Bulldogs in the NFL Update: Week 17

With the NFL season winding down, there are plenty of Mississippi State players not only taking part in it but starring on the biggest stage.

Last season, Chris Jones and Willie Gay Jr. took home the Super Bowl trophy as the Kansas City Chiefs won it all for the second time in Jones’ career. The two won the title over two more former Bulldog greats in Fletcher Cox and Darius Slay and the four standouts will be fighting to get back to that same spot once again with their teams this year.

Two new faces will be on the field this season for State as cornerback Emmanuel Forbes and defensive tackle Cameron Young were drafted and will play a factor on defense for Washington and Seattle respectively.

15 players were on opening day rosters when the season kicks off this weekend and 10 of those players came from Mississippi high schools with three more coming from the Mississippi Junior College system.

Another seven players are currently on practice squad rosters with more potentially being signed soon. Let’s take a look at who to look out for when watching the big games this weekend.

This week, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys survived behind the quarterback’s fifth 300-yard performance that got him over 4,000 yards for the third time in his career. The win also put Prescott and the Cowboys in position to win the division in the final week.

Johnathan Abram had his best game of the year with his first interception since 2021, a pass deflection, forced fumble and five tackles as he and JT Gray helped the Saints to a win. Emmanuel Forbes and Martin Emerson also had good games at cornerback with two pass deflections each.

DT Fletcher Cox – Philadelphia Eagles (12 seasons) L vs. Arizona Cardinals, 31-35

Week 17: Start, 3 TKL

2023 Stats: 15 G, 15 S, 33 TKL, 3.0 TFL, 5.0 SK, 1 FF, 1 FR, 2 PD

Career Stats: 188 G, 182 S, 519 TKL, 88.0 TFL, 70.0 SK, 16 PD, 16 FF, 14 FR, 3 TD

CB Darius Slay – Eagles  (11 seasons)

Week 17: DNP (Knee)  

2023 Stats: 12 G, 12 S, 57 TKL, 14 PD, 2 INT, 1 TD

Career Stats: 163 G, 153 S, 570 TKL, 13.0 TFL, 1.0 SK, 147 PD, 28 INT, 3 TD, 4 FR, 1 FF

OG Gabe Jackson – Carolina Panthers (10 seasons) L vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 0-26

Week 17: Start

2023 Stats: 4 G, 1 S

Career Stats: 135 G, 131 S

LB Preston Smith – Green Bay Packers (9 seasons)  W vs. Minnesota Vikings, 33-10

Week 17: Start, 1 TKL, 1.0 SK, 1 FF

2023 Stats: 16 G, 16 S, 46 TKL, 4.0 TFL, 8.0 SK, 2 FF, 4 PD

Career Stats: 145 G, 128 S, 409 TKL, 69.0 TFL, 66.0 SK, 27 PD, 5 INT, 6 FR, 10 FF, 2 TD

OL Elgton Jenkins –Packers (5 seasons)

Week 17: Start

2023 Stats: 14 G, 14 S

Career Stats: 69 G, 67 S

DE Denico Autry – Tennessee Titans (10 seasons) L vs. Houston Texans, 3-26   

Week 17: Start, 1 TKL

2023 Stats: 16 G, 14 S, 49 TKL, 12.0 TFL, 11.5 SK, 2 FF, 4 PD

Career Stats: 141 G, 89 S, 309 TKL, 80.0 TFL, 59.0 SK, 31 PD, 7 FF, 3 FR

DT Jeffery Simmons – Titans (5 seasons)

Week 16: DNP (Knee)

2023 Stats: 12 G, 12 S, 44 TKL, 10.0 TFL, 5.5 SK, 1 FF, 1 PD

Career Stats: 68 G, 66 S, 233 TKL, 38.0 TFL, 26.5 SK, 20 PD, 3 FR, 3 FF

QB Dak Prescott – Dallas Cowboys (8 seasons):  W vs. Detroit Tigers, 20-19

Week 17: Start, 26-38, 345 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT, 68%; 2 carries, 5 yds.

2023 Stats: 16 G, 16 S, 379-554, 4,237 yds, 30 TD, 8 INT, 68%; 55 car. 242 yds, 2 TD

Career Stats: 113 G, 113 S, 2,564-3,837, 29,180, 198 TD, 73 INT, 67%;  407 car., 1,884 yd., 28 TD

DE Tyrus Wheat – Cowboys (Rookie)

Week 17: Played special teams reps

2023 Stats: 10 G, 3 TKL

DE Chris Jones – Kansas City Chiefs (8 seasons) W vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 25-17

Week 17: Start, 1 TKL, 1.0 TFL, 1.0 SK

2023 Stats: 15 G, 15 S, 29 TKL, 12.0 TFL, 9.5 SK, 4 PD

Career Stats: 122 G, 101 S, 272 TKL, 77.0 TFL, 74.5 SK, 37 PD, 2 INT, 1 TD, 12 FF, 12 FR

LB Willie Gay Jr. – Chiefs (4 seasons)

Week 17:  Start, 5 TKL, 1.0 TFL  

2023 Stats: 16 G, 15 S, 58 TKL, 4.0 TFL, 1.0 SK, 4 PD, 1 INT, 1 FF, 3 FR

Career Stats: 57 G, 47 S, 233 TKL, 17.0 TFL, 5.0 SK, 19 PD, 4 INT, 1 TD, 2 FF, 4 FR

S J.T. Gray – New Orleans Saints (6 seasons) W vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 23-13

Week 17: Played on special teams

2023 Stats: 13 G, 11 TKL

Career Stats: 80 G, 77 TKL, 70 TKL, 2.5 SK, 1.0 TFL, 1 PD, 3 FR

S Johnathan Abram –  Saints

Week 17: Start, 5 TKL, 1 FF, 1 PD, 1 INT

2023 Stats: 8 G, 2 S, 17 TKL, 1 FF, 1 PD, 1 INT

Career Stats: 51 G, 38 S, 284 TKL, 9.0 TFL, 1 FF, 2 FR, 15 PD, 4 INT

P Logan Cooke – Jacksonville Jaguars (6 seasons) W vs. CAR, 26-0

Week 17:  Start, 3 punts, 140 yds, 46.7 ypp, 53 LNG, 0 TB,  1 IN 20

2023 Stats: 16 G, 16 S, 60 punts, 2,850 yds, 47.5 ypp, 65 LNG, 4 TB, 29 IN 20

Career Stats: 98 G, 399 punts, 18,786 yds., 47.1 ypp, 72 LNG, 25 TB, 162 IN20

DE Montez Sweat – Chicago Bears (5 seasons): W vs. Atlanta Falcons, 37-17

Week 17: Start, 1 TKL

2023 Stats: 16 G, 16 S, 54 TKL, 13.0 TFL, 12.5 SK, 3 FF, 4 PD

Career Stats: 75 G, 75 S, 219 TKL, 50.0 TFL, 41.5 SK, 10 FF, 14 PD, 1 INT, 1 TD

OT Tyre Phillips – New York Giants (4 seasons) L vs. Los Angeles Rams, 25-26

Week 17: Start

2023 Stats: 10 G, 9 S

Career Stats: 44 G, 27 S

CB Martin Emerson Jr. – Cleveland Browns (2 seasons) W vs. New York Jets, 37-20

Week 17: Start, 3 TKL, 2 PD

2023 Stats: 16 G, 12 S, 59 TKL, 1.0 TFL, 14 PD, 4 INT

Career Stats: 33 G, 18 S, 122 TKL, 2.0 TFL, 29 PD, 4 INT

OT Charles Cross – Seattle Seahawks (2 seasons) L vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 23-30

Week 17: Start

2023 Stats: 13 G, 13 S

Career Stats: 30 G, 30 S

DT – Cameron Young – Seahawks  (Rookie)

Week 17: Played reserve snaps

2023 Stats: 15 G, 14 TKL, 1.0 TFL

Career Stats: Same

CB Emmanuel Forbes –Commanders (Rookie) L vs. San Francisco 49ers, 10-27

Week 17:  4 TKL, 2 PD

2023 Stats: 13 G, 5 S, 33 TKL, 2.0 TFL, 12 PD, 1 INT

Career Stats: Same

Practice Squad:

DT Marquiss Spencer, New York Jets

C Darryl Williams – Jacksonville Jaguars

LB Jordan Thomas – Carolina Panthers

WR Isaiah Zuber – Las Vegas Raiders (Injured/Reserve)

Cameron Dantzler – Saints