The dog days of summer are coming to a close as the 2024 NFL season is nearly underway. All 32 teams have started their training camp sessions and as always, we have our notable former Hilltoppers in the action & creating their storylines in various stages of their careers. 

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Veterans

Tyler Higbee - Los Angeles Rams, starting tight end

Higs enters his ninth season in the league while establishing himself as one of the Los Angeles Rams’ most productive players throughout the years. He will be looking to bounce back from a lower-body injury that sidelined him during the Rams’ lone playoff game in January.

Prior to that, he finished the 2023 regular season with 47 catches, 495 yards, and two touchdowns. He is also in the final year of a contract extension that was signed last season. He will continue to be an offensive weapon for Matthew Stafford, in hopes of a bounce-back year after a wild card weekend finish in the NFC West.

Like most starters these days, it’s unlikely Higbee will play much - if any - in the preseason schedule. Here’s what the Rams’ lead up to the year looks like:

• Sunday, Aug. 11: vs. Dallas, 3:30 p.m. (NFL Network)

• Saturday, Aug. 17: at Chargers, 6:05 p.m.

• Saturday, Aug. 24: at Houston, 12 p.m.

George Fant - Seattle Seahawks, backup right tackle

After spending 2023 with the Houston Texans, Fant returned to a familiar place in Seattle. The nine-year offensive lineman juggernaut signed a two-year, $14 million deal in free agency. He returns to the Seahawks where he spent his first four seasons protecting their former quarterback Russell Wilson. Now, his role is to bring a veteran presence to an offensive line that was decimated by injuries in 2023.

It’s a possibility that he will split reps with Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas. Here’s when to look for Fant this month:

• Saturday, Aug. 10: at Chargers, 6:05 p.m.

• Saturday, Aug. 17: at Tennessee, 6 p.m.

• Saturday, Aug. 24: vs. Cleveland, 10 p.m. (NFL Network)

Brodric Martin - Detroit Lions, depth defensive tackle

Martin’s rookie season had the rarest of feats, as his team was one game away from the Super Bowl. In his first season with the Lions, Martin didn’t see the field much until his Week 8 debut, in which he did finish the season with three tackles. Coming into the 2024 season, Martin is anticipating making a bigger impact and improving himself to be relied on as an anchor in the Lions defense, hopefully succeeding in their potential Super Bowl window.

The Lions’ preseason schedule is as follows:

• Thursday, Aug. 8: at Giants, 6 p.m.

• Saturday, Aug. 17: at Kansas City, 3 p.m. (NFL Network)

• Saturday, Aug. 24: vs. Pittsburgh, 12 p.m. (NFL Network)

Bailey Zappe - New England Patriots, depth quarterback

Zappe has had a very eventful tenure with the Patriots since day one. After starting the last three games of the 2023 season, Zappe had what seemed to be a silver lining for a prosperous 2024 season if he’d won the starting job.

Now, he’s fighting to stay in New England after a surplus of quarterback moves and currently sits as the team’s fourth-string quarterback on the roster. Currently, rookies Drake Maye & Joe Milton have been the talk of training camp, mainly Milton who is already in talks of being a possible fringe starter in 2024. These next three weeks are critical as time is slowly running out for Zappe.

However, if he is waived, he has caught the attention of a couple of teams in terms of landing elsewhere for a roster spot.

Until that time, here’s when you can look for him to be in action:

• Thursday, Aug. 8: vs. Carolina, 6 p.m. (NFL Network)

• Thursday, Aug. 15: vs. Philadelphia, 6 p.m. (NFL Network)

• Sunday, Aug. 25: at Washington, 7 p.m. (NBC)

Mike White - Miami Dolphins, backup quarterback

White is still kicking in South Florida as he looks to remain a viable backup option for the recently extended starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. As of now, he has the upper hand in a position battle with Skylar Thompson. Look to see White very frequently in all three preseason games.

• Friday, Aug. 9: vs. Atlanta, 6 p.m.

• Saturday, Aug. 17: vs. Washington, 6 p.m.

• Friday, Aug. 23: at Tampa Bay, 6:30 p.m.

DeAngelo Malone- Atlanta Falcons, depth linebacker

Malone is another name on the bubble, as his days in Atlanta might be numbered. The third-year pro is now looking to remain on the Falcons’ 53-man roster amid coaching changes and a defensive package shift. The shift includes having four linebackers in a 3-4 base defense, which was what Malone succeeded in during his Western Kentucky days.

However, things have been looking upward for Malone over time: He has been splitting first-team reps in training camp but remains at the bottom of the depth chart. There is still room for being hopeful in a potential breakout season for Malone, as he should garner more attention during the preseason games.

• Friday, Aug. 9: at Miami, 6 p.m.

• Saturday, Aug. 17: at Baltimore, 11 a.m.

• Friday, Aug. 23: vs. Jacksonville, 6 p.m.

Devon Key - Denver Broncos, backup free safety

Key spent most of 2023 on the Broncos practice squad & waiver wire, but has returned to the team in training camp this season. He is having a solid camp in Denver and a flurry of roster shakeups has helped guide him in the process. In a scarce safety room, mostly affected by losing players via free agency, he has some upside on making the 53-man roster. He is listed as the second-string safety on the Broncos depth chart was released this week.

• Sunday, Aug. 11: at Indianapolis, 12 p.m. (NFL Network)

• Sunday, Aug. 18: vs. Green Bay, 7 p.m. (NFL Network)

• Sunday, Aug. 25: vs. Arizona, 3:30 p.m. (CBS)

Jordan Meredith - Las Vegas Raiders, backup guard

The Bowling Green native enters his third season with the Raiders, after being a member of the practice squad & nabbing a handful of appearances on the offensive line in 2023. He will look to remain with the team ahead of the preseason cuts.

• Saturday, Aug. 10: at Minnesota, 3 p.m. (NFL Network)

• Saturday, Aug. 17: vs. Dallas, 9 p.m. (NFL Network)

• Friday, Aug. 23: vs. San Francisco, 9 p.m. (NFL Network)

Kahlef Hailassie - Cleveland Browns, backup cornerback

After originally being waived in 2023 from Kansas City, Hailassie has found himself a home with the Browns, spending the season on the practice squad before playing in Week 18. He remains with the team during this year’s training camp & has started quickly improving his chances of being a serious candidate for being on the active roster.

• Saturday, Aug. 10: vs. Green Bay, 3:25 p.m.

• Saturday, Aug. 17: vs. Minnesota, 3:25 p.m.

• Saturday, Aug. 24: at Seattle, 9 p.m. (NFL Network)

Lucky Jackson - Minnesota Vikings, depth wide receiver

Jackson remains on the Vikings after spending most of 2023 on the practice squad. In this year’s training camp, his chances of remaining in Minnesota are looking up as he’s competing in a deep wide receiver room. He is close to the bottom of the depth chart, as the Vikings have been working out more free-agent receivers, but did make an impressive catch from Vikings rookie JJ McCarthy.

• Saturday, Aug. 10: vs. Las Vegas, 3 p.m. (NFL Network)

• Saturday, Aug. 17: at Cleveland, 3:25 p.m.

• Saturday, Aug. 24: at Philadelphia, 12 p.m.

Rookies

Austin Reed - Bears, depth quarterback

After signing a UDFA contract hours after the 2024 Draft, Reed quickly found himself in a battle for being a backup quarterback to No. 1 overall pick & future starter Caleb Williams. The Bears had already played their first preseason contest on August 1, in the weather-shortened Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. Reed did see some action in the third quarter against the Texans, completing two passes for 10 yards. 

• Saturday, Aug. 10: at Buffalo, 12 p.m. (NFL Network)

• Saturday, Aug. 17: vs. Cincinnati, 12 p.m. (NFL Network)

• Thursday, Aug. 22: at Kansas City, 7:20 p.m. (NFL Network)

Malachi Corley - New York Jets, backup slot receiver

From day one, Corley was destined to make a name for himself in The Meadowlands, and fast. He has already caught the attention of various veterans, including quarterback Aaron Rodgers and fellow star wide receiver Garrett Wilson. Although the first few days of camp were rough on Corley, he was able to have better showings to the Jets coaching staff in utilizing ways to showcase the third round draft pick into their revamped offense.

• Saturday, Aug. 10: vs. Washington, 11 a.m.

• Saturday, Aug. 17: at Carolina, 6 p.m.

• Saturday, Aug. 24: vs. Giants, 6:30 p.m. (NFL Network)

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Other NFL News

Markese Stepp had a UDFA camp invite to the Jets, but was waived on June 1 with an injured reserve settlement. 

Daewood Davis signed with the Carolina Panthers following a season in the United Football League. In his lone season with the Memphis Showboats, Davis was selected to the All-UFL Team. Just weeks after signing with the Panthers, he was waived on July 31 with an injury designation.

CFL News

Jerreth Sterns has played eight games this season as a wide receiver for the Saskatchewan RoughRiders. He caught 24 passes for 315 yards. The Riders are 5-3, tied for first in the West, and are back in action Thursday at 6:30 p.m. against Ottawa.

John Haggerty continues to be the best kept secret for the Toronto Argonauts. He currently leads all punters with 2,655 net yards and averages 52 yards per punt attempt. The Argos are treading water, sitting at 4-4 and in third place in the East. They’ll welcome in Calgary on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

Cam Echols-Luper has been productive in his first season with the Calgary Stampeders. He’s caught 16 passes for 204 yards with two touchdowns, making himself a special teams ace in the process, appearing in all eight games in splitting reps. Like their opponent Friday, the Stamps are 4-4 and in third place in their division.

Just over two weeks ago, the Western Kentucky baseball program made minor history by having three players get drafted in the 2024 MLB draft.

It marked the first time since the 2011 draft that at least three Hilltoppers were selected in the same draft. In that 2011 draft, five Hilltoppers heard their name get called.

With the post-draft haze mostly now in the rearview mirror, three experts in their respective systems - Tim Williams of Pirates Prospects, Brian Walton of The Cardinal Nation and Jimmy Price of Astros Future - stopped by to provide their outlook on how Jacob Bimbi, Mason Burns and Grant Burleson, respectively, project as they begin their minor-league careers.

Note: Interviews are ordered based on where players were drafted.

This is a long article. If you want to jump to your favorite player or system, use this table of contents to do so:
Pirates Prospects on Jacob Bimbi
The Cardinal Nation on Mason Burns
Astros Future on Grant Burleson

Tim Williams of Pirates Prospects on Jacob Bimbi

Tim Williams is the founder and sole wordsmith for Pirates Prospects. A sports writer since 2007, Williams started Pirates Prospects in the same year - though under a different name - and moved to covering the system full time in 2011. In addition to his work at Pirates Prospects, Williams has also served as a Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019.

The Towel Rack: What is the Pirates general draft philosophy (if they have one), and how does Jacob Bimbi - as you understand him as a draft prospect - fit into that philosophy?

Pirates Prospects: The Pirates added a new amateur scouting director, Justin Horowitz, this past offseason. It's hard to say what their draft philosophy is, since this was the first draft under Horowitz. In the first draft, they went heavy on harder-to-sign prep players with the early picks, and switched to college players after the third round. They were pretty evenly split between pitchers and position players, but did take several lefties, including Bimbi. PNC Park is a great place for lefty pitchers, so it's a good strategy to load up on that side of the mound.

TTR: How are the Pirates regarded when it comes to developing their pitchers?

PP: This is the strength of the Pirates' system. I've heard for years from other scouts that they do a good job developing pitchers in the lower levels. The positive reviews come from a program aimed at building up muscle and strength, paired with clean mechanics. This allows pitchers to improve velocity and control of the fastball, from a delivery aimed at long-term health. From there, they've shown a good ability to improve secondary offerings.

There were a lot of years where they couldn't get the expected MLB performance out of their pitching prospects. They had some of the best pitchers in the game, like Gerrit Cole and Tyler Glasnow, but those pitchers didn't reach their potential until they left the Pirates. That final piece of the pitching development puzzle seems to be fixed. The Pirates are getting the expected performance out of 2023 first overall pick Paul Skenes this year, along with above-average results from rookie Jared Jones, and improvements for the fourth season in a row from Mitch Keller.

From the moment pitchers enter this system, to the moment they're ready for the majors, there is reason for optimism about their development.

TTR: Bimbi was taken in the 11th round. Can you think of any players in recent years that have blossomed into top 30 or 50 prospects from this late in the draft?

PP: The 11th round is the first pick on day three of the draft, which can be significant. Teams have a chance to reset their draft boards for the final ten rounds, with most of day three aimed at filling out the minor league system depth. The 11th round, however, is usually higher on the rankings as a guy teams prioritize to get in the system.

The last four drafts have seen the Pirates take college pitchers with their 11th round pick. Jack Carey, a right-hander drafted in 2021, has reached the Double-A level this year. Left-hander Dominic Perachi, the 2022 11th rounder, is looking great as a starter in High-A Greensboro, with some time in Double-A this year. Last year's pick, left-hander Magdiel Cotto, has spent this season putting up good numbers in relief in Single-A.

The Pirates have a deep system, so it's difficult for a post-10th round pick to crack the top 50. I think a more significant marker is reaching the Double-A level. I've heard from scouts in the past that if a player can reach Double-A and perform, he's got a good shot at putting himself on the Major League radar. All three of the previous 11th round college pitchers are putting themselves on the radar, especially the lefties. That speaks well to Bimbi's opportunity.

TTR: How can WKU fans who might not be Pirates fans best follow Bimbi’s status through the system?

PP: If I can provide a shameless plug, I keep track of the daily minor league results at PiratesProspects.com, with a goal to provide information on every player in the system.

This is one of the best times to follow minor league baseball. Every team has their games streamed online, and the Gameday apps allow you to follow what is happening at every level from your phone, no matter where you are. When I started my site, you would have to go to the game to see a player live, and you often wouldn't get accurate results until the next day. Today, it's easy for WKU fans to follow Bimbi on a nightly basis, following his every pitch live.

And of course, I'll be providing perspective on where he fits in among the rest of the Pirates' system at my site.

TTR: We’re nearing a couple of weeks since the draft ended. Have you dove into Bimbi any further since his drafting? If so, do you see him being a major leaguer one day?

PP: I haven't had a chance to dig deeper into Bimbi, but what I know so far is promising. He's got a four pitch mix, and was hitting 94 MPH after returning from his Tommy John surgery in 2020. I realize that he didn't have the best ERA for Western Kentucky, with a 6.09 mark in 54.2 innings, but his 71 strikeouts stand out.

What I really like about him is that he doesn't have a lot of development time in college. The focus in college ball tends to be win-now, and there's not as much priority on long-term development for players. When a player reaches pro ball, the focus goes from win-now, to developing that player with a goal of maximizing his potential to reach the Major Leagues.

As I noted, the Pirates have a good development system for pitchers. Bimbi enters pro ball with a good foundation for that development. They'll likely focus on ensuring he's throwing with mechanics that will keep him healthy, while maximizing his four pitch mix to develop the best approach for upper-level professional hitters. The fact that he didn't have a lot of innings in college means he likely has fewer bad habits to correct in pro ball.

It's difficult projecting any draft pick as a future Major League player. That said, a lefty who can hit 94, with a curveball, changeup, and slider added to the mix, has a good opportunity to advance to Double-A or higher -- with a chance then to put himself on the radar for a future Major League career. Bimbi will be an interesting guy to watch as he takes the next step to developing in a professional setting.

This has been an enjoyable year to cover the Pirates. At the Major League level, they are starting to look like a team that could be a serious contender for the remainder of the decade. In the minors, they've got a good development system, which excels on the pitching side. There isn't a day that goes by where I don't take a moment to stop and appreciate that I get to dive into the details of the sport I love, and write about it for a living. That's all possible by the massive reader support over the years at PiratesProspects.com.

Brian Walton of The Cardinal Nation on Mason Burns

Brian Walton is the publisher and editor of The Cardinal Nation, joining the website in 2003 and having led the site since 2009. The Cardinal Nation has existed to cover the St. Louis minor league system since 1998.

The Towel Rack: What is the Cardinals general draft philosophy (if they have one), and how does Mason Burns - as you understand him as a draft prospect - fit into that philosophy?

The Cardinal Nation: In terms of strategy, the Cardinals say they pick the best available player. For the second consecutive year, the Cardinals had no second rounder (and associated $2.225 million in cap space). Because of their poor 2023, they drafted seventh overall, their earliest spot since 1998. In day three of the draft, rounds 11-20, the Cardinals went senior heavy. These picks traditionally receive smaller signing bonuses because they have no leverage to threaten to return to school.

Burns received $80,000 to sign, which was on the low end of bonuses given by the Cardinals this year.

Typically, most day three pitchers end up being relievers. Burns already having success as a closer should be a plus for him.

TTR: How are the Cardinals regarded when it comes to developing their pitchers?

TCN: Traditionally, the Cardinals were known for their pitching development, but in recent years, they shifted their draft focus in the early rounds to hitting. As a result, their pitching pipeline was diminished. For example, St. Louis needed three starting pitchers for 2024 and had to go into the free agent market for all three. Last July, the Cardinals traded away several impending free agent MLB pitchers for pitching prospects to help fill the gaps, but to date, it hasn’t worked out.

TTR: Burns was taken in the 14th round. Can you think of any players in recent years that have blossomed into top 30 or 50 prospects from this late in the draft?

TCN: The most famous Cardinal taken in this area of the draft is future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols, in the 13^th round in 1999. More recently, current Cardinal Matt Carpenter was chosen in the 13^th round in 2009. Former Cardinals All-Star closer Trevor Rosenthal was selected in the 21^st round, also in 2009.

TTR: How can WKU fans who might not be Cardinals fans best follow Burns’ status through the system?

TCN: Once Burns is activated by the Cardinals and assigned to a minor league team, you can follow him at The Cardinal Nation.

However, that probably won’t be in 2024. Usually because they already pitched a long spring schedule for their college team and the pitchers often have down time prior to the July draft, pitchers drafted by the Cards are not activated by an affiliate their first partial year. They work out at the Cardinals complex in Jupiter, Florida and start the game phase of their pro career the next spring.

The Cardinal Nation has free daily game recaps and links to box scores from all minor league games across the Cardinals system. We also have local reporters covering all five Cardinals affiliates in the U.S. We rank top prospects monthly, pick Players and Pitchers of the Month, conduct player and manager interviews and so much more.

The Cardinal Nation has the most comprehensive coverage of the Cardinals minor league system anywhere. We stay with the players as their careers progress through the ranks at different levels with different teams.

TTR: We’re nearing a couple of weeks since the draft ended. Have you dove into Burns any further since his drafting? If so, do you see him being a major leaguer one day?

TCN: The odds are long to reach the major leagues for any player, especially late rounders, but it happens. Being drafted is the first step. As already mentioned, if Burns can translate his late inning relief success in college to the professional game, it could be a major advantage.

Jimmy Price of Astros Future on Grant Burleson

Jimmy Price is the owner and lead writer for Astros Future, a site dedicated to all-things in the Houston Astros system. Price started covering the system since 2013 and Astros Futures has existed since 2016.

The Towel Rack: What is the Astros general draft philosophy (if they have one), and how does Grant Burleson - as you understand him as a draft prospect - fit into that philosophy?

Astros Future: The Astros have really focused on a few things recently. They like to draft for upside and like to target guys that have a high VAA (vertical approach angle). As far as Burleson, I don't know enough about him but I would imagine he fits this mold somehow.

TTR: How are the Astros regarded when it comes to developing their pitchers?

AF: Astros are seen as one of the best organizations for developing pitchers. Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Luis Garcia, Jose Urquidy, Lance McCullers, Hunter Brown, Spencer Arrighetti, Bryan Abreu just to name a few that are home grown.

TTR: Burleson was taken in the 18th round. Can you think of any players in recent years that have blossomed into top 30 or 50 prospects from this late in the draft?

AF: Two pitchers last year, James Hicks (13th round) and Jackson Nezuh (14th round) are doing really well and will be top 30 guys. 

TTR: How can WKU fans who might not be Astros fans best follow Burleson’s status through the system?

AF: Not to toot my own horn, but I would think my site and social media accounts would be the best way to keep up with him. AstrosFuture.com, @AstrosFuture on X, Instagram and Facebook.

TTR: We’re nearing a couple of weeks since the draft ended. Have you dove into Burleson any further since his drafting? If so, do you see him being a major leaguer one day?

AF: I haven't been able to get enough data on Burleson to truly know much about him but I think he has the size and strikeout stuff to move up in the system.

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Malachi Corley always seemed to fit at Western Kentucky. He immediately contributed, playing nine games his true freshman year and recording 65 total receiving yards, 40 of which came in one game. He ramped it up from there, recording 73 catches his second freshman year (due to COVID), racked up 1295 yards his sophomore year, and with a lesser offense and injured cohorts that put all of the pressure on him all season (along with his own nagging injuries), he still nearly racked up 1,000 yards anyway in 2023 despite only playing in 12 games, two of which were cut short due to injury.

It wasn’t always like that. Malachi Corley wasn’t supposed to be the next great Hilltopper receiver. He was a decent recruit for a solid Group of Five program, a local Kentucky product out of Campbellsville (just a shade over an hour east from WKU’s campus) that wanted to be at WKU and loved being a Hilltopper. An undersized two star prospect out of high school, Malachi was not mentioned in any preseason publications and wasn’t really analyzed other than being a depth piece in the Hilltopper receiver room. Until he showed himself competent and a real competitor, he wasn’t on anybody’s radar.

But once he got his shot, he popped off of the screen as a legitimate playmaker. He absolutely busted out his second season on The Hill as one of Bailey Zappe’s favorite targets. With Bailey’s best friend and receiver Jerreth Sterns on the team nearly setting NCAA receiving records for receptions and yards, the fact that Malachi, as another short “slot” looking type of player was even able to produce anything of note that season is remarkable.

But the thing is that Malachi is not just the short less-than-six-feet-tall guy that runs up the seam, runs quick outs, or only catches screens. He’s so much more than that. He can play every receiver position and be competent, he can come from out of the backfield, and he can go in motion. He can run over the middle, but he can also line up outside and go up and get a combat catch. It’s very rare that someone can possess all of those skills and be really good at most or all of them.

He’s been this draft’s “Deebo Samuel” comparison. Is he the “Group of Five” Deebo? Is he a legitimate equal to the rookie version of Deebo? Time will tell. He’s a bowling ball looking guy at 5’11” and 215. Although under six feet tall, he’s not tiny in the height department, and he carries significant weight in his upper body and is not someone you want to see in the open field. Not only his impressive upper body catches eyeballs, but also he can make you miss with his quickness and run away from most defenders. And like Deebo, he can line up anywhere and do something to boggle the minds of defensive coordinators week in and week out.

Perhaps his greatest underrated asset is just his ability to take a hit or try to dodge a defender and somehow stay on his feet. The YAC king, he has had several ridiculous saves in his WKU career where he had no business tiptoeing down a sideline or staying upright in the middle of traffic, sometimes without even breaking stride.

I doubt he’ll be remembered this way, but Malachi probably has the best balance of any WKU prospect ever. There are not many guys in the 2024 NFL Draft that could stay upright like he can. In fact, no one holds a candle to the “YAC King” once he gets his hands on the ball.

Corley Draft Details

Forgoing his senior season, WKU wide receiver Malachi Corley has been selected by the New York Jets (via trade with Carolina) in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft with the 65th overall pick, the first pick of the third round.

Malachi is the second highest selection for a Hilltopper ever (Forrest Lamp, 38th overall, 2017) and the highest receiver ever drafted from WKU (Taywan Taylor was drafted 72nd overall in 2017).

This marks the third straight year a Hilltopper has been selected in the third round (DeAngelo Malone, 2022; Brodric Martin, 2023), but is the first offensive player selected this round since the aforementioned Taylor.

Malachi joins ten other Toppers currently on active rosters. While those ten guys are at different stages of their career, Corley’s rookie contract will give him up to four years to prove himself and potentially earn another contract to further his career.

Malachi had been rumored as high as sneaking into the first round, but with all of the “premier” position players getting the attention, an absolutely loaded receiver class along with teams being desperate for the premier players in this draft led to Malachi landing about where he has been projected all along: The middle of the second round to the beginning of the third round.

Only the third Group of Five player off of the board, he is the very first offensive player at any position from the “Group of Five” to be selected (shoutout to Steven Graham on Facebook for that incredible nugget).

A historic night for WKU Football, the amount of current Western players in the NFL is well into the double digits, and it doesn’t seem like that number is slowing down anytime soon.

For the rest of the coverage on the NFL Draft, spring sports, and unfiltered WKU content, Towel Rack is here to be your resource. You can also tune into @thetowelrackwku on Twitter/X for build-up, live tweets, and reactions. While you’re at it, go ahead and check out the RedOut Podcast on Twitter/X and on YouTube. RedOut will be tweeting some updates, as well and responding to the action. They are also our video content guys. As always, we are your #1 source for unfiltered and honest WKU content!

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After the tease that was last Thursday’s Hall of Fame Game, a full week month of teasing commences Thursday night, with the first full week of the NFL preseason kicking off.

11 former Hilltoppers will start the preseason with a club, meaning you’ll have something to watch in this normally barren time of year for football fans, a number that includes three rookies hoping to crack the 55-man roster.

(ed. note - With our new publishing schedule, we will not be providing true week-by-week updates was we have in the past. So, this is your preseason primer on our NFL ProToppers, complete with each full preseason schedule.)

Bailey Zappe, New England Patriots

The story for Zappe this year is similar to last, a heated quarterback battle with first-round pick and presumed starter Mac Jones. Once again, the former Houston Baptist and Hilltopper gunslinger is winning over members of the Patriots press, and if Jones is on a short leash again in 2023, Zappe could have his chance to shine, with a year of NFL experience under his belt.

Presumably, he’ll see a healthy amount of playing time as the Pats primary backup, which was made official on this week’s depth chart.

New England Patriots preseason schedule

Aug. 10: vs. Houston Texans, 6 p.m. (NFL Network)
Aug. 19: at Green Bay Packers, 7 p.m.
Aug. 25: at Tennessee Titans, 7:15 p.m. (NFL Network)

George Fant, Houston Texans

Fant is now on his third team in his improbable NFL career, saying “goodbye” to the Big Apple this past offseason.

After a workout with the Tennessee Titans amid late free agency deals, the Texans picked Fant up instead on a one-year deal. As he is projected to be much-needed offensive line depth in protecting future franchise quarterback CJ Stroud, he could be moved to a potential starter after losing right tackle Tyus Howard to a hand injury.

However, he starts the preseason as the second-string left tackle, behind Laremy Tunsil.

Houston Texans preseason schedule

Aug. 10: at New England Patriots, 6 p.m. (NFL Network)
Aug. 19: vs. Miami Dolphins, 3 p.m. (NFL Network)
Aug. 27: at New Orleans Saints, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Lucky Jackson, Minnesota Vikings

Jackson has been one of the offseason’s most interesting stories. After a stand-out season for the XFL’s DC Defenders, it was enough to land him a workout with the Vikings & a contract was signed soon after.

After making progress in camp, Jackson will get a chance for some appearances in preseason play, starting Thursday night against Seattle on NFL Network.

However, he’s competing with a very stacked wide receiver corps so I wouldn’t rule out him getting completely lost in the shuffle.

Minnesota Vikings preseason schedule

Aug. 10: at Seattle Seahawks, 9 p.m. (NFL Network)
Aug. 19: vs. Tennessee Titans, 7 p.m.
Aug. 26: vs. Arizona Cardinals, 12 p.m. (ESPN)

DeAngelo Malone, Atlanta Falcons

It’s year two for the Atlanta native Malone with the Falcons, and he is looking to break through in what is expected to be an improved Atlanta defense. In the first depth chart of the preseason, he’s listed as the third-string, or “reserve,” outside linebacker.

Atlanta Falcons preseason schedule

Aug. 11: at Miami Dolphins, 6 p.m.
Aug. 18: vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 6:30 p.m.
Aug. 24: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 6:30 p.m. (NFL Network)

Mike White, Daewood Davis, Miami Dolphins

After signing with Miami, White is looking for a fresh start with another backup quarterback role with a highly rewarding offense. He is competing to win the backup role behind starter Tua Tagovailoa. He will split reps with Skylar Thompson, who played two games last season as a rookie due to injury issues to Tua and Teddy Bridgewater (who, just this week, signed with Detroit).

Davis will bring his speedy, big-play prowess to a Dolphins receiving corps that has more than enough other players to help push him to compete harder. Hopefully, we can get a White/Davis Topper connection by the end of the preseason.

In the preseason’s first unofficial depth chart, Davis is listed as the sixth receiver on Tyreek Hill’s side of the field, while White is the No. 2 QB, something the crew at The Phinsider were surprised about, thinking Thompson would have had the inside track as the “vet” in the Phins’ system.

Miami Dolphins preseason schedule

Aug. 11: vs. Atlanta Falcons, 6 p.m.
Aug. 19: at Houston Texans, 3 p.m. (NFL Network)
Aug. 26: at Jacksonville Jaguars, 6 p.m.

Brodric Martin, Detroit Lions

The lone ProTops draftee of the 2023 class is starting his career on the right track, and fast. Martin has had a solid camp and has been quite impressive to the Lions’ brass.

Opening the preseason as the No. 2 DT, behind Isaiah Buggs, Martin should be able to prove he was worth the third-round selection over the coming month.

Detroit Lions preseason schedule

Aug. 11: vs. New York Giants, 6 p.m.
Aug. 19: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 12 p.m. (NFL Network)
Aug. 25: at Carolina Panthers, 7 p.m. (CBS)

Devon Key, Denver Broncos

After an injury to starting safety Justin Simmons, Key has been making use of more training camp reps for the Broncos’ depth on defense. He will be fighting for a roster spot after the recent shakeup on defense.

Denver Broncos preseason schedule

Aug. 11: at Arizona Cardinals, 9 p.m. (NFL Network)
Aug. 19: at San Francisco 49ers, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 26: vs. Los Angeles Rams, 9 p.m. (NFL Network)

Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams

It is hard to believe that Higs is in year eight of his NFL career. The most storied tight end in franchise history will more than likely sit the preseason in preparation for the 2023 regular season.

After their run to the Super Bowl in 2021, the Rams sputtered in 2022 and look to be in for a long 2023 as the horizon of a rebuild seems near. It should come as no surprise that Higbee opens the year as Los Angeles’ TE1.

Los Angeles Rams preseason schedule

Aug. 11: vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 8 p.m. (NFL Network)
Aug. 19: vs. Oakland Raiders, 8 p.m.
Aug. 26: at Denver Broncos, 9 p.m. (NFL Network)

Kahlef Hallassie, Kansas City Chiefs

Hallassie, who signed with the defending champs after going undrafted, is in a four-way battle for the No. 4 CB spot that’s currently held by incumbent L’Jarlus Sneed. He should see some playing time in the rotation throughout the month.

Kansas City Chiefs preseason schedule

Aug. 13: at New Orleans Saints, 12 p.m. (NFL Network)
Aug. 19: at Arizona Cardinals, 7 p.m.
Aug. 26: vs. Cleveland Browns, 12 p.m. (NFL Network)

Jordan Meredith, Las Vegas Raiders

Meredith and the Raiders will close out the weekend with famed Bay Area rivals, the 49ers. After spending much of 2022 on the practice roster, he will be looking to keep his good fortune as he vies to make his name in Las Vegas, though with an uphill battle, as the No. 3 center to start the preseason.

Las Vegas Raiders preseason schedule

Aug. 13: vs. San Francisco 49ers, 3 p.m. (NFL Network)
Aug. 19: at Los Angeles Rams, 8 p.m.
Aug. 26: at Dallas Cowboys, 7 p.m.

The slowest week on the American sporting calendar turned into one of the busiest off-season weeks for ProTops news we’ve seen in quite some time.

Three sports and two different countries took up ProTops discourse real estate this week, with four former Hilltoppers having signed professional contracts, either for the first time or with a new club.

We also check in on a pair of former Toppers still making strides north of the border who we haven’t heard from in a little bit.

Football

Jerreth Sterns - Signed With Saskatchewan Roughriders

Sterns signed with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders on July 3, but we haven’t discussed it on the site yet so lets do it!

Since signing, he’s yet to be elevated from the Riders’ practice squad, though he’s reportedly quite close: He was warming up Saturday night in a jersey but didn’t make the roster. He’s the next man up, so if Saskatchewan gets a receiver injury, Sterns will be next in line to see some action.

We’ll find out if Sterns will be elevated to active status on Saturday, when the Riders head to Canada’s west coast to take on the BC Lions (who just so happen to be my CFL club).

Tyrrell Pigrome - Signed With Ottawa Redblacks

What was maybe the biggest story this past week north of our border was the signing of former WKU quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome by the Ottawa Redblacks of the CFL.

Pigrome, as well as former Sacramento State and UC Davis signal caller Jake Dunniway, were signed by Ottawa after a season-ending Achilles injury to Jeremiah Masoli (the second Ottawa QB to be ruled out for the season this year).

Ottawa is the second team Piggy has spent time with this CFL season, initially making the roster for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers out of training camp after a pair of terrific performances in the Blue Bombers’ preseason games. He suited up as Ottawa’s QB3 this past weekend for their game against his former club, where the new starting QB, Dustin Crum, led an unbelievable comeback (thanks to a late pick-six from the Ottawa defense, too) to erase a 25-9 deficit and take down the Bombers in overtime.

For any Piggy stans out there, it appears Crum is the man for the job, for the time being, and his QB3 status may remain unchanged for a bit.

After leaving WKU, the Birmingham native spent a year at Ole Miss, where he didn’t see the field, before again transferring to FCS Towson. With the Tigers, Pigrome threw for 1,638 yards and 14 touchdowns to just six interceptions. With his legs, he rushed for 574 yards on 134 rushes and two touchdowns.

We’ll see what next week has in store for Piggy, as he and the RedBlacks head to Calgary to take on the Stampeders.

Jaylen Hall - Signed With Edmonton Elks

Sunday afternoon, the Edmonton Elks announced they had signed a pair of wide receivers to attempt to bolster what has, to this point in the year, been a league-worst offense, with former Hilltopper Jaylen Hall among them.

Hall caught 68 balls for 869 yards and six touchdowns for the Hilltoppers last year, finishing as the Tops’ third-leading receiver in terms of total yards and actually matched Malachi Corley for average yards per reception (12.8).

Prior to his time on The Hill, Hall spent four years at Western Michigan, totaling over 1,530 yards on 85 catches and 14 touchdowns.

Hall’s path to playing time appears much clearer than that of Sterns and Piggy. The Elks this year are, shall we say, not good: They’re one of only two teams to have played six games up to this point in the season and have scored the fewest points in the league (91). In fact, following a 37-29 loss this past Thursday to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the Elks are 0-6 for the first time in the club’s 74-year history and have lost 20 straight games at home, one shy of the all-time professional record.

Much like Sterns, Hall will start his time with Edmonton on the practice roster, but I’d imagine he’ll see meaningful snaps sooner than later.

Edmonton is back in action against the aforementioned Blue Bombers

Dionte Ruffin - Hustlin’ and bustlin’ for the Montreal Alouettes

We’re including Ruffin in here not because there’s news surrounding him, but because we want to check up on our guys.

After spending last year with the Calgary Stampeders, Ruffin is now in Montreal, starting on the outside for the Alouettes.

He’s played in all five of the Als’ games so far this year, has recorded three tackles and forced a fumble two weeks ago in a loss to British Columbia, where he chased down former Auburn running back Shaun Shivers to end a 68-yard rush by punching the ball out at the 1-yard-line. Some impressive stuff.

Ruffin and the Als are back in action on Sunday, July 30 when they’ll host his former club.

John Haggarty - Still kickin’ it with the Toronto Argonauts

Like Ruffin, there’s no real news on Haggarty, we’re just doing a good ol’ fashion check-in on him to keep you up to speed on him.

Through his first four games, Haggerty ranks fourth in the CFL in average yards per punt, 48.7, and has totaled two rouges (along with three other punters). He’s not getting a lot of work - in fact, his 24 punts are the fewest in the league - but when you’re kicking for the team that has scored 32 or more points in each of their first four games, it just comes with the territory.

Haggerty and the Argos return to the field Friday when they head to Hamilton to take on the Tiger Cats.

Baseball

CJ Weins - Drafted by Boston Red Sox

Hilltopper hurler CJ Weins became the first player since 2019 (Jake Sanford, New York Yankees) to hear his name get called in the MLB Draft, being selected 178th overall by the Boston Red Sox.

Weins spent just one season with the Tops, being a key piece to Marc Rardin’s bullpen: In 27 appearances, he allowed just 15 runs and 18 hits in 31.0 innings, collecting eight saves and striking out 42 (while walking just eight).

The Illinois native, who spent time at South Carolina and Wabash Valley Community College before his 2022 campaign in red and white, signed with the Red Sox on Thursday for $50,000, well below the slot value of his sixth-round pick (thanks in large part to his being a senior and not having the ability to use the option to return to school as leverage).

Cam Tullar - Signed by Los Angeles Angels

He wasn’t drafted, but southpaw Cam Tullar was the second member of the 2022 Hilltoppers to join affiliated ball this past week, signing with the Angels.

Tullar - another SEC-to-Wabash-to-WKU arm - appeared in 18 games for the Hilltoppers, making two starts, and going 2-1 with a 3.78 ERA, striking out 49, the second most of a member of the WKU arm barn.

Prior to his signing with the Angels, Tullar had been throwing for the Billings Mustangs of the kind-of-independent-kind-of-not Pioneer League. In nine appearances, four starts, this year, Tullar has gone 3-1 with a 3.16 ERA and 40 strikeouts, all of which are team highs.

Basketball

Emmanuel Akot - Signs With Ottawa BlackJacks (Canadian Elite Basketball League)

After averaging 10.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in his lone season on the Hill, Canadian native Emmanuel Akot has returned home, signing with the CEBL’s Ottawa BlackJacks in time for their playoff run.

Akot, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, secured pre-draft workouts with three NBA teams - Indiana, Atlanta and Washington - before ultimately going undrafted.

Akot has yet to debut for his new club, who will next play on Thursday. The BlackJacks lead the Eastern Conference, and have already clinched a playoff birth, having won eight straight games and sitting at 12-5.

It was a busy spring for a few of our former Hilltoppers. While the 2023 NFL Draft hoopla was heating up, football was still in full swing even after the Super Bowl festivities. Either way, the newest crop of NFL superstars were on the rise and a few ProTops were in the midst of it all.

More than Luck(y)

It’s been a wild journey for Lucky Jackson since his days on The Hill. He was the leading receiver in his 2019 senior season, amassing 94 receptions for 1,113 yards. By graduation, he held the mark for the second-most receptions in a single season in program history. After graduating WKU with a few accolades, there was no doubt that Jackson would have a fierce drive to compete professionally.

Through the next three football seasons, it’s been a slow process. Jackson was undrafted in 2020 and didn’t receive a single minicamp invite nor an NFL Draft workout. In 2021, he started getting his feet wet professionally by the way of The Spring League, playing for the Blues. In 2022, he spent some time in the Canadian Football League with stops in Winnipeg & Edmonton. However, he was on both rosters for a short period of time and was released by season’s end.

Jackson found a place after being contacted by the XFL regarding being part of their 2023 reboot, placing his name in the league draft. He was selected by the DC Defenders in January.

Since that day, it was all she wrote. Jackson became an instant playmaker for the Defenders. After moving up the depth chart in such a short time, he finally started getting chances to showcase his talent.

By the start of the XFL playoffs at the end of April, the Defenders were the best team in the league, winning all but one of their 10 games. Jackson grew to be a trusted target for quarterback & POTY candidate Jordan Ta’amu. He was the team’s leading receiver, tallying 36 receptions for 573 yards and five touchdowns. He also averaged 57 yards per game.

Even famed wideout Chad Ochocinco gave Lucky his props, manifesting what could happen next.

Despite being the gold standard in the regular season, the Defenders fell to the Arlington Renegades in the XFL Championship earlier this month. Still, Jackson’s hard work did not go unnoticed. He was named to the All-XFL team, alongside former teammate Jahcour Pearson, who led the league in receptions (60), receiving yards (670) and targets (84).

On May 23, Lucky Jackson’s dream finally became a reality. Among other XFL standouts, signing with the Minnesota Vikings.

While he may be at the bottom of the depth chart with a long way to go, this is a perfect situation for Lucky. A chance to line up alongside All-Pro superstar Justin Jefferson hangs in the balance among being part of an offense tailored to his talents.

Martin Joins the Pride

Brodric Martin was the lone ProTop to be drafted this past year, being selected by the Detroit Lions in the third round with the 96th overall pick, making him the fifth-highest selection in Hilltopper history.

While his draftibility was in question, the timing was seen as odd, as many draft experts pegged him as a later-round pick.

Nonetheless, it was a great landing spot for the defensive tackle as he is expected to make an early impact on the Lions depth chart.

After starting his career at North Alabama where he played 25 games over the span of 2017-2020, Martin transferred to WKU and spent the last two seasons in Bowling Green. He played in all 24 games & was named to the C-USA Honorable Mention team after finishing the 2022 season with 32 tackles, 1.5 sacks, & seven quarterback pressures.

He was invited to the East-West Shrine Bowl which etched his name on draft boards following the game appearance. The 6’5”, 330-pound defensive tackle won scouts over with his ability to clog up rushing attempts and move past the line of scrimmage with overwhelming force.

Opportunity Knocks

While only Martin heard his named call, he was far from the only former Topper to see his NFL drams be reached.

Kahlef Hallassie was one of the first former Tops to land somewhere on the undrafted free agent journey after not being selected during the NFL Draft. During his two years in Bowling Green, Hallassie started 26 games at defensive back & was named as a C-USA Second Team representative for 2022. He finished his career with 156 tackles & 4 interceptions.

He was projected as a sixth-round pick according to analysts. At first, it was reported that he was signing with the New York Jets. After not appearing on their training camp roster following the draft, he instead found another landing place with the Kansas City Chiefs, hosted him in the pre-draft process on a Top 30 visit.

Daewood Davis has also signed an UDFA contract, with the Miami Dolphins. In 23 games played over the last two seasons at WKU, he caught 80 receptions for 1,318 yards and 12 touchdowns. The flashy wide receiver will have an opportunity to battle for a roster spot among the fierce tandem of Tyreek Hill & Jaylen Waddle.

He also joins another former Topper who is new to South Beach: Mike White.

Devon Key signed a futures/reserve contract with the Denver Broncos in January. He was previously with the Chiefs & Falcons.

We also would like to acknowledge a couple of former Hilltoppers on their journey of reuniting in Washington DC.

Mitchell Tinsley & Mason Brooks have both signed UDFA deals with the Washington Commanders.

Tinsley was a playmaking receiver who was a two-year starter in Bowling Green from 2020-21. He tallied 1,780 receiving yards with 18 touchdowns during his WKU campaign. In 2022, he transferred to Penn State & was pretty productive during the Nittany Lions’ Rose Bowl-winning season. He finished the year with five touchdowns.

Brooks was a versatile offensive lineman while he was on The Hill. A former starter who also played in 2020-2021, he only allowed a total of six sacks in 26 games before hitting the portal & landing at Ole Miss for 2022. He was able to get some attention from NFL scouts while on limited production for the Rebels.

Another ho-hum week for former Hilltoppers in the NFL. Nothing to see here. I almost didn’t even put one together this week. We’ll try again next week.

I am, of course, being cleverly deceitful. It was a huge week for WKU NFLers: DeAngelo Malone is starting to feel comfortable as a professional, Tyler Higbee is emerging as maybe one of the most targeted tight ends in the league and…and…I feel like I’m forgetting…something? Hmm…

DeAngelo Malone, Atlanta Falcons

Malone saw a significant decrease in snaps this week, but he made those snaps count, including blowing up an attempted reverse for a six-yard loss.

After seeing double-digit defensive snaps in each of the first two games he played this season (he was inactive in Week 1), he saw just four this week (5.5% of plays), but continued to get good run on special teams (13 snaps, 50%).

Not going to lie, I don’t know exactly how PFF grades work, but Malone finished as the second-highest graded defensive Falcon despite his low snap count (83.0).

Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams

The Rams offense looks severely broken, but Tyler Higbee is becoming a Jack Doyle-esque security blanket for Matthew Stafford. In Monday night’s game against the 49ers, Higbee caught 10 passes on 14 targets for 73 yards.

As of publication of this story, his snap count totals and PFF grades were not available. This story will be updated once they are.

Bailey Zappe, New England Patriots

A Hilltopper quarterback has made his NFL regular season debut for a second-straight season, as Bailey Zappe entered Sunday’s game in Green Bay after Brian Hoyer left with a head injury.

He didn’t light the world up on fire, but he didn’t look completely unprepared either, which you’ll take. He went 10-for-15 for 99 yards and a touchdown to Devante Parker.

His PFF grade came in at 51.0. Again, I don’t fully know how that’s calculated, but for his first appearance, in relief of an injured starter, in Green Bay. Not too shabby.

He also set a fun piece of history. We’ll let CBS explain.

What a day. I don’t know about yall, but I was grinning ear to ear seeing our boy take the NFL field.

George Fant, New York Jets

Fant was placed on IR last week. He’ll be eligible to return Week 8 (if I’m doing my math correctly).

Mike White, New York Jets

After being the QB2 in the absence of Zach Wilson the first three weeks of the season, White - now relegated to QB3 - was a “healthy scratch” inactive in the Jets win vs. Pittsburgh.

Three weeks of the NFL season have come and gone in a flash and it’s been a mixed bag for our former Hilltoppers playing in the league.

DeAngelo Malone, Atlanta Falcons

Malone saw increased playing time in the Falcons’ first win of the season, seeing 26 total snaps - 13 each on defense (18.3% of plays) and 13 on special teams (52.0%).

Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams

Higbee was once again used heavily by the Rams in their win against Arizona, seeing the field for 93.8% of offensive plays (45 snaps) and was on the field for one special teams play.

Despite a four-catch, 61-yard day, Higbee totaled the fifth-lowest PFF grade for the Rams offense Sunday, coming in at 63.8 (but we’ll credit that to the Rams having a big early lead and not having much need to target him in the red zone).

Bailey Zappe, New England Patriots

Zappe has yet to see the field in 2022 but has been reported to start this coming week after Patriots starter, Mac Jones, suffered an ankle injury late in the Patriots’ loss to Baltimore.

George Fant, New York Jets

It has not been a kind week for Fant. After being considered questionable all week, he was deemed healthy enough to see the field for the Jets against Cincinnati but didn’t play incredibly well and, depending on whose report you believe, was either injured or benched and didn’t play late in the second half.

He saw just 43 snaps (55.1% of plays) this week, by far the lowest he’s seen this year, and he was the second-lowest graded offensive player for New York by PFF, coming in at 41.7 (with a 27.2 pass-blocking grade).

Like we said, this week has not been kind to Fant.

Mike White, New York Jets

White has yet to see the field in 2022, though he is Joe Flacco’s backup while Zach Wilson is out with an injury.

Two weeks of NFL action are officially in the books. How is your team looking? Your fantasy team(s) ruined yet? Is your franchise quarterback out until November or later?

After having 11 former Hilltoppers in training camp this past summer, we’ve got five active ProTops each week (plus an IR’d Forrest Lamp in New Orleans).

Here’s how they each fared in Week 2.

DeAngelo Malone, Atlanta Falcons

Malone made his NFL debut last week after being listed as an inactive Week 1 and he saw some playing time in a game that should have been a blow out but was almost a Falcons win. He played 12 defensive snaps (19%) and also got 12 snaps on special teams (52.2%).

He recorded two solo tackles in his debut and logged a 71.8 PFF grade.

Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams

Higbee saw 63 snaps (94%) in Week 1 despite seeing just one target in the season opener against Buffalo but saw an increase in participation against Atlanta, seeing 61 snaps (96.8%) for seven catches and 71 yards (no touchdowns, though he was targeted in the end zone at least once in what turned into a nifty AJ Terrell interception).

His increased workload came with it an increased PFF grade. After garnering a 57.4 rating against the Bills to open the season, Higbee logged a 68.5 grade this week, the fifth-highest on the Rams offense.

Bailey Zappe, New England Patriots

Zappe has yet to see the field in 2022 and is, quite frankly, highly unlikely to as the Patriots’ QB3 behind Mac Jones and Brian Hoyer.

George Fant, New York Jets

After playing all 84 offensive snaps in Week 1 for the Jets, Fant once again saw every offensive snap for New York in Week 2, logging 70.

He also played five special teams snaps (16.7%).

While the playing time is a positive, the advanced stats are not: After receiving a 56.0 grade from PFF last week, Fant finished this week as the second-lowest rated offensive player, coming in at just 46.7.

I don’t know enough about offensive line play, nor do I watch enough Jets games, to know what the issue is, but I’d imagine his switching positions this offseason is attributing to his struggles.

Mike White, New York Jets

White has yet to see the field in 2022, though he is Joe Flacco’s backup while Zach Wilson is out with an injury.

Football is officially back! The 2022 NFL season is underway. As always, we have a few Hilltopper football alums who take the gridiron this year with various teams who are also entering some interesting storylines. Let’s take a peek at how Week 1 went down.

Thursday night was the season opener for the league and the nation was treated to a star-studded matchup in Los Angeles. The defending Super Bowl champions Rams were at home against AFC dark horse candidates, the Bills.

Tyler Higbee remained one of the main targets for the offense, as he caught five passes for 39 yards. It wasn’t enough as the Bills blew out the Rams 31-10.

Higher and the Rams will host the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday afternoon.

On Sunday afternoon, the Jets opened their season with a home game against the Ravens. It was a rough afternoon in The Meadowlands as the Ravens added more insult to an injury-laden Jets ball club with a 24-9 loss.

Mike White did not play but was elevated as a backup to starting quarterback Joe Flacco.

George Fant started the season off playing on the left side of the offensive line instead of his usual right tackle spot due to numerous injuries. It wasn’t the best afternoon for the whole unit, including Fant, as they’ve struggled against the Ravens’ rush defense.

The Jets head to Cleveland this week to duel the Browns.

DeAngelo Malone was listed as inactive for the Falcons’ 27-26 loss to their divisional rivals, the Saints.

Assuming he’s active, he’ll go head-to-head against Higbee in L.A.

Bailey Zappe was listed as a third string backup quarterback to start the Patriots season. However, the team had various setbacks during their 20-7 loss to their divisional foe Dolphins. Starter Mac Jones left the game due to a back injury but as of Monday, his tests came back negative on showing any injury concerns. As a precaution, Zappe may take some extra practice reps as the Pats continue to monitor Jones’ situation.

It’s another tall task for the Pats’ offense this week, as they’ll head to Pittsburgh and face the Steelers, who shutdown the high-flying Bengals offense for three quarters last week.

In other news:

• Jordan Meredith remains on the Raiders practice squad for the beginning of the season.

• Forrest Lamp has been placed on the Saints injured reserve.

Cut down day looms for players on the fringe of NFL rosters all over the league and that includes a majority of this year’s ProTops.

This year, only four former Hilltoppers are sure-fire 53-man roster picks: Mike White, George Fant, Tyler Higbee and DeAngelo Malone, with the strong possibility the Patriots keep Bailey Zappe around as a third quarterback.

Other than that, a lot of futures are up in the air.

Deadline day is today at 3 p.m. CT. This story is publishing at 6 a.m. CT so, if you’re an email subscriber, be sure you’re heading to our actual website for the most up-do-date information throughout the day, as we’ll be updating it as cuts come in.

Prior to the third week of the NFL’s preseason, it was reported that the Seattle Seahawks had released Joel Iyiegbuniwe. Head coach Pete Carroll confirmed my suspicion that he didn’t have a great camp by simply telling reporters that “Other guys were just doing better.”

On Monday, we learned the fate of four Hilltoppers:

• Forrest Lamp got struck by the injury bug again, being sent to the Saints’ IR and will, most likely, miss all of the 2022 season.

• Jerreth Sterns was among the cuts from the Buccaneers: A move not entirely surprising, given the Bucs’ depth at the position, but he put together an impressive camp and it’s still disappointing. I’d be shocked if he doesn’t sign elsewhere, or even stay in Tampa, as a practice squad member.

• Also released Monday was Deon Yelder who, if I had to guess, will see his NFL career come to an end. Don’t get it twisted, however: If this is how it ends, it was a heckuva career from Yelder, all things considered - he had one insanely productive college season, signed as a UDFA and hung around for three years, getting himself a Super Bowl ring. Not too shabby.

• The one piece of good news regarding a former Hilltopper came in New York, where it was announced the Jets were releasing Chris Streveler, making Mike White QB3 and the presumptive backup to start the regular season, assuming Zach Wilson misses time.

As of this story’s publication, the official fates of six Hilltoppers remain:

• As stated above, I’d bet every dollar I have that Fant and Higbee join White on 53-man rosters. DeAngelo Malone is also essentially a lock for the Falcons, though it remains to be seen how much he factors into first-string reps once the season starts. I also feel really good about Zappe’s chances to hang around as a QB3, but I’m not sure how often the Patriots do something like that.

• I also think Jordan Meredith has a good shot to make the Raiders. I’m far from an offensive line expert, but everything I’ve seen regarding him out of camp remains positive, and he has posted high PFF grades throughout the preseason while getting starter’s reps.

• That leaves the biggest remaining question mark: Devon Key. He was a training camp favorite last season and while not nearly as hyped this year, has put together a good preseason. I honestly wouldn’t be shocked either way. It feels like he’s either player 52 or 53 on the roster or player 54 or 55 who just misses the cut.

Update: 1:50 p.m.

DeAngelo Malone is an NFLer, making the Atlanta Falcons 53-man squad.

His inclusion on the team is far from surprising, though it remains to be seen how much usage the Falcons plan for him.

The cutdown deadlines for each team are due by 3 p.m. The Towel Rack will update this story as final decisions are handed down.

And then there were…oh, wait, no one was cut. So there are still 11! Sweet.

The first weekend that feels like an NFL Schedule is here and former Hilltoppers litter the weekend. The first and last game of the round, both lone games, both ESPN exclusives, feature at least one former Hilltopper while Friday, Saturday and Sunday have multiple Tops’ in the national spotlight.

Here’s your lineup for this week.

Joel Iyiegbuniwe, Seattle Seahawks (Thurs. vs. Chicago Bears, 7 p.m., ESPN)

Iggy takes on his former club on national TV to open the second week of the preseason as he’ll look to be more of a factor over the top on defense for Seattle.

Bailey Zappe, New England Patriots (Fri. vs. Carolina Panthers, 6 p.m., NFL Network)

For the second-straight week, Zappe will be on national TV as he’ll look to replicate his 200+ yard performance from last week and maybe lead the Pats on a couple of more scoring drives against Carolina.

Forrest Lamp, New Orleans Saints (Fri. at Green Bay, 7 p.m.)

The lone ProTopper not on national television Friday, Lamp saw the fourth-most snaps of any Saints offensive player, playing over 50% of them, and will look to make another impression this week as he fights for a roster spot.

Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams (Fri. vs. Houston Texans, 9 p.m., NFL Network)

It’s a ProTops doubleheader on NFLN! Well, it would be if Sean McVay played his starters in the preseason. Which he does not. So Higbee will not be in action.

Devon Key, Kansas City Chiefs (Sat. vs. Washington Commanders, 3 p.m., NFL Network)

Key was one of the guys I was most concerned wouldn’t make it to the second week of the preseason, but he has made the 85-man roster for this week and will get a shot to try to shut down the Commanders’ offense. Also, on NFL Network.

Jerreth Sterns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sat. at Tennessee Titans, 6 p.m. NFL Network)

What do we have here? Another nationally televised ProTopper game?! Sterns only saw 19 plays last week but caught all four of his targets and hauled in a nifty touchdown.

He’ll try to make his case to be part of what will be a depleted Bucs’ receiving corps come the start of the year just over an hour from Smith Stadium.

Jordan Meredith, Las Vegas Raiders (Sat. at Miami Dolphins, 6 p.m.)

For a second-straight game this preseason, Meredith earned the highest PFF grade of the Raiders’ offense (94.2) and did it in just 14 snaps.

I’m not going to lie, Meredith is the guy I have the least prediction of: I could see him making the roster, I could also see him being a last-second cut.

Hopefully he can turn in a third-ranked game-high grade from PFF against the Dolphins this week to make his case.

Deon Yelder, Arizona Cardinals (Sun. vs. Baltimore Ravens, 7 p.m., Fox)

Yelder was another guy I feared we’d see get cut this week, but he should be in line to see the field Sunday (in another national game) against the Ravens.

He started last week’s game against Cincinnati but was nearly invisible until a couple of soft catches in the second half.

George Fant, Mike White New York Jets vs. DeAngelo Malone, Atlanta Falcons (Mon., 7 p.m., ESPN)

Both ProToppers are stories in the Big Apple after injuries in their respective position rooms: Fant is moving back to right tackle following an injury to Mekhi Becton while White is in a position to show why he should be the starter over Joe Flacco if Zach Wilson ends up missing any significant time after suffering an injury (but escaping a torn ACL) in last week’s preseason opener.

On the other side of the ball is DeAngelo Malone, the Falcons’ rookie trying to solidify his spot on the 53-man roster after an even performance in his preseason debut.

It’s Topper on Topper action to close out the week.

The first full week of the 2022 preseason is in the books and we still have 11 Hilltoppers in camps around the league.

While the top-of-the-roster guys didn’t see the field (Fant, Higbee), there were some strong performances from ProTops trying to make the 53-man out of camp.

Lets dive in to the preseason Week 1 performances, as well as taking a look at how their playing share was divided.

George Fant, Mike White: New York Jets (win at Eagles, 24-21)

George Fant did not see the field as he continues to nurse a leg injury.

Mike White took 56% of the offensive snaps (36 total), the most of any Jets quarterback on the night. His efforts, though, did not impress The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt, who included White among his “fallers” in his post-game stock report.

That said, Rosenblatt doesn’t believe White is in danger of losing his roster spot, for now.

Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams (win at Chargers, 29-22)

Higbee did not play in Saturday’s game but don’t fret - Sean McVay has a policy against playing starters.

Hopefully his knee injury suffered towards the end of the playoffs last season wont keep him out come Sept. 11.

Joel Iyiegbuniwe, Seattle Seahawks (loss at Steelers, 32-25)

Iggy saw time both on defense and special teams in his first unofficial outing with his new club, seeing 16 plays on defense (24% of defensive plays) and six special team plays (22%).

He did not, however, record any statistics and hasn’t been much of a standout in camp. Here’s to hoping his days in the PNW aren’t numbered.

Devon Key, Kansas City Chiefs (loss at Bears, 19-14)

Key, a 2021 camp standout, got a fair shake in the Chief’s loss to Chicago. He played the fifth-most snaps on the defensive side of the ball (36 plays, 55% of plays) and also contributed on special teams (7, 24%).

He recorded a pair of tackles, both of which were solo.

Forrest Lamp, New Orleans Saints (loss at Texans, 17-13)

Lamp, trying to break into the Saints after suiting up for them just once upon his signing, played 55% of offensive snaps (40) for them in their loss to Houston. He also was on the field for one special-teams snap.

His 40 offensive snaps were tied for fourth-most on the squad.

DeAngelo Malone, Atlanta Falcons (win at Lions, 27-23)

Malone saw 31 plays for the Falcons in his preseason debut, in which he recorded three tackles, all of which were solo and one of which went for a loss.

Jordan Meredith, Las Vegas Raiders (win vs. Vikings, 26-20)

I’m going to be straight up with you: I cannot find existence of snap counts from this game anywhere. I’m sure they exist, I’m just not smart enough to figure out where to find them.

Having said that, on top of earning the top PFF game grade on the Raiders’ offense in the Hall of Fame Game, he finished this week as the best, by far, graded run blocker for the Raiders, with a 92.1 grade (I’m assuming this is a PFF metric, but it is not specified), over 23 points higher than the #2 offensive lineman.

So, that’s good!

Once actual snap counts are live somewhere, this story will be updated to include them for Meredith.

Jerreth Sterns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (loss vs. Dolphins, 26-24)

In a game that featured almost exclusively backup wide receivers for the Bucs, Sterns didn’t get a ton of plays, just 26% of offensive snaps (19 plays) but made the most of his opportunities, catching all four of his targets for 51 yards, including one 20-yard play, and a touchdown.

He’s been something of a camp favorite so even if he doesn’t make the Bucs’ 53-man out of camp, there’s a strong chance he’ll land a practice squad spot.

Deon Yelder, Arizona Cardinals (win at Bengals, 36-23)

Yelder played the most snaps of any wide receiver for Arizona, 28, and even started the game at the position, but only caught two balls (on four targets) for 18 yards, not hauling in a reception until the second half.

Bailey Zappe, New England Patriots (loss at Giants, 23-21)

Zappe took the fourth-most snaps of any offensive Patriot player, seeing the field for 77% of plays (48 snaps) to accompany his 205-yard day. He also completed 19 of his 32 pass attempts and threw for one touchdown while also throwing an interception.

In his very first NFL preseason game, former WKU and current rookie New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe finished 19-of-32 passing with 205 yards with a touchdown and interception in a close game against the New York Giants.

Zappe played three quarters after veteran Brian Hoyer started (Mac Jones did not play) and definitely looked pretty nervous and shaky right off the bat. Zappe didn’t do much in the first half and finished it 3-of-9 passing with only 16 yards and was sacked once.

The second half however looked much different.

Zappe came out of the half looking more confident and started making some plays and throwing the pigskin around.

Zappe at one point was 11-of-12 passing with 131 yards coming out of halftime as he eventually led the Patriots on a 69 yard possession that ended with his first NFL career touchdown pass.

It would’ve been so great for that to be the game winning drive but unfortunately the Giants would kick a game winning field goal as time expired, winning 23-21.

But as far as Zappe is concerned, outside of the first half he looked pretty solid and was able to get in the swing of things as the game progressed. The Pats offensive line didn’t help him that much at times with penalties or some lapses but overall I think he did pretty well for his first NFL game.

How do you think Zappe did? Let us know in the comments or on our Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook pages! Be sure to follow us as we keep up with our #ProTops players this season.

The NFL is back!

Well, kind of.

After last week’s Hall of Fame Game served as an opening bite to the appetizer course that is the new three-week preseason schedule, this week will be an entire jalapeno popper, of sorts, as every team takes the field.

While the intrigue isn’t necessarily there for your favorite team, unless you’re really into the “who is going to be our third guard,” if you’re a fan of a school like WKU, the preseason may be the only time some former Hilltoppers get meaningful snaps this year.

At the start of the preseason, we count 11 former Hilltoppers on NFL rosters. Here’s your ProTops outlook for the first full week of preseason action.

George Fant, New York Jets (Fri. at Philadelphia Eagles, 6:30 p.m.)

It was unlikely Fant was going to see much time this week anyway, with starters/established veterans rarely playing the first week anyway, but with some injury concerns regarding his left knee, he’ll most likely be kept out partially due to health concerns as well.

Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams (Sat. at Los Angeles Chargers, 9 p.m.)

Higbee is hoping for a clean bill of health all season, after a knee injury kept him out of the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI victory back in February. Much like Fant, it’s likely injury concerns keep him out of a game he probably wasn’t going to play much in anyway.

Joel Iyiegbuniwe, Seattle Seahawks (Sat. at Pittsburgh Steelers, 6 p.m., NFL Network)

Iggy has a new home, in the Pacific Northwest, though not a lot has been made of his training camp so far.

With the exception, that is, of him getting lost in the middle here of this 40-yard touchdown.

Almost exclusively a special teams player in Chicago, Iggy will hopefully be able to play his way into the Seahawks linebacking corps.

Devon Key, Kansas City Chiefs (Sat. at Chicago Bears, 12 p.m., NFL Network)

Key was maybe the story out of Chiefs camp last year and was seen as a lock to make the Chiefs 53-man roster. All that hype ended in him not seeing the field in 2021.

While Chad Henne isn’t Patrick Mahomes, he’s still an NFL quarterback and Key read him like a book on this pick.

Forrest Lamp, New Orleans Saints (Sat. at Houston Texans, 7 p.m.)

His second year in New Orleans, Lamp is hoping to make a case for more playing time, appearing in just one game for the Saints a season ago.

I’ll be honest, I haven’t heard a peep out of their training camp about him, but here’s to hoping that chances with a strong preseason.

DeAngelo Malone, Atlanta Falcons (Fri. at Detroit Lions, 5 p.m., NFL Network)

While not the camp stud Key was last year, or a couple of offensive rookies we’ll talk about soon have been, Malone is having a strong camp with his hometown Falcons and shouldn’t have to struggle to make what might be one of, if not the, worst team in the league.

Jordan Meredith, Las Vegas Raiders (Sun. vs. Minnesota Vikings, 3:25 p.m., NFL Network)

It was a wild offseason for Meredith, who was released on July 20 by Vegas but was then quickly resigned. His efforts were handsomely rewarded, as he earned the top PFF game grade by a member of the Raiders’ offense in last week’s Hall of Fame Game win over Jacksonville.

Jerreth Sterns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sat. vs. Miami Dolphins, 6:30 p.m.)

Tampa has one of the deepest receiving corps in the league, but not without a couple of injured players among them and if Sterns plays against other teams the way he’s played in camp, he could make the roster come mid-September. While a lot of the Bucs’ camp has been focused on the health of Chris Godwin and the signing of Juilo Jones (both of which will be Week 1 health question marks), Sterns is turning some heads and getting some glowing reviews.

Mike White, New York Jets (Fri. at Philadelphia Eagles, 6:30 p.m.)

The Mike White disrespect tour continues, as he’ll be QB3 entering the first week of the preseason (which, if I had to assume, would mean he’ll play most, if not all, of the second half). More important than any good news regarding White coming out of camp, there is no bad/negative news coming out of Jets camp for #5. As long as that’s the case, he’ll be in fine shape to be Wilson’s backup.

Deon Yelder, Arizona Cardinals (Fri. at Cincinnati Bengals, 6:30 p.m.)

After singing with four teams last calendar year (50 internet dollars to whoever can name those teams, without looking them up), Yelder has been under contract with the Cardinals since January of this year.

That’s the good news. The bad: He isn’t making much noise out of Cardinals camp.

Bailey Zappe, New England Patriots (Thurs. vs. New York Giants, 6 p.m., NFL Network)

In my now over decade of covering Western Kentucky, I cannot remember a player who has had a more glowing preseason, really in any sport. An entire article could be dedicated to all of the glowing reports coming out of Foxboro for college football’s all-time leading passer.

Beat reports are gushing over him, Bill Belichick is giving him first-team reps and on multiple occasions, he has “outperformed” against first-rounder Mac Jones.

The Towel Rack will be holding it’s first ever Twitter Spaces Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT, where we’ll preview Zappe’s NFL Debut. To join us, click here.

With Week 2 of the 2022 CFL season in the books, every team has played at least one game.

John Haggerty - Toronto Argonauts (win vs. Montreal, 20-19)

One of the many oddities to the league is that, with a nine-team competition, someone had to sit out week one, and that someone this year was John Haggerty and the Toronto Argonauts.

Haggerty was drafted by the Argos with the fourth overall pick of this past year’s Global Draft, and made his CFL debut in Week 2, punting four times for 205 gross yards, with an average of 51.3 yards per punt, including a 62-yard long boot, and logged a CFL staple - the single (more commonly known as a rouge) in the first and second quarters.

This week, the Argos head to Vancouver to take on the BC Lions. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m.

Dionté Ruffin - Calgary Stampeders (win at Hamilton, 33-30)

In what was the early game of the season, Dionte Ruffin and his Stamps came back from a 21-point deficit, scoring 20 points in the fourth quarter alone, to take down the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in overtime.

Ruffin had a quiet day, logging three tackles.

In last week’s win over Montreal, Ruffin had one of the highlights of the week, combining with teammate Mike Rose for a tip-drill interception.

The Stamps return to action this week against Edmonton on Saturday (6 p.m.).

The WKU Hilltopper representation in the NFL just grew by three more athletes after this past weekend. The 2022 NFL Draft concluded with numerous selections and undrafted free agents off the boards. A trio of Hilltoppers watched their dreams come true as NFL franchises took to the helms of selecting last season’s collegiate talent. Here is a summary of who will be soon playing on Sundays:

DeAngelo Malone: Falcons, Round 3, #82

Malone was the first Hilltopper off the board during Friday’s coverage of the second and third rounds. The Atlanta native didn’t go too far at all as he was drafted by his hometown Falcons. The selection came at the 82nd pick overall in the third round. 

Malone will have his work cut out for him as he and fellow defensive draftee Arnold Ebiketie will focus on making the roster on the front seven of the Falcons defense. More than likely, Malone will be a rotation prospect in their 3-4 defense scheme system. The Falcons will try to rebuild the direction of the franchise after missing the playoffs for the third straight season.

Just hours after the selection, Malone was interviewed by team personel. 

https://www.atlantafalcons.com/video/honored-to-play-for-my-hometown-team-deangelo-malone-press-conference-2022-nfl-d

Bailey Zappe: Patriots, Round 4, #137

Bailey Zappe is the next WKU quarterback star that could potentially come out of the AFC East. The Patriots have used their fourth round selection with the 137th overall pick. 

Zappe was the fifth quarterback selected in the draft class that was headlined by Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett and Liberty’s Malik Willis. 

This was sort of a head scratcher for Patriots fans and other football enthusiasts alike. 

While this is an obvious move for quarterback depth, it came as surprising due to the Patriots previously coming off a playoff season led by current starter Mac Jones. 

However, the Patriots have had their eyes on Zappe since WKU’s Pro Day. Even if he doesn’t get a chance to start right away, this doesn’t rule out future opportunities down the road (see Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett). 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/05/01/bailey-zappe-has-already-mastered-the-patriot-way/amp/

Jerreth Sterns: Buccaneers, UDFA

In the hours after the the NFL draft concluded, Jerreth Sterns found a home plus a golden opportunity in disguise. The nation’s leader in receptions and receiving yards was signed to an undrafted free agent deal with the Buccaneers. 

He’s going to battle for a roster spot with a training camp invite. The receiver corps is already stacked with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, both 1,000 yard receivers in the Tampa Bay offense. They are great veterans to learn from as he navigates a system that includes first-year head coach Bryon Leftwich. Potentially he could be catching receptions from future HOF quarterback Tom Brady. 

Even if Sterns makes the practice squad, he will be highly considered to be a potential specialist in the return game before getting inside the rotation of receivers. 

Congratulations and best of luck to DeAngelo, Bailey, and Jerreth in your new NFL careers!

The 2021 NFL Season was one for the ages. Our Hilltopper Football alumni were represented well and are expecting a more enormous output from the upcoming 2022 collegiate draft. Most of the representatives were among the several other athletes whose futures remained up for question after the previous season. Here is where everyone ended up:

Tyler Higbee

Higs finished 2021 with another productive season in Los Angeles. He made his strides with 61 receptions, 560 yards, and five touchdowns, averaging 9.2 yards a catch. He was also able to make some appearances in the Rams playoff run, obtaining 14 receptions for 115 yards in all three games as a Super Wild Card team. Unfortunately, he fell to a knee injury during the NFC Championship game against the 49ers.

https://www.nfl.com/news/rams-place-te-tyler-higbee-on-injured-reserve-activate-rb-darrell-henderson-off-

He was placed on the injured reserve ahead of the Rams’ Super Bowl appearance on February 6th. The Rams were able to cruise to a nail-biting victory over the AFC champion Bengals. In just two years, Higbee is the second WKU Football alum to acquire a championship ring.

Jack Doyle

On March 7th, the pride of Indianapolis announced his retirement with the Colts. 

He finished his ninth season in “The Horseshoe” starting 14 out of 17 games. Throughout his tenure, he caught 295 passes for 2,729 yards and 24 total touchdowns.

We wish Capt. Jack the best of luck in his post-NFL adventures and a huge congratulations on a successful career. 

George Fant

Big George remains in his three-year deal that was signed in 20202 with the New York Jets. He is approaching the final year of his contract, leading some to speculate about his future with the team after 2022. Due to the signing of free agent Laken Tomlinson and the plans of the Jets to draft offensive tackles, Fant is pretty safe for the time being. Here’s to seeing more of Fant come fall. Speaking of more news from the Meadowlands…

Mike White is staying with the “gang of green.” After resigning fellow quarterback Joe Flacco to a one-year deal, the same was given to White in the agreeance of a restricted free agent tended contact. Both White and Flacco will remain under Zach Wilson, who is looking to have a better sophomore campaign as the starter.

https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/jets-qb-mike-white-signs-rfa-tender

Joel Iyiegbuniwe

After being released by the Bears, Iggy was able to find the second home of his NFL career. The special teams’ gem signed a one-year deal with the Seahawks. Due to roster changes in Seattle, Iggy has a nice opportunity for more action on defense.

https://www.fieldgulls.com/2022/3/24/22994159/seattle-seahawks-signing-former-bears-linebacker-joel-iyiegbuniwe-nfl-news

Forrest Lamp

Lamp stays in New Orleans, resigning with the Saints on an exclusive futures contract.

https://www.neworleanssaints.com/news/forrest-lamp-guard-new-orleans-saints-nfl-free-agency-2022

Deon Yelder

Yelder is continuing to get a shot at making an NFL roster. After his stints with the Chiefs, Commanders, Giants, and Buccaneers, he was signed to the Cardinals on a futures deal. This involves him in the tight end group which includes Zach Ertz and Maxx Williams.

https://cardswire.usatoday.com/2022/01/19/cardinals-sign-13-from-practice-squad-rb-jaylen-samuels-te-deon-yelder-to-futures-deal/

Elsewhere in the football world…

Taywan Taylor is back for another chance at professional football. After spending four years with stints for the Titans, Browns, and Texans, Taylor has resurfaced as a draft pick in the revamped United States Football League. He was selected by the New Orleans Breakers.

Here is a tidbit on getting to know Taywan and the rest of his teammates. The Breakers will open their USFL season on Easter Sunday.

https://www.nola.com/sports/article_ffb45880-b5c9-11ec-8cf6-0f0c0d298361.html

Tacorian Darden was able to find opportunities after participating in the 2021 NFL Draft. His last appearance was with the Lousiville Xtreme of the Indoor Football League.

Lucky Jackson is the newest import to our football friends north of the border. He signed a deal with the CFL’s defending Grey Cup Champions, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

It was a Week 18 to remember for the NFL. After weeks of memorable performances and playoff implication shakeups, the battle of the Lombardi Trophy kicks off next weekend. Let’s take a final look at how our #ProTops closed the 2021 season:

The Colts were shockingly eliminated after losing their last two games. The latter came from a 26-11 loss to their divisional opponents, the Jaguars. Jack Doyle caught one reception for 11 yards. In his 9th season in Indianapolis, he finished the year with 29 catches, 302 yards, and three touchdowns. He also averaged about 10.4 yards per reception. 

The Bears finished 6-11 after their 31-17 loss to divisional opponents, the Vikings. Joel Iyiegbuniwe finished his season with four tackles, mostly on special teams. 

On Monday, he announced that he will not return to Chicago for the 2022 season as he was part of the after-season roster cuts for the Bears. 

In the Meadowlands, the abysmal Jets season has come to an end. They finish 4-13 after losing to their playoff-bound division rivals, the Bills 27-10. George Fant was on injured reserve after a knee injury occurred in last week’s game vs. Buccaneers. He is expected to make a full recovery and continue his strengths as a loyal offensive tackle. 

Another future that remains in the balance is of Mike White. After the few flashes of brilliance that he showed during the season, it seems like the Jets are banking their future on Zach Wilson. His contract ends this off-season so I would look to see other teams consider him as a valuable contender for a quarterback job. White finished his season with 953 yards passing, fine touchdowns, & eight interceptions. He also completed 88 out of 132 passes. His starting record was 1-3, with his lone win going against the AFC North champion bengals. 

On the west coast, the Rams remain as the lone playoff team with a #ProTops representative. Tyler Higbee closed out his season with something that he does best. Scoring touchdowns courtesy of Matthew Stafford:

Hold up, wait a minute. Y’all thought he was finished?

Higs finished the day six receptions for 55 yards & two touchdowns. The Rams lost to the 49ers 27-24 in overtime. Despite dropping the regular season finale, the Rams still clinched the NFC West crown. 

However, their road to a hometown Súper bowl appearance won’t be easy out the gate. They now prepare to play their division rival Cardinals on Super Wild Card Monday in Los Angeles. 

Higbee finished with 61 receptions, 560 yards and five touchdowns. He also averaged 9.2 yards a catch. 

In other #ProTops news.. 

Forrest Lamp finished the season on the Saints practice squad. Even through he was activated for the final three games, he didn’t make any significant appearances. He awaits his future with the team in a few days. 

Devon Key remains on the practice squad for the Chiefs. He’s among the activation status as they prepare for their playoff appearance next Sunday vs. the Steelers. 

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/nfl-playoff-bracket-2022-schedule-channel-scores/8qkt3qee1k0h1kd8p8tbur7v9

Happy New Year from everyone here at The Towel Rack!

The 2021 NFL season is coming to a close with just two weeks left in regular-season play. In Week 17 that’s normally the last, it still had various teams showing that they have a lot more to play for. As always, our Hilltopper football representatives were in the middle of the action. Let’s look back on Week 17:

Starting Sunday in the Meadowlands, The Jets lost their 12th game of the year after falling to the Buccaneers 28-24. The Jets were ahead until the defending super bowl champions made a comeback in the second half. Mike White did not play. George Fant was on his way to having another great game in the trenches until the injury bug affected him. He left the game due to a knee injury. He was ruled out for the rest of the game.

As of Monday morning, it is speculated that Fant will likely be out for the rest of the Jets season. He is getting a second opinion on surgery.

The Rams traveled to Baltimore to take on the Ravens. They keep their division-winning hopes alive as they were able to escape with a 20-19 victory. Tyler Higbee caught six passes for 69 (nice) yards. Outside of MVP favorite Cooper Kupp, Higs was another productive target for Matthew Stafford.

Jack Doyle did not play in the Colts’ 23-20 loss to the Raiders. He was activated from the injury report but did not have any snap counts.

Joel Iyiegbuniwe did not play during the Bears’ 29-3 win over the Giants.

For the New Orleans Saints, Forrest Lamp was elevated to the roster for the second week in a row.

The Saints’ playoff hopes remain alive as they defeated their divisional opponents’ Panthers with a 18-10 decision. Lamp did not play in the game but he is listed as a second-string guard on the offensive line.