The best performances by former Penn State players in Week Five of the NFL
Former Penn State superstars once again led their teams to victory in week five of the 2022 NFL Season. We’ll highlight the standout performances of the weekend on the offensive and defensive sides of the football. Some stats are via PFF.
Offensive standouts
Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley is turning into the featured back that most Penn State fans knew he could be. With 96 total yards, including a game-winning wildcat quarterback run to seal the game, Barkley again powered the Giants to a win. The G-men are 4-1 on the season and got the upset over the Green Bay Packers in England thanks to Barkley and the defense.
Chris Godwin
Chris Godwin has 13 receptions for 120 yards since returning to the lineup for the Bucs. He’s not a pure possession receiver, but he’s turning into that for quarterback Tom Brady. The big slot receiver doesn’t have a touchdown yet, but it feels inevitable that he’ll get there soon. His 19 targets lead the team over the last two weeks.
Ryan Bates
Former Penn State tackle Ryan Bates has been up and down this season for the Buffalo Bills. He’s started every game at right guard but has battled inconsistency, especially as a pass protector. Finally, he put it all together against the hapless Steelers in the Bills’ 38-3 beatdown of the Black and Gold. He didn’t allow a pressure and helped open holes for the Buffalo’s select runs during the game.
Donovan Smith
Like Godwin, Donovan Smith’s presence on the Tampa Bay offense has stabilized things for Brady. While he gave up two quarterback hits, according to PFF, He was better in obvious-passing situations than those numbers indicate. Smith hasn’t been an ultra-consistent player, but his highs are about as good as you can get.
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Penn State defenders in the NFL
Micah Parsons
Penn State’s defensive superstar Micah Parsons isn’t a full-time edge rusher, but it’s close. He’s primarily lined up at outside linebacker for the Cowboys this season and is dropping into coverage only a handful of times a game.
But that’s opened up his dominance as a pass rusher in a big way. He grabbed another two sacks, and a quarterback hit on Sunday in the Cowboys’ win over the LA Rams to get a share of the NFL lead at six.
DaQuan Jones
Former Penn State nose tackle DaQuan Jones turned into a pass-rushing specialist for the Bills on Sunday, grabbing a sack and three total pressures in the win over the Steelers. Jones has started every game for Buffalo and has improved against the run each week this season. He’s also one sack away from a career-high, and we’re only five weeks into the season.
Grant Haley
Slot corner Grant Haley bounced back after a rough game against San Francisco last week by allowing only one catch for one yard against the Cowboys. Haley’s struggles have come in tackling, missing another opportunity on Sunday, but his overall play in coverage has been outstanding.
