UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A total of 47 Penn State Football alumni are populating the rosters of 24 National Football League organizations. The Nittany Lions annually rank among the top 20 programs nationally in producing players in the NFL.
Saquon Barkley continued his excellent start to the season with another 100-yard rushing performance. Barkley posted 108 yards on 22 carries, upping his season rushing total to 766 yards, the second-highest total in the NFL. Mike Gesicki caught seven passes for 73 yards, leading the Bengals' receiving corps. Fellow tight end Brenton Strange posted a five-catch, 59-yard performance for Jacksonville.
Defensively, Bills defensive tackle Austin Johnson recorded his first NFL interception on a tipped ball at the line of scrimmage. Cardinals punter Blake Gillikin continued his excellent campaign with a 53.3 yards-per-punt average against the Dolphins. He currently ranks tenth in the NFL in net punting average with a 43.1 mark.
Here’s how these former Nittany Lion greats fared in Week 8 of the 2024 NFL season.
Adrian Amos (2011-13) S, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 30, Cowboys 24
- Was elevated to the active roster and saw action on special teams.
Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles 37, Bengals 17
- Posted 108 rushing yards on 22 carries.
- Caught one pass for three yards.
- Is second in the NFL in rushing yards (766) and rushing yards per game (109.4), and is tied for tenth in the league with five rushing scores.
Ryan Bates (2016-18) OL, Chicago Bears
Commanders 18, Bears 15
- Is on injured reserve.
Jaquan Brisker (2019-21) S, Chicago Bears
Commanders 18, Bears 15
- Was inactive.
Cam Brown (2016-19) LB, Miami Dolphins
Cardinals 28, Dolphins 27
- Is on injured reserve.
Ji’Ayir Brown (2020-22) S, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 30, Cowboys 24
- Posted five tackles (4 solo).
- Defended a pass.
Tariq Castro-Fields (2017-21) CB, Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles 37, Bengals 17
- Is a member of Philadelphia’s practice squad.
Dan Chisena (2015-19) WR, Carolina Panthers
Broncos 28, Panthers 14
- Chisena is a member of Carolina’s practice squad.
Sean Clifford (2017-22) QB, Green Bay Packers
Packers 30, Jaguars 27
- Is a member of Green Bay’s practice squad.
Jahan Dotson (2018-21) WR, Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles 37, Bengals 17
- Saw action on offense.
Arnold Ebiketie (2021) LB, Atlanta Falcons
Falcons 31, Buccaneers 26
- Made a solo tackle.
Olumuyiwa Fashanu (2020-23) OL, New York Jets
Patriots 25, Jets 22
- Saw action on offense and special teams.
Pat Freiermuth (2018-20) TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 26, Giants 18
- Caught two passes for 19 yards.
Will Fries (2017-20) OL, Indianapolis Colts
Texans 23, Colts 20
- Is on injured reserve.
Mike Gesicki (2014-17) TE, Cincinnati Bengals
Eagles 37, Bengals 17
- Led the team with 73 receiving yards on seven catches.
Blake Gillikin (2016-19) P, Arizona Cardinals
Cardinals 28, Dolphins 27
- Punted three times for 160 yards, a 53.3 yards per punt average.
- Landed two punts inside the 20 and posted a long punt of 60 yards.
- Is tenth in the NFL with a 43.1 net punting average mark.
Kevin Givens (2016-18) DT, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 30, Cowboys 24
- Was inactive.
Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Falcons 31, Buccaneers 26
- Is on injured reserve.
- At the time of his season-ending injury, led the NFL in yards after catch with 350, was second in the NFL in receiving yards (576), was tied for third with five receiving touchdowns, and was sixth in yards per game (82.3).
Yetur Gross-Matos (2017-19) DE, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 30, Cowboys 24
- Is on injured reserve.
KJ Hamler (2017-2019) WR, Buffalo Bills
Bills 31, Seahawks 10
- Is a member of Buffalo’s practice squad.
Daequan Hardy (2019-23) CB, Buffalo Bills
Bills 31, Seahawks 10
- Is a member of Buffalo’s practice squad.
Adisa Isaac (2019-23) LB, Baltimore Ravens
Browns 29, Ravens 24
- Was inactive.
Curtis Jacobs (2020-23) LB, New England Patriots
Patriots 25, Jets 22
- Saw action on special teams.
Austin Johnson (2013-15) DT, Buffalo Bills
Bills 31, Seahawks 10
- Recorded the first interception of his NFL career.
- Assisted on one tackle.
Theo Johnson (2020-23) TE, New York Giants
Steelers 26, Giants 18
- Hauled in three passes for 35 yards.
DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DL, Buffalo Bills
Bills 31, Seahawks 10
- Made his eighth consecutive start on the Bills’ defensive line to begin the season.
Kalen King (2021-23) CB, Green Bay Packers
Packers 30, Jaguars 27
- Is a member of Green Bay’s practice squad.
Jesse Luketa (2018-21) LB, Arizona Cardinals
Cardinals 28, Dolphins 27
- Made a solo tackle for loss.
Connor McGovern (2016-18) OL, Buffalo Bills
Bills 31, Seahawks 10
- Made his eighth start of the season on Buffalo’s offensive line.
PJ Mustipher (2018-22) DL, Arizona Cardinals.
Cardinals 28, Dolphins 27
- Is a member of Arizona’s practice squad.
Hunter Nourzad (2022-23) OL, Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs 27, Raiders 20
- Saw action on special teams.
Amani Oruwariye (2015-18) CB, Dallas Cowboys
49ers 30, Cowboys 24
- Made a season-high eight tackles (6 solo).
Odafe Oweh (2019-20) LB, Baltimore Ravens
Browns 29, Ravens 24
- Made two tackles (1 solo).
- Added one quarterback hit.
Micah Parsons (2018-19) LB, Dallas Cowboys
49ers 30, Cowboys 24
- Was inactive.
Joey Porter Jr. (2019-22) CB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 26, Giants 18
- Tallied eight tackles (4 solo).
Chop Robinson (2022-23) LB, Miami Dolphins
Cardinals 28, Dolphins 27
- Posted a solo tackle for loss.
Allen Robinson II (2011-13) WR, Detroit Lions
Lions 52, Titans 14
- Saw one target in the passing game.
Miles Sanders (2016-18) RB, Carolina Panthers
Broncos 28, Panthers 14
- Recorded one carry for seven yards.
- Tallied a career-high seven catches for 38 yards.
Nick Scott (2015-18) S, Carolina Panthers
Broncos 28, Panthers 14
- Is on injured reserve.
Juice Scruggs (2018-22) OL, Houston Texans
Texans 23, Colts 20
- Made his seventh start of the season and played 100 percent of Houston’s offensive snaps.
Chris Stoll (2017-22) LS, Seattle Seahawks
Bills 31, Seahawks 10
- Serves as Seattle’s primary long snapper.
Jordan Stout (2019-21) P, Baltimore Ravens
Browns 29, Ravens 24
- Punted four times for 209 yards, a 52.3 yards per punt average.
- Dropped one punt inside the 20-yard line and recorded a long punt of 64 yards.
Brenton Strange (2019-22) TE, Jacksonville Jaguars
Packers 30, Jaguars 27
- Caught five passes for 59 yards.
Mitchell Tinsley (2022) WR, Washington Commanders
Commanders 18, Bears 15
- Is a member of Washington’s practice squad.
Rasheed Walker (2019-21) OL, Green Bay Packers
Packers 30, Jaguars 27
- Made his eighth start of the season on the offensive line.
- Has played in every offensive snap this season for Green Bay.
Caedan Wallace (2019-23) OL, New England Patriots
Patriots 25, Jets 22
- Is on injured reserve.
Parker Washington (2020-22) WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Packers 30, Jaguars 27
- Caught three passes for 46 yards.
- Returned two kickoffs for 51 yards, averaging 25.5 yards per return.
- Also returned two punts.
The 2024 Penn State football season is presented by PSECU.