Kansas State University Athletics
Wildcats in the NFL – Week 17
Dec 31, 2018 | Football
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Each week throughout the 2018 season, k-statesports.com recaps the action for the 13 former Kansas State football players currently in the NFL.
Deante Burton, CB – Houston Texans
Burton, who is on his third team this season, played on 10 special teams plays in Houston's 20-3 victory over Jacksonville on Sunday. The Manhattan, Kansas, native was signed off the Atlanta Falcons' practice squad on October 31, while he also played in Atlanta's season opener – recording one tackle – and was with the Green Bay Packers a few weeks later. He has played in two games this year for the Texans and carded four tackles, all coming in Week 16 at Philadelphia. Houston finished the regular season with an 11-5 record to win the AFC South, and the Texans host Indianapolis in the Wild Card Round on Saturday at 3:35 p.m. (CT) on ESPN.
B.J. Finney, OL – Pittsburgh Steelers
An undrafted rookie free agent signee in 2015, Finney saw time on four special teams plays in Pittsburgh's 16-13 victory over Cincinnati. The Andale, Kansas, product has played in 43 career games with nine starts, including two this year. The Steelers finished the year with a 9-6-1 record and missed out on the playoffs by a half game.
Emmanuel Lamur, LB – New York Jets
Lamur, a seventh-year player, was waived by the Raiders on December 18 and picked up by the New York Jets the next day. He played on three special teams plays in the Jets' regular-season finale at New England, a 38-3 loss. Lee finished the season with 13 tackles in 10 games, pushing his career total to 193 tackles in 81 games. The Jets finished the year with a 4-12 record.
Elijah Lee, LB – San Francisco 49ers
A second-year player, Lee was the 49ers' second-leading tackler with 10 stops – including a TFL – in San Francisco's 48-32 loss at the Los Angeles Rams. Lee played on 71 of the team's 73 defensive snaps and also saw time on 12 special teams plays. A native of Blue Springs, Missouri, Lee had the best year of his young career, totaling 65 tackles and a sack in 16 games, which includes five starts. The 49ers finished the season with a 4-12 record.
Tyler Lockett, WR/Returner – Seattle Seahawks
Lockett, a fourth-year pro, hauled in two receptions for 66 yards – including a 29-yard touchdown – in Seattle's 27-24 victory over Arizona. He also recorded three kickoffs for a 21.0-yard average. The Tulsa, Oklahoma, native finished the regular season by hauling in 57 receptions for 965 yards and 10 touchdowns, the best statistical season of his career. His 10 touchdowns tied for sixth in the NFL along with his 16.9-yard average per catch. Seattle went 6-1 down the stretch run of the season to finish with a 10-6 record as the No. 5 seed in the NFC Playoffs. The Seahawks travel to face Dallas on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. (CT) on FOX.
Cornelius Lucas, OL – New Orleans Saints
Lucas, a fifth-year player, signed with the hometown New Orleans Saints on Thursday and ended up starting and playing all 52 snaps in the Saints' 33-14 home loss to Carolina. It was Lucas' first game since seeing action for the Los Angeles Rams in 2017, while he spent his first three seasons with the Detroit Lions by playing in 35 games with six starts. New Orleans, which was already locked into the No. 1 spot in the NFC Playoffs before its loss to the Panthers, will face the lowest remaining seed in the Divisional Round on Sunday, January 13, at 3:40 p.m. (CT) on FOX.
Matt McCrane, PK – Pittsburgh Steelers
Playing for his third team this season, McCrane was signed by Pittsburgh on Friday and went 3-for-3 on field goals – including the eventual game winner with 1:56 left in the game – in the Steelers' 16-13 victory over Cincinnati. The Brownwood, Texas, native made field goals of 39, 47 and 35 yards, with the first one being as time expired in the first half. McCrane finished his first NFL season by going 8-for-12 on field goals and 9-for-9 on extra points while playing for the Raiders, Cardinals and Steelers. He also hit a game-winning field goal in overtime as a member of the Raiders in his first NFL game against Cleveland. The Steelers finished the year with a 9-6-1 record and missed out on the playoffs by a half game.
Jordy Nelson, WR – Oakland Raiders
Nelson, an 11th-year veteran who completed his first season with the Raiders, caught nine passes for 78 yards in Oakland's 35-3 loss at Kansas City. The Riley, Kansas, product finished the season with 63 catches for 739 yards and three touchdowns, pushing his career totals to 613 catches for 8,587 yards and 72 scores. His touchdown total is tied for sixth in the NFL among active players, while his yardage total is ninth. The Raiders finished the season with a 4-12 record.
Byron Pringle, WR – Kansas City Chiefs
Pringle, an undrafted rookie free agent this past spring, was placed on injured reserve prior to the regular season. He finished the preseason with six receptions for 147 yards, including a four-catch, 122-yard effort in the final preseason game against Green Bay. His game against the Packers also included a 47-yard kickoff return. Kansas City earned a 35-3 win over Oakland in the regular-season finale and captured both the AFC West – the Chiefs' third-straight division title – and the No. 1 seed in the AFC Playoffs. The Chiefs will face the lowest remaining seed in the Divisional Round on Saturday, January 12, at 3:35 p.m. (CT) on NBC.
D.J. Reed, DB – San Francisco 49ers
A fifth-round draft pick in this year's draft, Reed made three tackles among his 13 defensive snaps, while he also played on 16 special teams plays, in San Francisco's 48-32 loss at the Los Angeles Rams. The Bakersfield, California, product finished his first NFL season with 41 tackles in 15 games – including two starts – while he also returned 11 kickoffs for a 30.2-yard average. The 49ers concluded the year at 4-12.
Darren Sproles, RB/Returner – Philadelphia Eagles
Sproles, in the midst of his 14th NFL season, rushed seven times for 24 yards and caught two passes for 12 yards in the Eagles' 24-0 shutout at Washington. The Olathe, Kansas, native improved his career all-purpose yardage total to 19,520 to rank sixth in NFL history and first among active players. Philadelphia won five of its final six games to finish at 9-7 and claim a Wild Card spot as the Eagles try to defend their Super Bowl championship. Philadelphia travels to face Chicago in the Wild Card Round on Sunday at 3:40 p.m. (CT) on NBC.
Cody Whitehair, OL – Chicago Bears
A second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Whitehair tallied his 48th-consecutive start in Chicago's 24-10 win at Minnesota, a game in which the Abilene, Kansas, product played on all 68 offensive snaps. The Bears won the NFC North and enter the NFC Playoffs as the No. 3 seed. Chicago hosts Philadelphia in the Wild Card Round on Sunday at 3:40 p.m. (CT) on NBC.
Jordan Willis, DE – Cincinnati Bengals
Willis, a third-round pick in last year's draft, made one tackle in Cincinnati's 16-13 loss at Pittsburgh, the Bengals' 2018 season finale. Willis finished his second season in the NFL with 20 tackles and a sack, bringing his career total to 45 tackles and two sacks. The Bengals finished the year with a 6-10 record.
Deante Burton, CB – Houston Texans
Burton, who is on his third team this season, played on 10 special teams plays in Houston's 20-3 victory over Jacksonville on Sunday. The Manhattan, Kansas, native was signed off the Atlanta Falcons' practice squad on October 31, while he also played in Atlanta's season opener – recording one tackle – and was with the Green Bay Packers a few weeks later. He has played in two games this year for the Texans and carded four tackles, all coming in Week 16 at Philadelphia. Houston finished the regular season with an 11-5 record to win the AFC South, and the Texans host Indianapolis in the Wild Card Round on Saturday at 3:35 p.m. (CT) on ESPN.
B.J. Finney, OL – Pittsburgh Steelers
An undrafted rookie free agent signee in 2015, Finney saw time on four special teams plays in Pittsburgh's 16-13 victory over Cincinnati. The Andale, Kansas, product has played in 43 career games with nine starts, including two this year. The Steelers finished the year with a 9-6-1 record and missed out on the playoffs by a half game.
Emmanuel Lamur, LB – New York Jets
Lamur, a seventh-year player, was waived by the Raiders on December 18 and picked up by the New York Jets the next day. He played on three special teams plays in the Jets' regular-season finale at New England, a 38-3 loss. Lee finished the season with 13 tackles in 10 games, pushing his career total to 193 tackles in 81 games. The Jets finished the year with a 4-12 record.
Elijah Lee, LB – San Francisco 49ers
A second-year player, Lee was the 49ers' second-leading tackler with 10 stops – including a TFL – in San Francisco's 48-32 loss at the Los Angeles Rams. Lee played on 71 of the team's 73 defensive snaps and also saw time on 12 special teams plays. A native of Blue Springs, Missouri, Lee had the best year of his young career, totaling 65 tackles and a sack in 16 games, which includes five starts. The 49ers finished the season with a 4-12 record.
Tyler Lockett, WR/Returner – Seattle Seahawks
Lockett, a fourth-year pro, hauled in two receptions for 66 yards – including a 29-yard touchdown – in Seattle's 27-24 victory over Arizona. He also recorded three kickoffs for a 21.0-yard average. The Tulsa, Oklahoma, native finished the regular season by hauling in 57 receptions for 965 yards and 10 touchdowns, the best statistical season of his career. His 10 touchdowns tied for sixth in the NFL along with his 16.9-yard average per catch. Seattle went 6-1 down the stretch run of the season to finish with a 10-6 record as the No. 5 seed in the NFC Playoffs. The Seahawks travel to face Dallas on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. (CT) on FOX.
Cornelius Lucas, OL – New Orleans Saints
Lucas, a fifth-year player, signed with the hometown New Orleans Saints on Thursday and ended up starting and playing all 52 snaps in the Saints' 33-14 home loss to Carolina. It was Lucas' first game since seeing action for the Los Angeles Rams in 2017, while he spent his first three seasons with the Detroit Lions by playing in 35 games with six starts. New Orleans, which was already locked into the No. 1 spot in the NFC Playoffs before its loss to the Panthers, will face the lowest remaining seed in the Divisional Round on Sunday, January 13, at 3:40 p.m. (CT) on FOX.
Matt McCrane, PK – Pittsburgh Steelers
Playing for his third team this season, McCrane was signed by Pittsburgh on Friday and went 3-for-3 on field goals – including the eventual game winner with 1:56 left in the game – in the Steelers' 16-13 victory over Cincinnati. The Brownwood, Texas, native made field goals of 39, 47 and 35 yards, with the first one being as time expired in the first half. McCrane finished his first NFL season by going 8-for-12 on field goals and 9-for-9 on extra points while playing for the Raiders, Cardinals and Steelers. He also hit a game-winning field goal in overtime as a member of the Raiders in his first NFL game against Cleveland. The Steelers finished the year with a 9-6-1 record and missed out on the playoffs by a half game.
Jordy Nelson, WR – Oakland Raiders
Nelson, an 11th-year veteran who completed his first season with the Raiders, caught nine passes for 78 yards in Oakland's 35-3 loss at Kansas City. The Riley, Kansas, product finished the season with 63 catches for 739 yards and three touchdowns, pushing his career totals to 613 catches for 8,587 yards and 72 scores. His touchdown total is tied for sixth in the NFL among active players, while his yardage total is ninth. The Raiders finished the season with a 4-12 record.
Byron Pringle, WR – Kansas City Chiefs
Pringle, an undrafted rookie free agent this past spring, was placed on injured reserve prior to the regular season. He finished the preseason with six receptions for 147 yards, including a four-catch, 122-yard effort in the final preseason game against Green Bay. His game against the Packers also included a 47-yard kickoff return. Kansas City earned a 35-3 win over Oakland in the regular-season finale and captured both the AFC West – the Chiefs' third-straight division title – and the No. 1 seed in the AFC Playoffs. The Chiefs will face the lowest remaining seed in the Divisional Round on Saturday, January 12, at 3:35 p.m. (CT) on NBC.
D.J. Reed, DB – San Francisco 49ers
A fifth-round draft pick in this year's draft, Reed made three tackles among his 13 defensive snaps, while he also played on 16 special teams plays, in San Francisco's 48-32 loss at the Los Angeles Rams. The Bakersfield, California, product finished his first NFL season with 41 tackles in 15 games – including two starts – while he also returned 11 kickoffs for a 30.2-yard average. The 49ers concluded the year at 4-12.
Darren Sproles, RB/Returner – Philadelphia Eagles
Sproles, in the midst of his 14th NFL season, rushed seven times for 24 yards and caught two passes for 12 yards in the Eagles' 24-0 shutout at Washington. The Olathe, Kansas, native improved his career all-purpose yardage total to 19,520 to rank sixth in NFL history and first among active players. Philadelphia won five of its final six games to finish at 9-7 and claim a Wild Card spot as the Eagles try to defend their Super Bowl championship. Philadelphia travels to face Chicago in the Wild Card Round on Sunday at 3:40 p.m. (CT) on NBC.
Cody Whitehair, OL – Chicago Bears
A second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Whitehair tallied his 48th-consecutive start in Chicago's 24-10 win at Minnesota, a game in which the Abilene, Kansas, product played on all 68 offensive snaps. The Bears won the NFC North and enter the NFC Playoffs as the No. 3 seed. Chicago hosts Philadelphia in the Wild Card Round on Sunday at 3:40 p.m. (CT) on NBC.
Jordan Willis, DE – Cincinnati Bengals
Willis, a third-round pick in last year's draft, made one tackle in Cincinnati's 16-13 loss at Pittsburgh, the Bengals' 2018 season finale. Willis finished his second season in the NFL with 20 tackles and a sack, bringing his career total to 45 tackles and two sacks. The Bengals finished the year with a 6-10 record.
Players Mentioned
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