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State to Sundays update: Defensive Bulldogs shine and Dak goes down

A look at former Bulldogs in the NFL through Week 5
Joel Coleman|
State to Sundays update: Defensive Bulldogs shine and Dak goes down
State to Sundays update: Defensive Bulldogs shine and Dak goes down

The text portion of the following is courtesy of Mississippi State media relations:

Former Mississippi State Bulldogs made impacts on the defensive side of the ball across the NFL in Week 5.

Seattle’s K.J. Wright ended consecutive Vikings drives in the third quarter to swing the momentum in a 27-26 Seahawks victory. He recovered a fumble on Minnesota’s 15-yard line with 9:06 to play in the third quarter, leading to a game-tying touchdown. On the first play of the Vikings’ next drive, Wright picked off a pass and returned it to the Minnesota 22-yard line, leading to another touchdown one play later.

Wright was the highest-graded defender in his game according to Pro Football Focus with an 89.8 overall grade and a 91.4 grade in coverage. He posted three total tackles, all “stops” per PFF, which are tackles that constitute a failure for the offense. Wright is also now tied for eighth in the NFL with five pass defenses.

Montez Sweat produced a career-high eight tackles, including a sack. He now leads the Washington Football Team with 3.0 sacks this season, which is tied for 18 in the league. Sweat is the first Washington player to have a sack and force a fumble in the same game since Week 15 of last season.

Baltimore’s Pernell McPhee recorded his first sack of the season and was second on the Ravens this week with an 81.3 overall defensive grade from PFF. Kansas City’s Willie Gay Jr. recorded the first sack and tackle for loss of his career while posting career highs in solo tackles (5) and total tackles (6).

Philadelphia’s Darius Slay (8), Indianapolis’ Denico Autry (7) and Minnesota’s Cameron Dantzler (5) all recorded season highs in tackles this week.

Two notable Bulldog veterans have suffered season-ending injuries. Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott was leading the league in passing yards, completions and attempts before leaving Sunday’s contest with an ankle injury. Before his injury, he caught the first pass of his professional career, an 11-yard touchdown reception.

Houston linebacker Bernardrick McKinney, who had 37 tackles in four games, is expected to miss the remainder of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Here are updates on all former Bulldogs in the NFL:

JOHNATHAN ABRAM | LAS VEGAS RAIDERS – S | AT MSU: 2017-18
Season: 5 G, 5 GS, 21 TKL, 7 AST, 28 TT, 1 INT, 2.0 TFL, 2 QBH, 3 PD
Last Week: 1 GS, 4 TKL, 1 AST, 5 TT, 1 PD at Kansas City Chiefs (W, 40-32)

  • Posted a game-high 82.8 tackling grade according to PFF

DENICO AUTRY | INDIANAPOLIS COLTS – DT/DE | AT MSU: 2012-13
Season: 5 G, 5 GS, 9 TKL, 5 AST, 14 TT, 2 SK, 3.0 TFL, 3 QBH
Last Week: 1 GS, 3 TKL, 4 AST, 7 TT, 1 TFL at Cleveland Browns (L, 23-32)

  • Season-high seven tackles

HUNTER BRADLEY | GREEN BAY PACKERS – LS | AT MSU: 2012-17
Season: 4 G
Last Week: BYE

FRED BROWN (PS) | DENVER BRONCOS – WR | AT MSU 2010-15
Season: Practice Squad
Last Week: DNP – Postponed

DEION CALHOUN (PS) | CINCINNATI BENGALS – OG | AT MSU: 2014-18
Season: Practice Squad
Last Week: DNP at Baltimore Ravens (L, 3-27)

TOMMY CHAMPION (PS) | SEATTLE SEAHAWKS – OT | AT MSU: 2017-19
Season: Practice Squad
Last Week: DNP vs. Minnesota Vikings (W, 27-26)

BRIAN COLE II (PS) | MIAMI DOLPHINS – S | AT MSU: 2017-19
Season: Practice Squad
Last Week: DNP at San Francisco 49ers (W, 43-17)

LOGAN COOKE | JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS – P | AT MSU: 2014-17
Season: 4 G, 13 Punts, 604 Yds, 46.5 AVG, LONG 63, 5 In-20, 1 TKL
Last Week: 1 G, 3 Punts, 143 Yds, 3 In-20 at Houston Texans (L, 14-30)

FLETCHER COX | PHILADELPHIA EAGLES – DT | AT MSU: 2009-11
Season: 5 G, 5 GS, 7 TKL, 2 AST, 9 TT, 1.5 SK, 2.0 TFL, 4 QBH
Last Week: 1 GS, 1 AST, 1 TT, 0.5 SK, 1 QBH at Pittsburgh Steelers (L, 29-38)

  • Holds Eagles’ record for sacks by an interior defensive lineman with 49.5 for his career, which is seventh overall in franchise history
  • Added two pressures according to PFF

CAMERON DANTZLER | MINNESOTA VIKINGS – CB | AT MSU: 2016-19
Season: 3 G, 3 GS, 11 TKL, 1 AST, 12 TT
Last Week: 1 GS, 4 TKL, 1 AST, 5 TT at Seattle Seahawks (L, 26-27)

  • Made a career-high five tackles
  • Played all 54 defensive snaps
  • Led the Vikings with a 79.1 tackling grade according to PFF

WILLIE GAY JR. | KANSAS CITY CHIEFS – LB | AT MSU: 2017-19
Season: 5 G, 2 GS, 7 TKL, 3 AST, 10 TT, 1 SK, 1.0 TFL
Last Week: 1 GS, 5 TKL, 1 AST, 6 TT, 1 SK, 1 TFL vs. Las Vegas Raiders (L, 32-40)

  • Recorded the first sack and tackle for loss of his career
  • Tallied a career-high five solo tackles and six total tackles against the Raiders

J.T. GRAY | NEW ORLEANS SAINTS – DB | AT MSU: 2014-17
Season: 5 G, 1 TKL, 1 FR
Last Week: 1 G vs. Los Angeles Chargers (W, 30-27)

FARROD GREEN (PS) | INDIANAPOLIS COLTS – TE | AT MSU: 2015-19
Season: 1 G
Last Week: DNP at Cleveland Browns (L, 23-32)

STEPHEN GUIDRY (IR) | DALLAS COWBOYS – WR | AT MSU: 2018-19
Season: Opted Out
Last Week: DNP vs. New York Giants (W, 37-34)

BRAXTON HOYETT | KANSAS CITY CHIEFS – DT | AT MSU: 2014-18
Season: 1 G
Last Week: DNP vs. Las Vegas Raiders (L, 32-40)


GABE JACKSON | LAS VEGAS RAIDERS – OG | AT MSU 2009-13
Season: 5 G, 5 GS, 1 TKL, 9 Pressures Allowed
Last Week: 1 GS, 2 Pressures Allowed at Kansas City Chiefs (W, 40-32)

  • Played all 70 offensive snaps

ELGTON JENKINS | GREEN BAY PACKERS – OG | AT MSU: 2014-18
Season: 4 G, 4 GS, 79.7 Pass Block Grade, 3 Pressures Allowed
Last Week: BYE

CHRIS JONES | KANSAS CITY CHIEFS – DT | AT MSU: 2013-15
Season: 4 G, 4 GS, 11 TKL, 5 AST, 16 TT, 3.5 SK, 2 FF, 7 QBH
Last Week: 1 GS, 3 TKL, 1 AST, 4 TT, 1 QBH vs. Las Vegas Raiders (L, 32-40)

  • Tied for 11 in the NFL with 3.5 sacks
  • Tied for the No. 6 pass rush grade in the NFL this season (91.0) per PFF

JAQUARIUS LANDREWS (IR) | NEW YORK GIANTS – S | AT MSU: 2017-19
Season: Injured Reserve
Last Week: DNP at Dallas Cowboys (L, 34-37)

BENARDRICK MCKINNEY | HOUSTON TEXANS – LB | AT MSU: 2011-14
Season: 4 G, 4 GS, 21 TKL, 17 AST, 38 TT, 1.0 TFL, 1 PD
Last Week: DNP vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (W, 30-14)

  • Ruled out for the season with a shoulder injury

PERNELL MCPHEE | BALTIMORE RAVENS – LB | AT MSU: 2009-10
Season: 4 G, 4 GS, 9 TKL, 3 AST, 11 TT, 1 SK, 1.0 TFL, 5 QBH
Last Week: 1 GS, 5 TKL, 5 TT, 1 SK, 1 TFL, 4 QBH, 1 PD vs. Cincinnati Bengals (W, 27-3)

  • Picked up his first sack of the season
  • Posted an 81.3 overall defensive grade and 78.0 run-defense grade, which both rank second on the Ravens

TYRE PHILLIPS | BALTIMORE RAVENS – OT | AT MSU: 2017-19
Season: 4 G, 4 GS, 8 Pressures Allowed
Last Week: DNP vs. Cincinnati Bengals (W, 27-3)

DAK PRESCOTT | DALLAS COWBOYS – QB | AT MSU: 2011-2015
Season: 5 G, 5 GS, 151-222, 1,856 YDS, 9 TD, 99.6 QBR, 18 RUSH, 93 YDS, 3 TD
Last Week: 1 GS, 14-21, 166 YDS, 70.7 QBR, 2 RUSH, 7 YDS, 1 REC, 11 YDS, 1 TD vs. New York Giants (W, 37-34)

  • Ruled out for the season with an ankle injury
  • Led the league in passing yards (1,856), completions (151) and attempts (222) at the time of his injury
  • Ranks fifth in career passing yards (17,634) and completions (1,514) and is sixth in wins (42) and passing touchdowns (106) in Cowboys’ regular-season history
  • Caught an 11-yard touchdown pass

MARTINAS RANKIN (IR) | KANSAS CITY CHIEFS – OT | AT MSU: 2015-17
Season: Injured Reserve
Last Week: DNP vs. Las Vegas Raiders (L, 32-40)

WILL REDMOND | GREEN BAY PACKERS – S | AT MSU: 2012-15
Season: 4 G, 9 TKL, 4 AST, 13 TT, 1 QBH, 1 PD
Last Week: BYE

CHAUNCEY RIVERS (PS) | BALTIMORE RAVENS – OT | AT MSU: 2017-19
Season: Practice Squad

Last Week: DNP vs. Cincinnati Bengals (W, 27-3)

JEFFERY SIMMONS | TENNESSEE TITANS – DL | AT MSU: 2016-18
Season: 3 G, 3 GS, 7 TKL, 5 AST, 12 TT, 1 SK, 2.0 TFL, 1 FR, 1 PD, 1 QBH
Last Week: DNP vs. Buffalo Bills (W, 42-16)

DARIUS SLAY | PHILADELPHIA EAGLES – CB | AT MSU: 2011-12
Season: 5 G, 5 GS, 25 TKL, 3 AST, 28 TT, 2 TFL, 3 PD
Last Week: 1 GS, 7 TKL, 1 AST, 8 TT, 1 TFL, 1 PD at Pittsburgh Steelers (L, 29-38)

  • Recorded a season-high eight tackles and is fourth on the Eagles with 27 for the season

PRESTON SMITH | GREEN BAY PACKERS – LB | AT MSU: 2011-14
Season: 1 GS, 5 TKL, 3 AST, 8 TT, 0.5 SK, 1 QBH
Last Week: BYE

TOMMY STEVENS (PS) | NEW ORLEANS SAINTS – TE | AT MSU: 2017-19
Season: Practice Squad
Last Week: DNP vs. Los Angeles Chargers (W, 30-27)

MONTEZ SWEAT | WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM – DE | AT MSU: 2017-18
Season: 5 G, 5 GS, 11 TKL, 5 AST, 16 TT, 3.0 SK, 4.0 TFL, 8 QBH, 1 FF
Last Week: 1 GS, 4 TKL, 4 AST, 8 TT, 1 SK, 1 QBH, 1 FF vs. Los Angeles Rams (L, 10-30)

  • Led the Washington Football Team’s defense with a 80.8 overall defensive rating and 82.1 run-defense grade
  • Posted a career-high with eight tackles
  • Now leads Washington with 3.0 sacks on the season
  • First Washington player to have a sack and force a fumble in the same game since Week 15 of 2019

JORDAN THOMAS | ARIZONA CARDINALS – TE | AT MSU: 2016-17
Season: 3 G, 1 REC, 3 YDS, 1 TD
Last Week: DNP at New York Jets (W, 30-10)

DARRYL WILLIAMS (PS) | KANSAS CITY CHIEFS – OT | AT MSU: 2015-19
Season: Practice Squad
Last Week: DNP vs. Las Vegas Raiders (L, 32-40)

K.J. WRIGHT | SEATTLE SEAHAWKS – LB | AT MSU: 2007-10
Season: 5 G, 5 GS, 18 TKL, 10 AST, 28 TT, 1 INT, 2.0 TFL, 5 PD, 1 FF, 1 FR
Last Week: 1 GS, 2 TKL, 1 AST, 3 TT, 1 INT, 2 PD, 1 FR vs. Minnesota Vikings (W, 27-26)

  • The highest-graded defender in the game (89.8), according to PFF
  • Also had a 91.4 coverage grade
  • Registered three “stops” per PFF, which are tackles that constitute a failure for the offense
  • Tied for eighth in the NFL with five pass defenses this season
  • Boasts the No. 6 overall defensive grade among linebackers this season (85.3) per PFF and the No. 3 coverage grade at the position (89.4)

ISAIAH ZUBER | NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS – WR | AT MSU: 2019
Season: 2 G, 2 RUSH, 21 YDS
Last Week: DNP – Postponed 

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Joel Coleman
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