15 former Mississippi State players set to hit NFL stage in week one
College football was back in full force last week and now it’s the NFL’s turn to take center stage.
A new season begins on Thursday night when Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys head to Philadelphia to take on the defending Super Bowl Champions. It all kicks off four days of football with a former Bulldog featured across the board.
This season, we will be back to breakdown how each week went for State players in the NFL with a full stats recap of the week and we’ll follow them as the season progresses. As we head into week one of the season, 15 former Bulldogs will be on active rosters this week with others having a chance to find new homes in the coming weeks.
Here is a look at the players to watch and their schedules ahead as the season begins.
CB Darius Slay – Pittsburgh Steelers (13 seasons) at New York Jets, Sunday at Noon (CBS)
2024 Stats (Philadelphia Eagles): 14 G, 14 S, 49 TKL, 3.0 TFL, 13 PD, 1 FF, 1 FR
Career Stats: 177 G, 167 S, 619 TKL, 16.0 TFL, 1.0 SK, 160 PD, 28 INT, 3 TD, 5 FR, 2 FF
DE Denico Autry – Houston Texans (12 seasons) at Los Angeles Rams, Sunday at 3:25 p.m. (CBS)
2024 Stats: 10 G, 2 S, 13 TKL, 3.0 TFL, 2.0 SK, 3 PD
Career Stats: 151 G, 91 S, 323 TKL, 83.0 TFL, 61.0 SK, 34 PD, 7 FF, 3 FR
QB Dak Prescott – Dallas Cowboys (10 seasons) at Philadelphia Eagles, Thursday at 7:20 p.m. (NBC/Peacock)
2024 Stats: 8 G, 8 S, 185-286, 1,978 yds, 11 TD, 8 INT, 64%; 13 car., 54 yd., 1 TD
Career Stats: 122 G, 122 S, 2,780-4,159, 31,437 yds, 213 TD, 82 INT, 67%; 420 car., 1,938 yd., 29 TD
DE Chris Jones – Kansas City Chiefs (10 seasons) at Los Angeles Chargers, Friday at 7 p.m. (YouTube)
2024 Stats: 15 G, 15 S, 37 TKL, 9.0 TFL, 5.0 SK, 1 FF
Career Stats: 138 G, 117 S, 310 TKL, 87.0 TFL, 80.5 SK, 37 PD, 2 INT, 1 TD, 14 FF, 12 FR
P Logan Cooke – Jacksonville Jaguars (8 seasons) vs. Carolina Panthers, Sunday at Noon (FOX)
2024 Stats: 17 G, 17 S, 68 punts, 3,359 yds, 49.4 ypp, 73 LNG, 3 TB, 34 IN 20
Career Stats: 112 G, 468 punts, 22,188 yds., 47.4 ypp, 73 LNG, 28 TB, 196 IN20
OL Elgton Jenkins –Green Bay Packers (7 seasons) vs. Detroit Lions, Sunday at 3:25 p.m. (CBS)
2024 Stats: 16 G, 16 S
Career Stats: 86 G, 84 S
DT Jeffery Simmons – Tennessee Titans (7 seasons) at Denver Broncos, Sunday at 3:05 p.m. (FOX)
2024 Stats: 16 G, 16 S, 76 TKL, 11.0 TFL, 5.0 SK, 4 PD, 2 FR, 2 FF
Career Stats: 84 G, 82 S, 309 TKL, 49.0 TFL, 31.5 SK, 24 PD, 6 FR, 5 FF
DE Montez Sweat – Chicago Bears (7 seasons) vs. Minnesota Vikings, Monday at 7:15 p.m. (ESPN/ABC)
2024 Stats: 16 G, 16 S, 32 TKL, 9.0 TFL, 5.5 SK, 2 PD, 1 FF
Career Stats: 92 G, 92 S, 254 TKL, 60.0 TFL, 47.0 SK, 12 FF, 16 PD, 1 INT, 1 TD
LB Willie Gay Jr. – Miami Dolphins (6 seasons) at Indianapolis Colts, Sunday at Noon (CBS)
2024 Stats: 15 G, 8 S, 28 TKL, 2.0 TFL, 2.0 SK, 2 FR, 3 PD
Career Stats: 72 G, 55 S, 261 TKL, 19.0 TFL, 7.0 SK, 2 FF, 6 FR, 22 PD, 4 INT, 1 TD
CB Martin Emerson Jr. – Cleveland Browns (4 seasons) vs. Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday at Noon (FOX)
2024 Stats: 17 G, 15 S, 80 TKL, 3.0 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR, 5 PD
Career Stats: 50 G, 33 S, 202 TKL, 5.0 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR, 34 PD, 4 INT
LB Nathaniel Watson – Browns (2 seasons)
2024 Season Stats: 14 G, 1 S, 14 TKL, 1 PD
Career Stats: Same
OT Charles Cross – Seattle Seahawks (4 seasons) vs. San Francisco 49ers, Sunday at 3:05 p.m. (FOX)
2024 Stats: 17 G, 17 S
Career Stats: 48 G, 48 S
DE Tyrus Wheat – Detroit Tigers (3 seasons) at Green Bay Packers, Sunday at 3:25 p.m. (CBS)
2024 Stats: 8 G, 14 TKL, 1.0 TFL, 0.5 SK
Career Stats: 20 G, 17 TKL, 1.0 TFL, 0.5 SK
CB Emmanuel Forbes – Los Angeles Rams (3 Seasons) vs. Houston Texans, Sunday at 3:25 p.m. (CBS)
2024 Stats: 8 G, 2 S, 12 TKL, 2 PD, 1 INT
Career Stats: 21 G, 8 S, 50 TKL, 2.0 TFL, 1 FR, 13 PD, 2 INT
CB Decamerion Richardson – Las Vegas Raiders (2 Seasons) at New England Patriots, Sunday at Noon (CBS)
2024 Stats: 12 G, 7 S, 46 TKL, 3 PD, 1.0 TFL
Career Stats: Same
Practice Squad:
DT Jaden Crumedy – Carolina Panthers
