A total of 34 Penn State football alumni are populating the rosters of 21 National Football League teams. The Nittany Lions are perennially a top-20 program in producing players in the NFL. Each week throughout the year, GoPSUsports.com provides updates on the exploits of these former Nittany Lion greats.
In Week 12, former Nittany Lion defensive ends stood out as Jack Crawford (Falcons), Carl Nassib (Buccaneers) and Cameron Wake (Dolphins) all recorded a sack each, while Nassib and Wake also both forced fumbles. Other top performers on defense included Cardinals linebacker Gerald Hodges, who made a season-high 10 tackles, and Browns defensive tackle Anthony Zettel, who made a season-high five stop.
On offense, Saquon Barkley continued his stellar rookie campaign with a pair of touchdowns and another 100-plus yard effort for the Giants.
Marcus Allen (2014-17) S, Pittsburgh Steelers
Broncos 24, Steelers 17
Allen was inactive.
Adrian Amos (2011-14) FS, Chicago Bears
Bears 23, Lions 16
Amos made four tackles in a Thanksgiving Day win over the Lions.
Troy Apke (2014-17) S, Washington Redskins
Cowboys 31, Redskins 23
Apke is on injured reserve.
Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, New York Giants
Eagles 25, Giants 22
Barkley had a big first half, rushing nine times for 94 yards, including a 51-yard touchdown run, and catching six passes for 37 yards with a 13-yard touchdown. He finished with 13 carries for 101 yards and seven receptions for 41 yards.
According to Giants.com, Barkley became just the fourth NFL rookie all-time to score both a receiving and rushing touchdown in the same game in consecutive weeks. He joined the Browns' Nick Chubb, who did it in Week 10 and Sunday following a Week 11 bye, as well as Elvin (Kink) Richards (1933 Giants) and Rodney Culver (1992 Colts). Barkley is also the first NFL rookie with three touchdown runs of 50 yards or more since Adrian Peterson in 2007. His three 50-plus yard touchdown runs tie a Giants franchise record and tie the team's over the previous 10 seasons. Barkley also totaled 100-plus yards from scrimmage for the 10th time in his first 11 games, joining NFL Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson as the second player to ever accomplish the feat.
Barkley ranks third in the NFL with 1,410 yards from scrimmage behind the Rams' Todd Gurley (1,484) and the Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliot (1,437).
Brandon Bell (2013-16) LB, Cincinnati Bengals
Browns 35, Bengals 20
Bell made a tackle on special teams in his second game of the season.
Saeed Blacknall (2014-17) WR, Oakland Raiders
Ravens 34, Raiders 17
Blacknall is on the Raiders practice squad.
Jason Cabinda (2014-17) LB, Oakland Raiders
Ravens 34, Raiders 17
Cabinda tied his season high with four tackles against the Ravens.
Curtis Cothran (2013-17) DT, Minnesota Vikings
Vikings 24, Packers 17
Cothran is on the Vikings practice squad.
Jack Crawford (2008-11) DL, Atlanta Falcons
Saints 31, Falcons 17
Crawford started at defensive end and registered a sack and another tackle for loss.
Mike Gesicki (2014-17) TE, Miami Dolphins
Colts 27, Dolphins 24
Gesicki started and caught one pass for 5 yards.
Garry Gilliam (2010-12) OL, San Francisco 49ers
Buccaneers 27, 49ers 9
Gilliam saw limited action on special teams.
Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers 27, 49ers 9
Godwin caught four passes for 42 yards in a win over the 49ers.
Malik Golden (2012-16) S, Pittsburgh Steelers
Broncos 24, Steelers 17
Golden is on injured reserve with a knee injury.
Robbie Gould (2001-04) K, San Francisco 49ers
Buccaneers 27, 49ers 9
Gould converted a 23-yard field goal.
Grant Haley (2014-17) CB, New York Giants
Eagles 25, Giants 22
Haley made his fourth consecutive start and made three tackles and a pass break up. Pro Football Focus gave Haley its fourth-highest grade of the week amongst cornerbacks that played 15 or more snaps.
DaeSean Hamilton (2014-17) WR, Denver Broncos
Broncos 24, Steelers 17
Hamilton caught one pass for 13 yards.
Gerald Hodges (2009-12) LB, Arizona Cardinals
Chargers 45, Cardinals 10
Hodges led the Cardinals with a season-high 10 tackles, including seven solo stops.
Chris Hogan (men's lacrosse - 2007-10) WR, New England Patriots
Patriots 27, Jets 13
Hogan started and made two receptions for 47 yards in a win over the Jets.
Mike Hull (2011-14) LB, Miami Dolphins
Colts 27, Dolphins 24
Hull saw extensive action on special teams and made one tackle.
Jesse James (2012-14) TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Broncos 24, Steelers 17
James started at tight end for the fifth time this season and made four receptions for 35 yards.
DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DE, Tennessee Titans
Texans 34, Titans 17
Jones started and made three tackles in the Titans' loss on Monday night.
Austin Johnson (2012-15) DL, Tennessee Titans
Texans 34, Titans 17
Johnson started and made one tackle.
Sean Lee (2005-07, 2009) MLB, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 31, Redskins 23
Lee was not active with a hamstring injury.
Jordan Lucas (2012-15) CB, Kansas City Chiefs
Bye Week
Brendan Mahon (2013-17) OL, Carolina Panthers
Seahawks 30, Panthers 27
Mahon was inactive.
Carl Nassib (2011-15) DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers 27, 49ers 9
Nassib started for the Buccaneers at defensive end for the fifth time in six weeks and recorded a sack and forced fumble.
Allen Robinson (2011-13) WR, Chicago Bears
Bears 23, Lions 16
Robinson caught two passes for 37 yards in a Thanksgiving Day win over the Lions.
A.Q. Shipley (2005-08) C, Arizona Cardinals
Chargers 45, Cardinals 10
Shipley is on injured reserve with an ACL injury and will miss the 2018 season.
Garrett Sickels (2013-16) LB, Los Angeles Rams
Bye Week
Sickels is on injured reserve.
Donovan Smith (2012-13) T, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers 27, 49ers 9
Smith started at left tackle for the Buccaneers and has started all 59 games of his career. He led an offensive line that allowed just one sack in a win over the 49ers.
Nate Stupar (2008-11) LB, New York Giants
Eagles 25, Giants 22
Stupar saw extensive action on special teams.
Ross Travis (men's basketball - 2011-14) TE, Indianapolis Colts
Colts 27, Dolphins 24
Travis is on the injured reserve with an ACL injury.
Cameron Wake (2000, 02-04) DE, Miami Dolphins
Colts 27, Dolphins 24
Wake started and recorded a sack and forced fumble.
Trevor Williams (2012-15) CB, Los Angeles Chargers
Chargers 45, Cardinals 10
Williams was inactive for a third-straight game after being sidelined with a knee injury.
Stefen Wisniewski (2007-10) G/C, Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles 25, Giants 22
Wisniewski saw limited action at guard and on special teams.
Anthony Zettel (2012-15) DL, Cleveland Browns
Browns 35, Bengals 20
Zettel made a season-high five tackles, including one behind the line, in a win over the Bengals.
