Michigan State Spartans in the NFL: Week 2
There are plenty of former MSU football players in the NFL, and Spartan Nation is here to provide fans with weekly updates.
In this edition of 'Michigan State Spartans in the NFL,' we will look at performances from DE William Gholston, CB Justin Layne, QB Kirk Cousins, S Khari Willis, CB Darqueze Dennard, and LB Shilique Calhoun.
DE William Gholston: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In a 31-17 week two victory over the Carolina Panthers, William Gholston was a force for Tampa Bay on the defensive line recording his first sack of the season and ninth tackle on the year (four solo, five assisted).
CB Justin Layne: Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Justin Layne in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. In total, he's played in 12 games at the next level. So far, Layne is off to a slow start through two contests, recording a single assisted tackle in a 26-21 victory over the Denver Broncos.
QB Kirk Cousins: Minnesota Vikings
It's been a rough start for Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings, who begin the year 0-2 following losses to the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers. In his most recent performance, the former Spartan quarterback completed 42.3% of his passes for 113 yards and three interceptions – another MSU alumni, Khari Willis, was responsible for one of those turnovers.
S Khari Willis: Indianapolis Colts
In 2019, Khari Willis played in 14 games finishing with 71 tackles (53 solo, 18 assisted) before bursting out of the gates in 2020. Through two contests, Willis has six tackles with a sack and an interception. As mentioned above, he picked off another former Spartan, Kirk Cousins, in the Colts recent 28-11 victory over the Vikings.
CB Darqueze Dennard: Atlanta Falcons
The creator of Michigan State's 'No Fly Zone' has found another home in the NFL – this time with the Atlanta Falcons. After spending six seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, Dennard starts his career with a new team 0-2, losing to the Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys while recording ten tackles (7 solo, 3 assisted).
LB Shilique Calhoun: New England Patriots
Shilique Calhoun, a former star at Michigan State, was selected in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. He's spent the last two seasons with the New England Patriots and ended his teams' most recent loss to the Seahawks with a single tackle.
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