CB, New York Jets
^ Cooper Hodges – OL, Jacksonville Jaguars
D’Marco Jackson – LB, New Orleans Saints (1 G)
* Shemar Jean-Charles – CB, San Francisco 49ers
* Shaun Jolly – CB, Los Angeles Rams
Kendall Lamm – OL, Miami Dolphins (1 G, 1 GS)
Sam Martin – P, Buffalo Bills (1 G, 1 GS, 4 Punts, 180 Yards)
Ryan Neuzil – OL, Atlanta Falcons (1 G)
* Henry Pearson – FB, Green Bay Packers
^ Jalen Virgil – WR, Denver Broncos
Arkansas State
Demario Davis – LB, New Orleans Saints (1 G, 1 GS, 12 Tackles, 1 QB Hit, 1 Pass Defended)
Blake Grupe – K, New Orleans Saints (1 G, 1 GS, 1-for-1 FG, 5-for-5 XP)
Coastal Carolina
* Lance Boykin – CB, Seattle Seahawks
* C.J. Brewer – DL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
* Jerrod Clark – DL, Los Angeles Chargers
* Jeff Gunter – DL, Cincinnati Bengals
* Tarron Jackson – DL, Philadelphia Eagles
Isaiah Likely – TE, Baltimore Ravens (1 G, 1 GS, 1 Reception, 10 Yards)
Josh Norman – CB, Buffalo Bills (1 G, 2 Tackles)
Georgia Southern
Darrell Baker Jr. – CB, Indianapolis Colts (1 G)
Tyler Bass – K, Buffalo Bills (1 G, 1 GS, 1-for-1 FG, 3-for-3 XP)
Matt Breida – RB, New York Giants (1 G, 5 Rushes, 13 Yards, 1 Reception, 4 Yards)
* Raymond Johnson III – DL, Detroit Lions
Younghoe Koo – K, Atlanta Falcons (1 G, 1 GS, 3-for-3 FG, 2-for-2 XP)
Jerick McKinnon – RB, Kansas City Chiefs (1 G, 1 Reception, 11 Yards, 2 Rushes)
Najee Thompson – CB, Minnesota Vikings (DNP)
* Kindle Vildor – DB, Philadelphia Eagles
Georgia State
Wil Lutz – K, Denver Broncos (1 G, 1 GS, 1-for-2 FG, 3-for-3 XP)
Chandon Sullivan – CB, Pittsburgh Steelers (1 G, 2 Tackles)
* Quavian White – CB, Arizona Cardinals
James Madison
* Ben DiNucci – QB, Denver Broncos
Mike Greene – DL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 G)
Dean Marlowe – S, Los Angeles Chargers (1 G, 5 Tackles)
Aaron Stinnie – OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 G, 1 GS)
Louisiana
Percy Butler – S, Washington Commanders (1 G, 1 GS, 7 Tackles, 1 Pass Defended)
Kevin Dotson – OL, Los Angeles Rams (1 G, 1 GS)
Eric Garror – DB, Tennessee Titans (1 G, 1 GS, 4 Tackles, 1 QB Hit, 32 Punt Return Yards)
Robert Hunt – OL, Miami Dolphins (1 G, 1 GS)
Andre Jones Jr. – DL, Washington Commanders (DNP)
Elijah Mitchell – RB, San Francisco 49ers (1 G, 3 Rushes, 2 Yards)
Max Mitchell – OL, New York Jets (1 G, 1 GS)
^ John Stephens Jr. – WR, Dallas Cowboys
Tracy Walker III – S, Detroit Lions (1 G, 6 Tackles, 1 TFL, 1.0 Sacks, 1 QB Hit)
ULM
* Derrick Gore – RB, Washington Commanders
* Josh Pederson – TE, Jacksonville Jaguars
Marshall
^ Josh Ball – OL, Dallas Cowboys
Steven Gilmore – CB, Detroit Lions (DNP)
Neville Hewitt – LB, Houston Texans (1 G)
^ Nazeeh Johnson – S, Kansas City Chiefs
Old Dominion
Tre Hawkins III – CB, New York Giants (1G)
* Marcus Haynes – LB, Denver Broncos
Taylor Heinicke – QB, Atlanta Falcons (1 G, 12-for-21, 175 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 2 Rushes, 14 Yards)
* Zack Kuntz – TE, New York Jets
Rick Lovato – LS, Philadelphia Eagles (1 G, 1 GS)
Zach Pascal – WR, Arizona Cardinals (1 G)
Nick Saldiveri – OL, New Orleans Saints (1 G)
Stone Smartt – TE, Los Angeles Chargers (1 G, 1 GS)
Oshane Ximines – LB, New York Giants (1 G, 1 Tackle)
South Alabama
Gerald Everett – TE, Los Angeles Chargers (DNP)
^ Darrell Luter Jr. – CB, San Francisco 49ers
^ Jeremy Reaves – S, Washington Commanders
Jalen Tolbert – WR, Dallas Cowboys (1 G)
Southern Miss
* Cornell Armstrong – DB, Oakland Raiders
* Natrone Brooks – CB, Atlanta Falcons
Jason Brownlee – WR, New York Jets (1 G)
* TyKeem Doss – OL, Baltimore Ravens
Tim Jones – WR, Jacksonville Jaguars (1 G)
^ Nick Mullens – QB, Minnesota Vikings
Rakeem Nunez-Roches – DL, New York Giants (1 G, 1 Tackle)
Eric Scott Jr. – CB, Dallas Cowboys (Bye Week)
^ Quez Watkins – WR, Philadelphia Eagles
Texas State
* Levi Bell – DL, Seattle Seahawks
Aaron Brewer – OL, Tennessee Titans (1 G, 1 GS)
David Mayo – LB, Washington Commanders (1 G, 1 GS, 9 Tackles)
Ty Nsekhe – OL, Cleveland Browns (1G)
Troy
Jake Andrews – OL, New England Patriots (1 G)
^ Shakel Brown – DL, Tennessee Titans
* Practice Squad
^ Injured & Other Reserve
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