Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1439730
J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 2 6 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M in four games and not recorded any sta- tistics. Cam Brown (2016-19), LB, New York Giants: Brown hasn't played on defense since Week 8 but has carved out a nice role for himself on New York's special teams unit. Jason Cabinda (2014-17), FB, De- troit Lions: Cabinda scored his first career touchdown in Week 15 and has four receptions for 16 yards to go with 23 yards rushing on the season. Dan Chisena (2015-19), WR, Min- nesota Vikings: The former walk-on has three special teams tackles this season and has played occasionally at wideout. Will Fries (2016-20), OL, Indi- anapolis Colts: Fries saw the most action of his career during a win over Arizona on Christmas Day, playing 12 snaps on offense as he appeared in the third game of his rookie season. Mike Gesicki (2014-17), TE, Mi- ami Dolphins: The fourth-year pro and free-agent-to-be is up to 707 receiving yards on the season, which ranks eighth in the NFL among TEs through 15 games played, and has found the end zone twice. Blake Gillikin (2016-19), P, New Orleans Saints: Through 16 weeks, Gillikin ranked seventh in the NFL with an average of 47.9 yards per punt. Kevin Givens (2015-18), DT, San Francisco 49ers: Givens had 12 total tackles in 11 games through December. Chris Godwin (2014-16), WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Godwin suf- fered a season-ending injury in Week 15 against the Saints, tearing his ACL and MCL on a hit to his knee. He finished the year with 98 receptions for 1,103 yards and six scores. At the time of his injury, Godwin ranked fifth in the league in receiving yards. Ro b b i e G o u l d ( 2 0 0 1 - 0 4 ) , K , San Francisco 49ers: Through 16 weeks, Gould was 15 of 18 on field goal attempts and 34 of 35 on extra points. Yetur Gross-Matos (2017-19), DE, Carolina Panthers: Gross-Matos emerged late in the season after injuries held him back at the beginning of the campaign. In a loss to Buffalo in Week 15, he got to the quarterback 2.5 times on only 29 snaps, while also forcing a fumble. He had 3.5 sacks and 24 total tackles through 13 games on the season, getting his first start in week 16. Grant Haley (2014-17), CB, LA Rams: Haley has played in three games since joining the Rams at midseason. Jesse James (2012-14), TE, Chi- cago Bears: James started eight games through the season's first 16 weeks for the Bears, with six receptions on seven targets and one touchdown. Austin Johnson (2012-15), DT, New York Giants: Johnson has 63 tackles on the season to go with 3.5 sacks. Juwan Johnson (2015-18), TE, New Orleans Saints: Johnson has 11 receptions for 150 yards and three touchdowns on the season. DaQuan Jones (2010-13), DT, Carolina Panthers: Jones is up to 34 tackles for Carolina this season and had started all 15 games through the end of December. Connor McGovern (2016-18), OL, Dallas Cowboys: McGovern has started four games this season for the Cowboys at left guard. Trace McSorley (2014-18), QB, Arizona Cardinals: Signed by the Cardinals off Baltimore's practice squad at midseason, McSorley has not appeared yet for Arizona. Carl Nassib (2011-15), DE, Las Vegas Raiders: Nassib has totaled 21 tackles and 1.5 sacks for the Raiders this season A m a n i O r uwa r iye ( 2 0 14 -1 8 ) , CB, Detroit Lions: The Lions placed Oruwariye on injured reserve prior to a Week 16 loss to Atlanta, prematurely ending what had been a phenomenal season for the cornerback. Oruwariye finished the year with six intercep- tions — third-best in the NFL — 11 pass breakups and a fumble recovery to go along with 44 tackles in 14 games. Odafe Oweh (2018-20), DE, Balti- more Ravens: Through Week 16, Oweh has 33 tackles, including five sacks, and three forced fumbles on his ledger as a rookie. Micah Parsons (2018-19), LB, Dallas Cowboys: Parsons went into Dallas' last two games needing only 1.5 more sacks to tie the NFL rookie re- cord set by Jevon Kearse in 1999. He was the lone Nittany Lion to crack the initial Pro Bowl rosters released by the NFL. With 13 sacks and 79 tackles on the season, Parsons is the only player in the past nine seasons to reach that benchmark. John Reid (2015-19), CB, Seattle Seahawks: Reid played a career-high 71 snaps for the Seahawks in their loss to the Bears in Week 16. He totaled five tackles and also broke up a pair of passes for Seattle. He has nine tackles on the season. Allen Robinson II (2011-13), WR, Chicago Bears: Robinson has played just once since Week 9, and has 32 re- ceptions for 353 yards and a touchdown on the season. Miles Sanders (2016-18), RB, Philadelphia Eagles: Sanders broke a bone in his hand in a win over the Gi- ants in Week 16, according to reports. It was unclear as of this writing whether he would be able to play through the injury. Through 12 games in 2021, Sanders averaged 5.5 yards per carry — sixth in the NFL among players with at least 100 carries — but had yet to find the end zone. Nick Scott (2014-18), S, Los An- geles Rams: Although he's been pri- marily a special teams player through- out his three-year career, Scott has carved out a role for himself on the Los Angeles defense this season, with 38 tackles and two interceptions. Donovan Smith (2011-14), OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Smith has started all 15 games for the defending champs at left tackle. S h a ka To n ey ( 2 0 1 6 -2 0 ) , D E , Washington Football Team: Toney waited until Week 6 for his NFL debut, and has shown some flashes since get- ting his chance. He delivered a key sack late in a win over Seattle in November and earned the first start of his career in Week 14. Toney has six tackles and two quarterback hits on the season. ■