Jan. 4, 2017
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - A total of 31 Penn State football alumni are populating the active rosters of 22 National Football League teams. The Nittany Lions annually are among the top 20 programs nationally in producing players in the NFL. Each week throughout the year, GoPSUsports.com has provided updates on the exploits of these former Nittany Lion greats.
DaQuan Jones was the standout in the final week of the NFL regular season, as he recovered a fumble in the end zone for a Titans touchdown. Other noteworthy performances included Allen Robinson's five-catch, 82-yard effort for the Jaguars and Trevor Williams matched a career high with a six-tackle effort for the Chargers.
Linebacker U led former Penn Staters on the stat charts with Sean Lee ranking fourth in the NFL with 145 total tackles despite sitting the final week to rest for the playoffs and Paul Posluszny ranking tied for eighth with 132 stops. Pro Bowl defensive end Cameron Wake ranked sixth in the NFL with 11.5 sacks, while Allen Robinson ranked among the Top 40 in receptions (73) receiving yards (883) and receiving touchdowns (6).
Adrian Amos (2011-14) FS, Chicago Bears
Vikings 38, Bears 10
Amos made three tackles, including one behind the line, in the Bears' season finale. Amos finished his second NFL season with 65 tackles and four passes defended. He appeared in 15 games and made 14 starts, missing one game and two starts due to injury.
Navorro Bowman (2007-09) LB, San Francisco 49ers
Seahawks 25, 49ers 23
Bowman missed the final 12 games of the season with a torn Achilles. He had not missed a game in his previous five NFL regular seasons.
Kyle Carter (2012-15) TE, Minnesota Vikings
Vikings 38, Bears 10
Carter spent the regular season on the Vikings practice squad.
Jack Crawford (2008-11) DE, Dallas Cowboys
Eagles 27, Cowboys 13
Crawford started and assisted on a sack in addition to two solo tackles in the Cowboys' regular season finale. He made a career-high 25 tackles and 10 starts in his fifth NFL season.
Garry Gilliam (2010-12) T, Seattle Seahawks
Seahawks 25, 49ers 23
Gilliam started in a win over the 49ers for the playoff bound Seahawks. Gilliam made 13 starts and appeared in 14 games.
Robbie Gould (2001-04) K, New York Giants
Giants 19, Redskins 10
Gould converted both of his field goal attempts and his lone extra point in the Giants' regular season finale. Gould converted all 10 field goal attempts and made 20-of-23 extra points after being signed by the Giants before Week 7.
Christian Hackenberg (2013-15) QB, New York Jets
Jets 30, Bills 10
Hackenberg was active for the first time this season but did not play.
Tamba Hali (2002-05) LB, Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs 37, Chargers 27
Hali started and made one tackle in a win over the Chargers. Hali appeared in all 16 regular season games for the AFC West champions and made two starts. He totaled 24 tackles and 3.5 sacks and made two starts.
Jordan Hill (2009-12) DT, Jacksonville Jaguars
Colts 24, Jaguars 20
Hill was inactive in Week 17. He appeared in four games for the Jaguars.
Chris Hogan (men's lacrosse 2007-10) WR, New England Patriots
Patriots 35, Dolphins 14
Hogan started and made four catches for 27 yards in a win over the Dolphins. Hogan finished the regular season with 38 receptions for a career-high 680 yards. He also matched his career high of four receiving touchdowns.
Gerald Hodges (2009-12) LB, San Francisco 49ers
Seahawks 25, 49ers 23
Hodges started and made four tackles to conclude his best of five seasons in the NFL. Hodges played in a career-high 15 games and also set career highs for starts (12), tackles (83), sacks (3.0) and interceptions (2).
Mike Hull (2011-14) LB, Miami Dolphins
Patriots 35, Dolphins 14
Hull made two tackles on defense and one on special teams in a loss to the Patriots. Hull appeared in all 16 games and made one start for the playoff-bound Dolphins. He finished the season with 33 tackles and one interception, seeing action on both defense and special teams in his second NFL season.
Jesse James (2012-14) TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 27, Browns 24 (OT)
James made two catches for 16 yards in an overtime win over the Browns. James finished the regular season with career highs in all categories, making 39 receptions for 338 yards and three touchdowns. He appeared in all 16 games with 13 starts in his second NFL season.
DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DE, Tennessee Titans
Titans 24, Texans 17
Jones proved to be a big factor, as his fumble recovery in the end zone for a touchdown gave the Titans a lead they would not relinquish in a seven-point win over the Texans. It was Jones' first career touchdown. He finished his third NFL season with 26 tackles and 1.5 sacks after starting all 16 games for a second consecutive season.
Austin Johnson (2012-15) DT, Tennessee Titans
Titans 24, Texans 17
Johnson made a pair of tackles in a win over the Texans. He appeared in 10 games in his rookie season, making 14 tackles and assisting on a sack.
Sean Lee (2005-07, 2009) MLB, Dallas Cowboys
Eagles 27, Cowboys 13
With the Cowboys top playoff seed secure, Lee sat out the season finale. Lee finished the regular season tied for fourth in the NFL in total tackles with 145.
Jordan Lucas (2012-15) CB, Miami Dolphins
Patriots 35, Dolphins 14
Lucas saw action in Week 17. He finished the regular season with eight appearances and two tackles.
Michael Mauti (2008, 2010-12) LB, New Orleans Saints
Falcons 38, Saints 32
Mauti made nine tackles and one sack in eight games after seeing time on defense and special teams, but was placed on the non-football injury list following Week 9.
Matt McGloin (2010-12) QB, Oakland Raiders
Broncos 24, Raiders 6
McGloin made his first start of the season but left the game with an injury after completing 6-of-11 passes for 21 yards. He finished the regular season with three appearances.
Carl Nassib (2011-15) DE, Cleveland Browns
Steelers 27, Browns 24 (OT)
Nassib made three tackles, including one sack, in an overtime loss to the Steelers. He made 20 tackles and 2.5 sacks in his rookie season, playing in all but two games due to injury and making three starts.
Jordan Norwood (2005-08) WR, Denver Broncos
Broncos 24, Raiders 6
Norwood was inactive for Week 17. In 14 games and six starts, he made 21 receptions for 232 yards and one touchdown and returned 25 punts for an average of 8.2 yards.
Jared Odrick (2006-09) DE, Jacksonville Jaguars
Colts 24, Jaguars 20
Odrick was hampered by injury all season and was limited to just 12 tackles and a sack in six games. He was placed on injured reserve prior to Week 14.
Paul Posluszny (2003-06) LB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Colts 24, Jaguars 20
Posluszny made five stops, including one behind the line, and deflected a pass in the season finale. He finished the season ranking tied for eighth in the NFL with 132 tackles and also made 1.5 sacks, an interception and three pass breakups in his eighth NFL season.
Allen Robinson (2011-13) WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Colts 24, Jaguars 20
Robinson made five catches for 82 yards with a long reception of 42 yards that highlighted a field goal drive. He finished his third NFL season with 73 receptions for 883 yards and six touchdowns, ranking in the top 40 in the NFL in each category.
A.Q. Shipley (2005-08) C, Arizona Cardinals
Cardinals 44, Rams 6
Shipley started at center and anchored an offensive line that yielded just one sack in a win over the Rams. Shipley played in all 16 games for the second time in his five-year career and started all of them for the first time.
Donovan Smith (2012-13) OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers 17, Panthers 16
Smith started and helped the Bucs earn a one-point win over the Panthers. Smith has started all 32 career games in his first two seasons in the NFL.
Devon Still (2007-11) DT, Houston Texans
Titans 24, Texans 17
Still played in just three games before being placed on injured reserve with a foot injury.
Nate Stupar (2008-11) LB, New Orleans Saints
Falcons 38, Saints 32
Stupar made three tackles on defense and made one tackle on special teams against his former Falcons team. Stupar finished his first season with the Saints with a career-high 58 tackles, one sack and two passes defended. He also made his first career interception. He appeared in all 16 games for the second time in as many years and in his five-year career, and made a career-high six starts.
Ross Travis (men's basketball 2011-14) TE, Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs 37, Chargers 27
Travis was inactive in Week 17. He made three catches for 15 yards in six games and three starts.
John Urschel (2011-13) OL, Baltimore Ravens
Bengals 27, Ravens 10
Urschel saw action in the Ravens' season finale. The third-year NFL vet made 13 appearances and three starts.
Cameron Wake (2000, 02-04) DE, Miami Dolphins
Patriots 35, Dolphins 14
Wake made one tackle in a loss to the Patriots. The Pro Bowl and playoff-bound Wake made 11.5 sacks on the season to rank sixth in the NFL.
Trevor Wiliams (2012-15) CB, San Diego Chargers
Chiefs 37, Chargers 27
Williams made his fifth career start and matched his career high of six tackles. An undrafted free agent, Williams was signed off Chargers the practice squad in October and appeared in the final 12 games of the season, starting five out of the final six. He made 31 tackles in his rookie season.
Stefen Wisniewski (2007-10) G/C, Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles 27, Cowboys 13
Wisniewski saw action in a win over the Cowboys. He appeared in all 16 games in his first season with the Eagles and made six starts.
Anthony Zettel, 2012-2015, DL, Detroit Lions
Packers 31, Lions 24
Zettel made one tackle in a loss to the Packers on Sunday night. He concluded his rookie season with 13 tackles and a sack in 13 games.