Wildcats in the NFL – Week 17
Jan 02, 2018 | Football
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Each week throughout the 2017 season, k-statesports.com recaps the action for the 12 former Kansas State football players currently in the NFL.
Deante Burton, CB – Atlanta Falcons
Burton, a wide receiver for his entire K-State career in addition to the preseason with the Atlanta, is a defensive back on the Falcons' practice squad. Atlanta earned a 22-10 victory over Carolina to finish the regular season with a 10-6 record and claim the second Wild Card spot in the NFC playoffs. The Falcons travel to face the Los Angeles Rams, the NFC West Division champions and No. 3 seed, on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. (CT) on NBC.
B.J. Finney, OL – Pittsburgh Steelers
An undrafted rookie free agent in 2015 who is in his second year on the active roster, Finney made his second-straight start and fourth of the season when he began the game at center in Pittsburgh's 28-24 victory over Cleveland. A product of Andale, Kansas, Finney has played in 27 career games with seven starts. The AFC North Champions and No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs, Pittsburgh finished the regular season with a 13-3 record and will host the highest remaining seed on Sunday, January 14, at 12 p.m. (CT) on CBS.
Emmanuel Lamur, LB – Minnesota Vikings
Lamur, a sixth-year linebacker, played on 16 special teams plays and a defensive snap in the Vikings' 23-10 victory over Chicago. A second-year player for the Vikings after spending his first four seasons in Cincinnati, Lamur has 180 career tackles, a half sack, 12 passes defended and two interceptions. Minnesota completed the regular season with a 13-3 record and capture the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. The Vikings will host the highest remaining seed on Sunday, January 14, at 3:40 p.m. (CT) on FOX.
Elijah Lee, LB – San Francisco 49ers
A native of Blue Springs, Missouri, Lee played on seven defensive snaps and 19 special teams plays in San Francisco's 34-13 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Lee concluded his rookie campaign by playing in 14 games with four tackles and a forced fumble. The 49ers finished their season with a 6-10 record, which included wins in each of the final five games and six of their final seven.
Tyler Lockett, WR/Returner – Seattle Seahawks
Lockett, a third-year pro, ended his 2017 campaign on a high note as he returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown as part of a 156-yard return day in addition to 39 punt-return yards and 25 receiving yards on three catches in Seattle's 26-24 home loss to Arizona. Lockett finished the year with 45 catches for 555 yards and two touchdowns, while he returned 37 kickoffs for a 25.6-yard average to finish second in the NFL. Seattle finished the year with a 9-7 record.
Cornelius Lucas, OT – Los Angeles Rams
Lucas, a three-year offensive lineman for Detroit who signed with the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 13, started at right tackle and played on all 65 offensive snaps in the Rams' 34-13 loss to San Francisco. LA finished the regular season with an 11-5 record to win the NFC West and claim the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoffs. The Rams host Atlanta on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. (CT) on NBC.
Charmeachealle Moore, LB – Los Angeles Chargers
An undrafted rookie free agent signee by the Chargers, Moore spent the 2017 season on injured reserve. Los Angeles concluded its season with a 9-7 record after defeating Oakland, 30-10.
Jordy Nelson, WR – Green Bay Packers
A 10-year veteran, Nelson was inactive for the Packers' season finale, a 35-11 loss at Detroit. He finished his season with 53 receptions for 482 yards and six touchdowns. The Riley, Kansas, product enters the 2018 season ranking second in Green Bay history in career receiving touchdowns (69), third in catches (550) and fifth in yards (7,848). The Packers finished with a 7-9 record.
Terence Newman, CB – Minnesota Vikings
Newman, a 15-year NFL veteran in his third season with Minnesota, carded a pair of tackles among his 30 defensive plays in the Vikings' 23-10 home win over Chicago. The Salina, Kansas, product played in his 221st career game, the 10th most among active NFL players and second most among defensive players. Newman, who has 35 tackles, four pass breakups and a pick this season, has 876 career tackles to go along with 2.0 sacks, 172 passes defended and 42 career interceptions, the latter ranking as the second most among active players. The Vikings finished the year with a 13-3 record to secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. Minnesota will host the highest remaining seed on Sunday, January 14, at 3:40 p.m. (CT) on FOX.
Darren Sproles, RB/Returner – Philadelphia Eagles
A 13-year veteran, Sproles was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 25, due to season-ending injuries sustained in Week 3. The Olathe, Kansas, native has 19,155 career all-purpose yards, which ranks first among active players and eighth in NFL history. Philadelphia lost at home to Dallas, 6-0, but had already clinched the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. The Eagles will host the lowest remaining seed on Saturday, January 13, at 3:35 p.m. (CT) on NBC.
Cody Whitehair, OL – Chicago Bears
A second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Whitehair started his 32nd-straight game but first at guard in Chicago's 23-10 loss at Minnesota as he played on all 56 offensive snaps. The Bears concluded their season with a 5-11 record.
Jordan Willis, DE – Cincinnati Bengals
Willis, a third-round pick in this year's draft, carded three tackles – including one for a loss – among his 25 defensive snaps and eight special teams plays in Cincinnati's 31-27 victory at Baltimore. The player who extended K-State's Big 12-leading draft streak to 24 years, Willis finished his rookie season with 25 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, a sack and a blocked punt for the Bengals, who concluded the year with a 7-9 record.
Deante Burton, CB – Atlanta Falcons
Burton, a wide receiver for his entire K-State career in addition to the preseason with the Atlanta, is a defensive back on the Falcons' practice squad. Atlanta earned a 22-10 victory over Carolina to finish the regular season with a 10-6 record and claim the second Wild Card spot in the NFC playoffs. The Falcons travel to face the Los Angeles Rams, the NFC West Division champions and No. 3 seed, on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. (CT) on NBC.
B.J. Finney, OL – Pittsburgh Steelers
An undrafted rookie free agent in 2015 who is in his second year on the active roster, Finney made his second-straight start and fourth of the season when he began the game at center in Pittsburgh's 28-24 victory over Cleveland. A product of Andale, Kansas, Finney has played in 27 career games with seven starts. The AFC North Champions and No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs, Pittsburgh finished the regular season with a 13-3 record and will host the highest remaining seed on Sunday, January 14, at 12 p.m. (CT) on CBS.
Emmanuel Lamur, LB – Minnesota Vikings
Lamur, a sixth-year linebacker, played on 16 special teams plays and a defensive snap in the Vikings' 23-10 victory over Chicago. A second-year player for the Vikings after spending his first four seasons in Cincinnati, Lamur has 180 career tackles, a half sack, 12 passes defended and two interceptions. Minnesota completed the regular season with a 13-3 record and capture the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. The Vikings will host the highest remaining seed on Sunday, January 14, at 3:40 p.m. (CT) on FOX.
Elijah Lee, LB – San Francisco 49ers
A native of Blue Springs, Missouri, Lee played on seven defensive snaps and 19 special teams plays in San Francisco's 34-13 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Lee concluded his rookie campaign by playing in 14 games with four tackles and a forced fumble. The 49ers finished their season with a 6-10 record, which included wins in each of the final five games and six of their final seven.
Tyler Lockett, WR/Returner – Seattle Seahawks
Lockett, a third-year pro, ended his 2017 campaign on a high note as he returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown as part of a 156-yard return day in addition to 39 punt-return yards and 25 receiving yards on three catches in Seattle's 26-24 home loss to Arizona. Lockett finished the year with 45 catches for 555 yards and two touchdowns, while he returned 37 kickoffs for a 25.6-yard average to finish second in the NFL. Seattle finished the year with a 9-7 record.
Cornelius Lucas, OT – Los Angeles Rams
Lucas, a three-year offensive lineman for Detroit who signed with the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 13, started at right tackle and played on all 65 offensive snaps in the Rams' 34-13 loss to San Francisco. LA finished the regular season with an 11-5 record to win the NFC West and claim the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoffs. The Rams host Atlanta on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. (CT) on NBC.
Charmeachealle Moore, LB – Los Angeles Chargers
An undrafted rookie free agent signee by the Chargers, Moore spent the 2017 season on injured reserve. Los Angeles concluded its season with a 9-7 record after defeating Oakland, 30-10.
Jordy Nelson, WR – Green Bay Packers
A 10-year veteran, Nelson was inactive for the Packers' season finale, a 35-11 loss at Detroit. He finished his season with 53 receptions for 482 yards and six touchdowns. The Riley, Kansas, product enters the 2018 season ranking second in Green Bay history in career receiving touchdowns (69), third in catches (550) and fifth in yards (7,848). The Packers finished with a 7-9 record.
Terence Newman, CB – Minnesota Vikings
Newman, a 15-year NFL veteran in his third season with Minnesota, carded a pair of tackles among his 30 defensive plays in the Vikings' 23-10 home win over Chicago. The Salina, Kansas, product played in his 221st career game, the 10th most among active NFL players and second most among defensive players. Newman, who has 35 tackles, four pass breakups and a pick this season, has 876 career tackles to go along with 2.0 sacks, 172 passes defended and 42 career interceptions, the latter ranking as the second most among active players. The Vikings finished the year with a 13-3 record to secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. Minnesota will host the highest remaining seed on Sunday, January 14, at 3:40 p.m. (CT) on FOX.
Darren Sproles, RB/Returner – Philadelphia Eagles
A 13-year veteran, Sproles was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 25, due to season-ending injuries sustained in Week 3. The Olathe, Kansas, native has 19,155 career all-purpose yards, which ranks first among active players and eighth in NFL history. Philadelphia lost at home to Dallas, 6-0, but had already clinched the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. The Eagles will host the lowest remaining seed on Saturday, January 13, at 3:35 p.m. (CT) on NBC.
Cody Whitehair, OL – Chicago Bears
A second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Whitehair started his 32nd-straight game but first at guard in Chicago's 23-10 loss at Minnesota as he played on all 56 offensive snaps. The Bears concluded their season with a 5-11 record.
Jordan Willis, DE – Cincinnati Bengals
Willis, a third-round pick in this year's draft, carded three tackles – including one for a loss – among his 25 defensive snaps and eight special teams plays in Cincinnati's 31-27 victory at Baltimore. The player who extended K-State's Big 12-leading draft streak to 24 years, Willis finished his rookie season with 25 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, a sack and a blocked punt for the Bengals, who concluded the year with a 7-9 record.
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