Wildcats in the NFL – Week 1
Sep 11, 2018 | Football
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Each week throughout the 2018 season, k-statesports.com recaps the action for the 11 former Kansas State football players currently in the NFL.
Deante Burton, CB – Green Bay Packers
After spending a year on the Falcons' practice squad, Burton played in his first-career NFL game on Thursday night, carding one defensive tackle in Atlanta's 18-12 loss at Philadelphia. A wide receiver at K-State, Burton played on five defensive snaps and 18 special-teams plays. Burton was waived by the Falcons on Monday and was quickly claimed by Green Bay on Tuesday. The Packers host Minnesota on Sunday.
B.J. Finney, OL – Pittsburgh Steelers
Finney, an undrafted rookie free agent signee by Pittsburgh in 2015 who is in his third year on the active roster, saw action on two offensive plays and four special teams plays in the Steelers' 21-21 tie at Cleveland. A product of Andale, Kansas, Finney has played in 28 career games with seven starts. The Steelers host Kansas City on Sunday.
Emmanuel Lamur, LB – Oakland Raiders
A seventh-year linebacker, Lamur played on one defensive snap and a special-teams play in Oakland's 33-13 Monday-night loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Lamur is with his third NFL team as he broke into the league with Cincinnati in 2012 and spent three seasons with the Bengals before playing the last two years in Minnesota. The Raiders travel to face Denver on Sunday.
Elijah Lee, LB – San Francisco 49ers
Lee, a native of Blue Springs, Missouri, made four defensive tackles – all coming in the fourth quarter – among his 10 defensive plays on San Francisco's 24-16 loss at Minnesota. Lee's four tackles against the Vikings were a career high and equaled the among he had during his rookie season of 2017. The 49ers host Detroit on Sunday.
Tyler Lockett, WR/Returner – Seattle Seahawks
In his fourth professional season, Lockett came away with 109 all-purpose yards with a majority of those coming on a 51-yard touchdown reception in Seattle's 27-24 loss at Denver. He caught three passes for 59 yards, returned two kickoffs for 39 yards (19.5-yard average) and three punts for 11 yards. The touchdown reception was the 10th of his career, and he has a scoring grab of at least 49 yards in all four years of his career. Seattle travels to Chicago on Monday night.
Jordy Nelson, WR – Oakland Raiders
An 11-year veteran who is in his first season with Oakland, Nelson recorded three receptions for 23 yards in the Raiders' 33-13 Monday-night loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Nelson spent his first 10 NFL seasons in Green Bay – the team that drafted him in the second round in 2008 – but he was cut by the organization in March a salary-cap move. He finished his Packer career ranking second in franchise history in career receiving touchdowns (69), third in catches (550) and fifth in yards (7,848). Oakland travels to face Denver on Sunday.
Terence Newman – Minnesota Vikings
A 15-year NFL veteran, Newman retired from the NFL just prior to the season. He finished his career playing in 221 career games, the 10th most among active NFL players at the time of his retirement. The Salina, Kansas, native carded 876 career tackles, 172 passes defended and 42 interceptions, the later ranking second among active players at the time of his retirement. Upon retiring, Newman immediately joined the Vikings' coaching staff as a defensive backs coach.
Byron Pringle, WR – Kansas City Chiefs
An undrafted rookie free agent this past spring, Pringle was placed on injured reserve prior to the 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 effort against the Packers also included a 47-yard kickoff return. The Chiefs travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers on Sunday.
D.J. Reed, DB – San Francisco 49ers
Reed, a fifth-round draft pick by San Francisco in this year's draft, played on 14 special teams plays in his first-career NFL game, a 24-16 loss at Minnesota. Reed's selection by San Francisco in April extended K-State's Big 12-leading streak to 25-straight years with an NFL Draft pick. The 49ers host Detroit on Sunday.
Darren Sproles, RB/Returner – Philadelphia Eagles
In his 14th NFL season, Sproles started at running back and rushed five times for 10 yards, caught four passes for 22 yards and returned three punts for 29 yards in Philadelphia's 18-12 home win over Atlanta on Thursday night. The Olathe, Kansas, native now has 19,216 career all-purpose yards to rank sixth in NFL history and first among active players. The Eagles travel to face Tampa Bay on Sunday.
Cody Whitehair, OL – Chicago Bears
Whitehair, a second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, started his 33rd-straight game and 32nd at center in Chicago's 24-23 heartbreaking loss at Green Bay. The Abilene, Kansas, native played on all 70 offensive snaps. The Bears host Seattle on Monday night.
Jordan Willis, DE – Cincinnati Bengals
A third-round pick in last year's draft, Willis tallied a pair of quarterback hurries among his 39 defensive plays in Cincinnati's 34-23 road win at Indianapolis. The Bengals have a quick turnaround as they host Baltimore on Thursday night.
Deante Burton, CB – Green Bay Packers
After spending a year on the Falcons' practice squad, Burton played in his first-career NFL game on Thursday night, carding one defensive tackle in Atlanta's 18-12 loss at Philadelphia. A wide receiver at K-State, Burton played on five defensive snaps and 18 special-teams plays. Burton was waived by the Falcons on Monday and was quickly claimed by Green Bay on Tuesday. The Packers host Minnesota on Sunday.
B.J. Finney, OL – Pittsburgh Steelers
Finney, an undrafted rookie free agent signee by Pittsburgh in 2015 who is in his third year on the active roster, saw action on two offensive plays and four special teams plays in the Steelers' 21-21 tie at Cleveland. A product of Andale, Kansas, Finney has played in 28 career games with seven starts. The Steelers host Kansas City on Sunday.
Emmanuel Lamur, LB – Oakland Raiders
A seventh-year linebacker, Lamur played on one defensive snap and a special-teams play in Oakland's 33-13 Monday-night loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Lamur is with his third NFL team as he broke into the league with Cincinnati in 2012 and spent three seasons with the Bengals before playing the last two years in Minnesota. The Raiders travel to face Denver on Sunday.
Elijah Lee, LB – San Francisco 49ers
Lee, a native of Blue Springs, Missouri, made four defensive tackles – all coming in the fourth quarter – among his 10 defensive plays on San Francisco's 24-16 loss at Minnesota. Lee's four tackles against the Vikings were a career high and equaled the among he had during his rookie season of 2017. The 49ers host Detroit on Sunday.
Tyler Lockett, WR/Returner – Seattle Seahawks
In his fourth professional season, Lockett came away with 109 all-purpose yards with a majority of those coming on a 51-yard touchdown reception in Seattle's 27-24 loss at Denver. He caught three passes for 59 yards, returned two kickoffs for 39 yards (19.5-yard average) and three punts for 11 yards. The touchdown reception was the 10th of his career, and he has a scoring grab of at least 49 yards in all four years of his career. Seattle travels to Chicago on Monday night.
What..A..Route. @TDLockett12 takes it home!#SEAvsDEN pic.twitter.com/joxVQT4vDe
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 9, 2018
Jordy Nelson, WR – Oakland Raiders
An 11-year veteran who is in his first season with Oakland, Nelson recorded three receptions for 23 yards in the Raiders' 33-13 Monday-night loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Nelson spent his first 10 NFL seasons in Green Bay – the team that drafted him in the second round in 2008 – but he was cut by the organization in March a salary-cap move. He finished his Packer career ranking second in franchise history in career receiving touchdowns (69), third in catches (550) and fifth in yards (7,848). Oakland travels to face Denver on Sunday.
Terence Newman – Minnesota Vikings
A 15-year NFL veteran, Newman retired from the NFL just prior to the season. He finished his career playing in 221 career games, the 10th most among active NFL players at the time of his retirement. The Salina, Kansas, native carded 876 career tackles, 172 passes defended and 42 interceptions, the later ranking second among active players at the time of his retirement. Upon retiring, Newman immediately joined the Vikings' coaching staff as a defensive backs coach.
Byron Pringle, WR – Kansas City Chiefs
An undrafted rookie free agent this past spring, Pringle was placed on injured reserve prior to the 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 effort against the Packers also included a 47-yard kickoff return. The Chiefs travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers on Sunday.
D.J. Reed, DB – San Francisco 49ers
Reed, a fifth-round draft pick by San Francisco in this year's draft, played on 14 special teams plays in his first-career NFL game, a 24-16 loss at Minnesota. Reed's selection by San Francisco in April extended K-State's Big 12-leading streak to 25-straight years with an NFL Draft pick. The 49ers host Detroit on Sunday.
Darren Sproles, RB/Returner – Philadelphia Eagles
In his 14th NFL season, Sproles started at running back and rushed five times for 10 yards, caught four passes for 22 yards and returned three punts for 29 yards in Philadelphia's 18-12 home win over Atlanta on Thursday night. The Olathe, Kansas, native now has 19,216 career all-purpose yards to rank sixth in NFL history and first among active players. The Eagles travel to face Tampa Bay on Sunday.
Cody Whitehair, OL – Chicago Bears
Whitehair, a second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, started his 33rd-straight game and 32nd at center in Chicago's 24-23 heartbreaking loss at Green Bay. The Abilene, Kansas, native played on all 70 offensive snaps. The Bears host Seattle on Monday night.
Jordan Willis, DE – Cincinnati Bengals
A third-round pick in last year's draft, Willis tallied a pair of quarterback hurries among his 39 defensive plays in Cincinnati's 34-23 road win at Indianapolis. The Bengals have a quick turnaround as they host Baltimore on Thursday night.
Players Mentioned
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