How former Rutgers Football players performed in the NFL's Week Four
The 2025 NFL season is a quarter of the way through, after another full 16-game slate of games.
Here is how every former Rutgers standout performed in Week Four of NFL action.
Former Scarlet Knights currently on 53-man rosters
| PLAYER | POSITION | NFL TEAM (WEEK FOUR RESULT) | WEEK FOUR PFF GRADES (# of SNAPS) | WEEK FOUR STATS |
| Isiah Pacheco | RB | Kansas City Chiefs (defeated Baltimore Ravns) | 51.0 (27) | Seven carries, 35 yards, two receptions, 13 yards, one touchdown |
| Kyle Monangai | RB | Chicago Bears (defeated Las Vegas Raiders) | 70.8 (19) | Four carries, 18 yards |
| Sebastian Joseph-Day | DL | Tennessee Titans (lost to Houston Texans) | 73. (37) | Four tackles, one QB hit |
| Max Melton | CB | Arizona Cardinals (lost to Seattle Seahawks) | 34.6 (64) | Three tackles, two pass breakups |
| Bo Melton | CB | Green Bay Packers (tied Dallas Cowboys) | 59.8 (20) *Special Teams* | Two kickoff returns, 60 yards |
| Jude McAtamney | PK | New York Giants (defeated Los Angeles Chargers) | 60.0 (8) | 2-for-2 field goals, 1-for-1 extra points |
| Eric Rogers | CB | Los Angeles Chargers (lost to New York Giants) | N/A | DNP (On Injured Reserve) |
| Christian Braswell | CB | Jacksonville Jaguars (defeated San Francisco 49ers) | 65.7 (18) *Special Teams* | No stats recorded |
| Christian Izien | S | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (lost to Philadelphia Eagles) | N/A | DNP (quadriceps) |
| Andrew DePaola | LS | Minnesota Vikings (lost to Pittsburgh Steelers) | 63.5 (6) | No stats recorded |
| Mike Burton **Injured Reserve** | FB | Denver Broncos (defeated Cincinnati Bengals) | N/A | DNP (On Injured Reserve) |
| Kyonte Hamilton **Injured Reserve** | DL | Houston Texans (defeated Tennessee Titans) | N/A | DNP (On Injured Reserve) |
| Robert Longerbeam **Injured Reserve** | CB | Baltimore Ravens (lost to Kansas City Chiefs) | N/A | DNP (On Injured Reserve) |
Notable Knights
Several former Scarlet Knights saw significant action during the week’s slate of games.
Though many of the headlines at MetLife Stadium were about rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo manning the backfield, another former Rutgers player made his season debut for the Giants, as well.
Jude McAtamney earned the starting kicking gig in New York’s win over the Chargers after Graham Gano landed on injured reserve. The Irish kicker also beat out midweek signee and Ridgewood (NJ) graduate Younghoe Koo in a kicking battle during practice. McAtamney started off his season well, hitting all three kicks, though none longer than from 33 yards out. With Gano out for a minimum of four weeks on IR, McAtamney will likely get many more opportunities in a new Big Blue youth movement.
Kyle Monangai continued to get steady work in the run game, though he has yet to find the end zone through four career games. D’Andre Swift still holds the top spot in Chicago’s backfield, though Monangai has completely taken over the backup spot from Roschon Johnson (zero offensive snaps in 2025). The rookie did record a big-play run in the second half, though it was called back for holding, ironically by guard and former Scarlet Knight Jonah Jackson.
Swift has dealt with a nagging hip injury for multiple weeks, so if he were to miss time, Monangai would likely be in line for an extended workload.
Max Melton was not an analytical darling in a Thursday night loss to Seattle, but he did make multiple splash plays in the passing game in an inconsistent performance team-wide. He finished with two passes broken up, including a deep ball in the end zone.
On the negative side, however, Seahawks star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba came alive in the fourth quarter, and Melton struggled in coverage. The second-year corner currently has the sixth-lowest PFF grade among cornerbacks who have played at least 20 percent of their team’s snaps.
Isiah Pacheco reached the end zone for the first time this season, hauling in an eight-yard pass from Patrick Mahomes to extend the Chiefs’ lead over the Ravens.
Kansas City’s offense got back on track with 37 points against a much-maligned Baltimore defense, though Pacheco still was not able to take back his stranglehold on the run game. Wide receiver Xavier Worthy led the team with 38 rushing yards – marking the third time in four games a non-running back has led the Chiefs in rushing – while Kareem Hunt (13) nearly doubled Pacheco’s number of carries (7). Rookie Brashard Smith also got more involved with seven total touches.
Kansas City’s offensive revitalization and finding the end zone could mean more touches for Pacheco in the future, however.
Bonus: Future Knights in the NFL?
With the current football season – both college and NFL – in full gear, analysts and fans alike have begun to look ahead to the 2026 NFL Draft. Rutgers’ high-flying passing game has attracted the eye of many through five games.
Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis‘ drastic improvement in numbers and mechanics has put him in the spotlight among draft sleepers. The NFL Stock Exchange Podcast, a PFF NFL Draft podcast hosted by Trevor Sikkema and Connor Rogers, spent extensive time talking about Kaliakmanis in their latest episode, and how he has played himself into draft position.
Similar praise has been given to wide receiver Ian Strong, who has broken out after a strong finish to the 2024 season. His play strength, size, and contested catch ability have earned the eye of The Athletic’s Dane Brugler.
The Scarlet Knights’ passing attack is executing at its highest level and is grabbing headlines at the collegiate and professional ranks.
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