Pack Pros: Marquez Valdes-Scantling scores touchdown in Super Bowl LVIII
The Kansas City Chiefs knocked off the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime during Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday night, and a pair of Pack Pros walked away champions.
Former NC State offensive lineman Joe Thuney won his fourth Super Bowl ring in eight seasons, though he was inactive for the game with a pectoral injury. Though the Pro Bowl guard was not able to go, former Wolfpack wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling left his mark on the contest.
The wideout caught three passes for 20 yards, including the go-ahead score to give the Chiefs a 13-10 lead in the third quarter. The win gave Valdes-Scantling his second straight title with Kansas City, and it marked his first receptions — and touchdown — in the Super Bowl in his six-year NFL career.
On the other side of the field, former NC State defensive lineman T.Y. McGill was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster ahead of the game for the 49ers. He was one of San Francisco’s seven inactive players in the contest.
Here’s a look at how the Pack Pros this season.
Center Garrett Bradbury (played at NC State from 2015-18), #56 Minnesota Vikings: Bradbury played 874 offensive snaps this season with the Vikings. He earned an overall PFF grade of 60.9, including a run blocking mark of 65.5.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (2014-15), #12 Washington Commanders: Brissett appeared in three games for the Commanders this season. He was 18-of-23 passing for 224 yards and three touchdowns. He did not throw an interception and was not sacked with Washington. Brissett logged a passer rating of 146.8 and a QBR of 95.5.
Outside linebacker Bradley Chubb (2014-17), #2 Miami Dolphins: Chubb was a defensive star for the Miami Dolphins this season. He logged a career-best 73 total tackles in 16 games. He had 11 sacks, his best since his rookie season, with a career-most six forced fumbles and two passes defended. Chubb tore his ACL in the Dolphins’ penultimate game of the season.
Punter A.J. Cole III (2015-18), #6 Las Vegas Raiders: Cole earned his third-straight Pro Bowl selection after he logged 75 punts with an average of 50.4 this season. He had a long of 83 yards, a career-best, while Cole placed 34 punts inside the 20-yard line.
Offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu (2019-21), #79 Carolina Panthers: Ekwonu played 1,148 snaps on offense for the Panthers this season. He posted an overall grade of 67.4, according to PFF, including an above-average 77.0 pass blocking mark.
Punter Trenton Gill (2018-21), #16 Chicago Bears: Gill logged 67 punts with an average of 46.1 yards this season. He had a long of 76 yards with 18 kicks placed inside the 20-yard line to wrap up his second NFL season.
Defensive lineman B.J. Hill Jr. (2014-17), #92 Cincinnati Bengals: Hill logged 51 total tackles through all 17 games with the Bengals. He logged 4.5 sacks and his first two career interceptions with five passes defended this season.
Running back Nyheim Hines (2015-17), #0 Buffalo Bills: Hines was out for the season with an injury suffered over the offseason.
Safety Tanner Ingle (2018-22), #34 Los Angeles Rams: Ingle is on the Rams’ practice squad.
Defensive tackle Justin Jones (2014-17), #93 Chicago Bears: Jones logged 49 total tackles as he played all 17 games with the Bears this season. The defensive lineman logged a career-best 4.5 sacks and had four passes defended.
Linebacker Vi Jones (2019-21), Seattle Seahawks: Jones was waived off of injured reserve by the Seahawks following an injury settlement.
Running back Zonovan Knight (2019-21), #28 Detroit Lions: Knight was out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. He had one catch for eight yards, and three carries for 13 yards in his two appearances with the Lions this season.
Cornerback Nick McCloud (2016-19, finished at Notre Dame), #44 New York Giants: McCloud played in all 17 games with the Giants, and he logged 28 total tackles. He had three forced fumbles and his first-career interception with two passes defended.
*Defensive tackle T.Y. McGill Jr. (2011-14), #96 San Francisco 49ers: McGill recorded two tackles and a forced fumble in two games played this season. He spent the year on the 49ers’ practice squad.
Top 10
- 1
Memphis shakes up CFP
Tigers upsets changes CFP picture
- 2
A Twisted Mess
Big 12 Championship scenarios
- 3Trending
Saban chirped
Big 12 comes after GOAT
- 4Hot
Underranked SEC
Lane Kiffin protests CFP rankings
- 5
UConn star hospitalized
Alex Karaban hospitalized at Maui Invitational
*Defensive tackle Alim McNeill (2018-20), #54 Detroit Lions: McNeill logged 32 total tackles with a career-best five sacks and a forced fumble with the Lions. He helped the Detroit defense make it to the NFC Championship game for the first time in more than 30 years.
Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (2016-18), #16 Las Vegas Raiders: Meyers impressed in his first season with the Raiders. He logged 71 receptions for 807 yards with a career-most eight touchdowns. He had a long of 33 yards and was targeted 106 times this season.
*Defensive tackle Larrell Murchison (2018-19), #52 Los Angeles Rams: Murchison logged a career-best 16 tackles in 15 games with the Rams. He had seven solo stops and helped the Rams to a playoff appearance.
*Cornerback Derrek Pitts Jr. (2021-22), #38 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Pitts logged two total tackles in four games played this season. He helped Tampa Bay to a playoff appearance this season.
Linebacker Germaine Pratt (2014-18), #57 Cincinnati Bengals: Pratt played all 17 games with the Bengals this season. He logged a career-best 118 total tackles with two sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions playing with fellow Pack Pro B.J. Hill.
Defensive end James Smith-Williams (2016-19), #96 Washington Commanders: Smith-Williams logged 22 total tackles in 13 games with the Commanders this season. He had one sack and 1.5 stuffs with Washington.
Defensive lineman Kentavius Street (2014-17), #75 Atlanta Falcons: Street played for both the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons this season. He had a total of 18 tackles with one sack between his two squads during the 2023 campaign.
Linebacker Drake Thomas (2019-22), #42 Seattle Seahawks: Thomas appeared in seven games with the Seahawks this season. He had three total tackles and was mostly a special teams player. He ended the season on injured reserve.
Wide receiver Thayer Thomas (2017-22), #89 Minnesota Vikings: Thomas is on the Vikings’ practice squad.
*Offensive guard Joe Thuney (2012-15), #62 Kansas City Chiefs: Thuney logged 1,216 total snaps this season on Kansas City’s offensive line. He appeared in every game except for the conference championship and the Super Bowl as he dealt with a pectoral injury. Thuney posted a 74.9 overall grade, according to PFF, while he had an 84.5 pass blocking mark and an 65.8 run blocking score.
*Wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (2013-14, Finished at USF), #11 Kansas City Chiefs: Valdes-Scantling caught 29 passes for 443 yards and two touchdowns this season with the Chiefs. He logged a long of 46 yards against the Los Angeles Chargers in the regular season, and he had eight receptions for 128 yards and a score in Kansas City’s playoff run to another Super Bowl title with fellow Pack Pro Joe Thuney.
Quarterback Russell Wilson (2007-09/Finished at Wisconsin), #3 Denver Broncos: Wilson was 297-of-447 passing for 3,070 yards with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 15 games this season. He had a long of 60 yards and was sacked 45 times. He was benched the last two games of the season, and is expected to be on a different team for the 2024 season.
Offensive guard Chandler Zavala (2021-22), #62 Carolina Panthers: Zavala played 374 total snaps next to fellow Pack Pro Ikem Ekownu this season. He logged an overall grade of 26.2, according to PFF, including a 7.1 pass blocking score and a 41.5 run blocking mark.
