2023-09-26 18:02:10
Story Links
NEW ORLEANS – Sun Belt alumni starred on the offensive side of the ball in Week 3 of the 2023 National Football League (NFL) season.
Georgia Southern alumnus Jerick McKinnon found paydirt, with a pair of receiving touchdowns for the Kansas City Chiefs. Coming off a career-high 10-touchdown season a year ago, McKinnon tallied a season-high 28 yards on three catches and two carries.
Fellow Eagle alum Matt Breida also added a touchdown for the Buffalo Bills, as part of an 18-yard outing on four rushes and three receptions.
Isaiah Likely (Coastal Carolina, Baltimore Ravens) had a 20-yard reception, Elijah Mitchell (Louisiana, San Francisco 49ers) tallied 44 yards on 11 carries and three catches and Gerald Everett (South Alabama, Los Angeles Chargers) posted 30 yards on six catches.
Defensively, Tracy Walker III (Louisiana, Detroit Lions) and Tre Hawkins (Old Dominion, New York Giants) led the way with six tackles apiece. Arkansas State alumnus Demario Davis of the New Orleans Saints, Louisiana product Percy Butler of the Washington Commanders, Old Dominion alum Oshane Ximines of the New York Giants and Southern Miss alumnus Rakeem Nunez-Roches of the New York Giants also carded multi-tackle performances in Week 3.
The Sun Belt’s kicking quartet combined to go 8-for-10 on field goal attempts and a perfect 8-for-8 on extra point tries in Week 3. Georgia Southern alumnus Tyler Bass of the Buffalo Bills connected on a 54-yard field goal, becoming 1-of-13 NFL kickers to convert from 54-or-more yards through the first three weeks of the season.
The Sun Belt’s lone punter on an active roster—Sam Martin of the Buffalo Bills via App State—had one punt for 70 yards.
Eighty-seven Sun Belt alumni earned NFL roster spots entering the 2023 season, with 51 on active rosters, 21 on practice squads and 10 on injured or other reserve lists in Week 3. Forty-two saw game action, with 15 earning a start.
Four players—Shemar Jean-Charles (App State, San Francisco 49ers), Dean Marlowe (James Madison, Los Angeles Chargers), Oshane Ximines (Old Dominion, New York Giants) and Ty Nsekhe (Texas State, Cleveland Browns)—were elevated from their respective team’s practice squad and saw game action in Week 3.
Sun Belt football alumni dot 29-of-32 NFL rosters.
App State
Akeem Davis-Gaither – LB, Cincinnati Bengals (1 G, 1 Tackle)
* Darrynton Evans – RB, Miami Dolphins
Nick Hampton – LB, Los Angeles Rams (1 G)
^ Cooper Hodges – OL, Jacksonville Jaguars
D’Marco Jackson – LB, New Orleans Saints (1 G)
Shemar Jean-Charles – CB, San Francisco 49ers (1 G)
^ Shaun Jolly – DB, Los Angeles Rams
Kendall Lamm – OL, Miami Dolphins (1 G)
Sam Martin – P, Buffalo Bills (1 G, 1 GS, 1 Punt, 70 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, 3 Tackles, 1 QB Hit)
Blake Grupe – K, New Orleans Saints (1 G, 1 GS, 1-for-2 FG, 2-for-2 XP)
* Kirk Merritt – WR, New Orleans Saints
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, 20 Yards, 1 Tackle)
Georgia Southern
Darrell Baker Jr. – CB, Indianapolis Colts (DNP)
Tyler Bass – K, Buffalo Bills (1 G, 1 GS, 3-for-3 FG, 4-for-4 XP)
Matt Breida – RB, New York Giants (1 G, 1 GS, 4 Rushes, 17 Yards, 1 TD, 3 Receptions, 1 Yard)
* Raymond Johnson III – DL, Detroit Lions
Younghoe Koo – K, Atlanta Falcons (1 G, 1 GS, 2-for-3 FG)
Jerick McKinnon – RB, Kansas City Chiefs (1 G, 3 Receptions, 19 Yards, 2 TD, 2 Rushes, 9 Yards)
Najee Thompson – CB, Minnesota Vikings (1 G)
Kindle Vildor – CB, Tennessee Titans (DNP)
Georgia State
^ Penny Hart – WR, Atlanta Falcons
Wil Lutz – K, Denver Broncos (1 G, 1 GS, 2-for-2 FG, 2-for-2 XP)
Chandon Sullivan – CB, Pittsburgh Steelers (1 G)
* Quavian White – CB, Arizona Cardinals
James Madison
* Ben DiNucci – QB, Denver Broncos
Mike Greene – DL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 G, 1 GS)
Dean Marlowe – S, Los Angeles Chargers (1 G)
Aaron Stinnie – OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 G)
Louisiana
Percy Butler – S, Washington Commanders (1 G, 1 GS, 2 Tackles, 1 Pass Defended)
Kevin Dotson – OL, Los Angeles Rams (DNP)
* Eric Garror – DB, Tennessee Titans
Robert Hunt – OL, Miami Dolphins (1 G, 1 GS)
Andre Jones Jr. – DL, Washington Commanders (1 G)
Elijah Mitchell – RB, San Francisco 49ers (1 G, 11 Rushes, 42 Yards, 3 Receptions, 2 Yards)
Max Mitchell – OL, New York Jets (1 G)
^ John Stephens Jr. – WR, Dallas Cowboys
Tracy Walker III – S, Detroit Lions (1 G, 1 GS, 6 Tackles, 1 Pass Defended)
ULM
* Derrick Gore – RB, Washington Commanders
* Josh Pederson – TE, Jacksonville Jaguars
* Ty Shelby – DL, Los Angeles Chargers
Marshall
^ Josh Ball – OL, Dallas Cowboys
^ Abraham Beauplan – LB, Minnesota Vikings
Steven Gilmore – CB, Detroit Lions (1 G)
Neville Hewitt – LB, Houston Texans (1 G, 1 Tackle)
^ Nazeeh Johnson – S, Kansas City Chiefs
Old Dominion
Tre Hawkins III – CB, New York Giants (1 G, 6 Tackles)
* Marcus Haynes – LB, Denver Broncos
Taylor Heinicke – QB, Atlanta Falcons (DNP)
* Zack Kuntz – TE, New York Jets
Rick Lovato – LS, Philadelphia Eagles (1 G, 1 GS)
Zach Pascal – WR, Arizona Cardinals (1 G, 1 Tackle)
Nick Saldiveri – OL, New Orleans Saints (DNP)
Stone Smartt – TE, Los Angeles Chargers (1 G, 1 GS)
Oshane Ximines – LB, New York Giants (1 G, 2 Tackles)
South Alabama
Gerald Everett – TE, Los Angeles Chargers (1 G, 6 Receptions, 30 Yards)
^ Darrell Luter Jr. – CB, San Francisco 49ers
Jeremy Reaves – S, Washington Commanders (1 G, 1 Tackle)
Jalen Tolbert – WR, Dallas Cowboys (1 G)
* Corliss Waitman – P, New England Patriots
Southern Miss
* Natrone Brooks – CB, Atlanta Falcons
Jason Brownlee – WR, New York Jets (DNP)
* TyKeem Doss – OL, Baltimore Ravens
Tim Jones – WR, Jacksonville Jaguars (1 G, 2 Receptions, 11 Yards)
Nick Mullens – QB, Minnesota Vikings (DNP)
Rakeem Nunez-Roches – DL, New York Giants (1 G, 2 Tackles)
Eric Scott Jr. – CB, Dallas Cowboys (DNP)
Quez Watkins – WR, Philadelphia Eagles (DNP)
Texas State
* Levi Bell – DL, Seattle Seahawks
Aaron Brewer – OL, Tennessee Titans (1 G, 1 GS)
David Mayo – LB, Washington Commanders (1 G)
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
1695807499
#McKinnon #Breida #Score #Touchdowns #Lead #Sun #Belt #Alumni #Offensive #Outburst #NFL #Week
