UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A total of 32 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.
A pair of veterans playing for new teams posted some of the biggest performances among Nittany Lion alums during the first week of the 2019 NFL season. After 10 years with the Dolphins, outside linebacker Cameron Wake joined the Titans and was in on 2.5 sacks of Baker Mayfield in a big win over Cleveland, while safety Adrian Amos tallied an interception for the Packers in a win over his former team, the Bears.
Allen Robinson and Saquon Barkley led former Nittany Lions on offense with 100-yard receiving and rushing games, respectively. Barkley's stat line included an electrifying 59-yard run.
Two rookie Penn Staters made their NFL debuts, as running back Miles Sanders had 11 carries for 25 yards with the Eagles and safety Nick Scott played for the Rams on special teams.
Marcus Allen (2014-17) S, Pittsburgh Steelers
Patriots 33, Steelers 3
Allen is on the Steelers practice squad.
Adrian Amos (2011-14) FS, Green Bay Packers
Packers 10, Bears 3
Amos started at safety against his former team and made five tackles. He also had his fourth career interception in the end zone to seal the win for the Packers.
Troy Apke (2014-17) S, Washington Redskins
Eagles 32, Redskins 27
Apke saw limited time on special teams where he had a tackle.
Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, New York Giants
Cowboys 35, Giants 17
Barkley started at running back and had 11 carries for 120 yards, including an electrifying 59-yard run. He also had four receptions for 19 yards. This is his eighth time rushing more than 100 yards in his 17 career games.
Ryan Bates (2015-18) OL, Buffalo Bills
Bills 17, Jets 16
Bates was inactive against the Jets.
Jason Cabinda (2014-17) LB, Detroit Lions
Lions 27, Cardinals 27
Cabinda is on the Lions practice squad.
Jack Crawford (2008-11) DL, Atlanta Falcons
Vikings 28, Falcons 12
Crawford made two tackles. He saw action on defense and special teams.
Sam Ficken (2011-14) K, New York Jets
Ficken signed with the Jets on Tuesday.
Mike Gesicki (2014-17) TE, Miami Dolphins
Ravens 59, Dolphins 10
Gesicki had two receptions for 31 yards.
Kevin Givens (2015-18) DL, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 31, Buccaneers 17
Givens is on the 49ers practice squad.
Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
49ers 31, Buccaneers 17
Godwin started and had three receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown.
Robbie Gould (2001-04) K, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 31, Buccaneers 17
Gould converted three of four field goal attempts with a long of 47 yards. His lone miss was a 57-yard attempt that hit the crossbar.
Grant Haley (2014-17) CB, New York Giants
Cowboys 35, Giants 17
Haley recorded four tackles, seeing action on 63 percent of the game's defensive snaps.
DaeSean Hamilton (2014-17) WR, Denver Broncos
Raiders 24, Broncos 16
Hamilton made two catches for 5 yards on Monday Night Football.
Chris Hogan (men's lacrosse - 2007-10) WR, Carolina Panthers
Rams 30, Panthers 27
Hogan was targeted once in his Panthers debut.
Mike Hull (2011-14) LB, Miami Dolphins
Ravens 59, Dolphins 10
Hull is on the physically unable to perform list.
Jesse James (2012-14) TE, Detroit Lions
Lions 27, Cardinals 27
James started the game and had a 15-yard reception.
DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DE, Tennessee Titans
Titans 43, Browns 13
Jones started and made three tackles.
Austin Johnson (2012-15) DL, Tennessee Titans
Titans 43, Browns 13
Johnson made three tackles.
Sean Lee (2005-07, 2009) MLB, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 35, Giants 17
Lee started and recorded one tackle.
Jordan Lucas (2012-15) CB, Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs 40, Jaguars 26
Lucas was inactive against the Jaguars.
Connor McGovern (2016-18) OL, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 35, Giants 17
McGovern is on injured reserve.
Trace McSorley (2014-18) QB, Baltimore Ravens
Ravens 59, Dolphins 10
McSorley was inactive against the Dolphins.
Shareef Miller (2015-18) DE, Philadelphia
Eagles 32, Redskins 27
Miller was inactive against the Redskins.
Carl Nassib (2011-15) DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
49ers 31, Buccaneers 17
Nassib started and recorded two tackles.
Amani Oruwariye (2014-18) CB, Detroit Lions
Lions 27, Cardinals 27
Oruwariye was inactive against the Cardinals.
Allen Robinson (2011-13) WR, Chicago Bears
Packers 10, Bears 3
Robinson pulled in seven receptions for 102 yards.
Miles Sanders (2016-18) RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles 32, Redskins 27
Sanders rushed for 25 yards on 11 attempts and had a 2-yard reception in his NFL debut.
Nick Scott (2014-18) S, Los Angeles Rams
Rams 30, Panthers 27
Scott saw action on special teams in his NFL debut.
A.Q. Shipley (2005-08) C, Arizona Cardinals
Lions 27, Cardinals 27
Shipley started and played all of the snaps after missing the entire 2018 season due to injury.
Donovan Smith (2012-13) T, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
49ers 31, Buccaneers 17
Smith started at left tackle for the Buccaneers, marking his 65th consecutive start.
Cameron Wake (2000, 02-04) OLB, Tennessee Titans
Titans 43, Browns 13
Wake made an impact in his Titans debut by sacking Baker Mayfield 2.5 times, including one for a safety. He tallied four QB hits total. Wake joined the illustrious 100-sack club for his NFL career, becoming the 33rd NFL player to do so.
Trevor Williams (2012-15) CB, Los Angeles Chargers
Chargers 30, Colts 24
Williams was inactive against the Colts.
