Pro Cougs: What Did Ex-Cougars Accomplish in the NFL in 2024?

The 2024 NFL season is in the rear view mirror and countless players across the league left their mark on the game last fall. As was the case with several colleges around the country, a handful of Washington State alumni made names for themselves on Sundays as well. Which former Cougs made an impact last season?

Frankie Luvu, LB - Washington Commanders

Arguably the most successful season had by any ex-Cougar was that of Washington linebacker Frankie Luvu. Luvu, who played with Washington State from 2014 to 2017, was a starter for the Commanders defense all season long and was a big part of them reaching their first NFC Championship game in over 30 years. Luvu racked up 99 total tackles (54 solo) and was responsible for a forced fumble along with two fumble recoveries, one of which came in Washington's upset playoff win over 1-seed Detroit. He also got in on eight sacks and defended seven passes. Luvu was selected as a second-team All-Pro player in 2024, the first such honor of his seven-year NFL career.

Jaden Hicks, DB - Kansas City Chiefs

Drafted by the Chiefs in the fourth round last April, rookie defensive back Jaden Hicks made himself known in Kansas City in Year One; not an easy thing to do on a team that has now appeared in three straight Super Bowls. Hicks played in 17 games for the Chiefs, making 29 tackles and picking off three passes. He had two five-tackle performances, one against Houston in KC's Divsional Round playoff win. Hicks was the only former Cougar to play in Super Bowl LIX where he made three solo stops.

Abraham Lucas, OT - Seattle Seahawks

For much of the season, the Seahawks offensive line struggled but that was partly because offensive tackle Abraham Lucas was injured for a good chunk of the year. When Lucas was in, Seattle quarterback Geno Smith had a much better time in the pocket. He played from mid-November on and helped the Seahawks to a 5-2 finish down the stretch. Lucas, a third-round selection by the team back in 2022, has now started in 29 games over his three-year NFL career.

Daniel Ekuale, DT - New England Patriots

One of the bright spots on a reeling Patriots defense in 2024 was defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale. Ekuale played for Washington State from 2014 to 2017 before landing in Cleveland as an undrafted free agent in 2018. Since 2021, though, he's been in New England and last fall he made a splash, blowing his career high out of the water with 52 total tackles. Ekuale also got in on a sack and made three QB hits. He started in 16 games for the Patriots last year, the most games he's done so in his career.

Gardner Minshew, QB - Las Vegas Raiders

It was a roller coaster season for former Cougar quarterback Gardner Minshew in his first season with the Raiders. Minshew played in 10 games for Vegas, starting nine and splitting time with fellow signal callers Aidan O'Connell and Desmond Ridder. In his 10 games, he threw for 2,013 yards and nine touchdowns. Minshew played one of his best games of the season in Week 8, throwing for over 200 yards, two scores and no picks as the Raiders nearly upset the Chiefs at home. He completed 66.3% of his throws and averaged 201.3 passing yards per game.

Other former Washington State players on NFL rosters in 2024 but did not see any significant time were receiver River Cracraft (Miami), tackle Andre Dillard (Green Bay), linebacker Daiyan Henley (Los Angeles Chargers), rookie defensive end Brennan Jackson (Los Angeles Rams), receiver Tay Martin (Tennessee), rookie defensive back Cam Lampkin (Los Angeles Rams), rookie defensive back Chau Smith-Wade (Carolina), safety Jalen Thompson (Arizona), defensive back Jaylen Watson (Kansas City), receiver Easop Winston (New York Jets) and offensive lineman Jarrett Kingston (San Francisco).

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