Preseason Primer: How former Hilltoppers are looking as the NFL season nears
#ProTops: 12 former Hilltoppers open the NFL preseason in training camps. Here’s who to watch for over the next three weeks.
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.
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)
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.