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.
Chris Godwin and Saquon Barkley paced former Penn Staters on offense with 100-yard games, as Godwin set career highs for receptions and receiving yardage and Barkley rushed for more than 100 yards for a third consecutive game, dating back to last season. Both found the end zone, as well.
Two rookie Nittany Lions enjoyed NFL firsts, as Eagles running back Miles Sanders made his first start and Rams safety Nick Scott made his first two tackles. Additionally, Sam Ficken made his debut with the Jets, converting his lone field goal attempt.
Marcus Allen (2014-17) S, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Seahawks 28, Steelers 26
- Allen is on the Steelers practice squad.
Adrian Amos (2011-14) FS, Green Bay Packers
- Packers 21, Vikings 16
- Amos started at safety and made four tackles, including one tackle for loss.
Troy Apke (2014-17) S, Washington Redskins
- Cowboys 31, Redskins 21
- Apke saw time on special teams, where he had one tackle.
Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, New York Giants
- Bills 28, Giants 14
- Barkley had 18 carries for 107 yards, including a 27-yard run for the first touchdown of the game. He also had three receptions for 28 yards. Barkley is second in the NFL with 227 rushing yards for the year.
Ryan Bates (2015-18) OL, Buffalo Bills
- Bills 28, Giants 14
- Bates was inactive against the Jets.
Jason Cabinda (2014-17) LB, Detroit Lions
- Lions 13, Chargers 10
- Cabinda is on the Lions practice squad.
Jack Crawford (2008-11) DL, Atlanta Falcons
- Falcons 24, Eagles 20
- Crawford started at defensive end and had one tackle.
Sam Ficken (2011-14) K, New York Jets
- Browns 23, Jets 3
- Ficken made his debut with the Jets on Monday night and kicked a 46-yard field goal.
Mike Gesicki (2014-17) TE, Miami Dolphins
- Patriots 42, Dolphins 0
- Gesicki had one reception for 11 yards.
Kevin Givens (2015-18) DL, San Francisco 49ers
- 49ers 41, Bengals 17
- Givens is on the 49ers practice squad.
Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Buccaneers 20, Panthers 14
- Godwin started and had eight receptions for 121 yards – both career highs – and his second touchdown of the season in a Thursday night win over the Panthers. It was his fifth-career 100-yard receiving game.
Robbie Gould (2001-04) K, San Francisco 49ers
- 49ers 41, Bengals 17
- Gould converted two of his three field goal attempts with a long of 38 yards.
Grant Haley (2014-17) CB, New York Giants
- Bills 28, Giants 14
- Haley recorded one tackle and saw action on 62 percent of the game's defensive snaps.
DaeSean Hamilton (2014-17) WR, Denver Broncos
- Bears 16, Broncos 14
- Hamilton made two catches for 15 yards.
Chris Hogan (men's lacrosse - 2007-10) WR, Carolina Panthers
- Buccaneers 20, Panthers 14
- Hogan had one reception for 12 yards, returned a kickoff for 21 yards and made a tackle on special teams.
Mike Hull (2011-14) LB, Miami Dolphins
- Patriots 43, Dolphins 0
- Hull is on the physically unable to perform list.
Jesse James (2012-14) TE, Detroit Lions
- Lions 13, Chargers 10
- James had three receptions for 18 yards in the win over the Chargers.
DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DE, Tennessee Titans
- Colts 19, Titans 17
- Jones started and made six tackles, five of which were solo stops.
Austin Johnson (2012-15) DL, Tennessee Titans
- Colts 19, Titans 17
- Johnson saw action on defense and special teams.
Sean Lee (2005-07, 2009) MLB, Dallas Cowboys
- Cowboys 31, Redskins 21
- Lee started at linebacker and recorded two tackles in a win over the Redskins.
Jordan Lucas (2012-15) CB, Kansas City Chiefs
- Chiefs 28, Raiders 10
- Lucas saw time on special teams and made one tackle against the Raiders.
Connor McGovern (2016-18) OL, Dallas Cowboys
- Cowboys 31, Redskins 21
- McGovern is on injured reserve.
Trace McSorley (2014-18) QB, Baltimore Ravens
- Ravens 23, Cardinals 17
- McSorley was inactive against the Cardinals.
Shareef Miller (2015-18) DE, Philadelphia Eagles
- Falcons 24, Eagles 20
- Miller was inactive against the Falcons.
Carl Nassib (2011-15) DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Buccaneers 20, Panthers 14
- Nassib started at outside linebacker and had a pair of tackles in a Thursday night win over the Panthers.
Amani Oruwariye (2014-18) CB, Detroit Lions
- Lions 13, Chargers 10
- Oruwariye was inactive against the Chargers.
Allen Robinson (2011-13) WR, Chicago Bears
- Bears 16, Broncos 14
- Robinson started at wide receiver for the Bears and had four receptions for 41 yards.
Miles Sanders (2016-18) RB, Philadelphia Eagles
- Falcons 24, Eagles 20
- On Sunday Night Football, Sanders made his first NFL start and rushed for 28 yards on 10 carries and had three receptions for 9 yards.
Nick Scott (2014-18) S, Los Angeles Rams
- Rams 27, Saints 9
- Scott saw action on special teams and made his first two tackles in the NFL.
A.Q. Shipley (2005-08) C, Arizona Cardinals
- Ravens 23, Cardinals 17
- Shipley started at center and helped pave the way for Kyler Murray to throw for 349 yards against the Ravens.
Donovan Smith (2012-13) T, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Buccaneers 20, Panthers 14
- Smith started at left tackle for the Buccaneers, marking his 66th consecutive start.
Cameron Wake (2000, 02-04) OLB, Tennessee Titans
- Colts 19, Titans 17
- Wake had a tackle against the Colts with one quarterback hit on Jacoby Brissett.
Trevor Williams (2012-15) CB, Los Angeles Chargers
- Lions 13, Chargers 10
- Williams is on injured reserve with a quadricep injury.