NEW ORLEANS – Twenty-six Sun Belt alumni saw game action in Week 1 of the 2021 National Football League (NFL) season, with eight earning starts for their respective clubs.
In his first professional game, Louisiana alumnus and San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell rushed 19 times for 104 yards and a touchdown. His 104 yards are the third-most in the NFL following Week 1 action, trailing only Joe Mixon of the Cincinnati Bengals (127 yards) and David Montgomery of the Chicago Bears (108 yards).
A South Alabama product, Gerald Everett, also found the end zone in Week 1. The Seattle Seahawks tight end had a pair of receptions for 20 yards, including the nine-yard touchdown catch.
Running backs J.D. McKissic out of Arkansas State (1 Rush, 8 Yards) and Matt Breida out of Georgia Southern (4 Rushes, 4 Yards) also contributed on the offensive side of the ball.
Defensively, nine Sun Belt alumni combined for 23 tackles, three quarterback hurries, two sacks, a tackle for loss and a forced fumble. Louisiana product Tracy Walker III—a safety for the Detroit Lions—headlined the Sun Belt performances with seven tackles, a quarterback hurry, a sack and a tackle for loss. Troy alumnus Mario Addison made his presence felt on his lone tackle of the week from the Buffalo Bills defensive line, forcing a fumble on a sack.
Demario Davis (Arkansas State, New Orleans Saints), Kindle Vildor (Georgia Southern, Chicago Bears), Penny Hart (Georgia State, Seattle Seahawks), Chandon Sullivan (Georgia State, Green Bay Packers), Christian Ringo (Louisiana, New Orleans Saints), David Mayo (Texas State, Washington Football Team) and Steve McLendon (Troy, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) added to the Sun Belt tackle total.
On special teams, former Georgia Southern kickers Tyler Bass and Younghoe Koo were a perfect 5-for-5 on field goals and 1-for-1 on extra points. Bass converted for the Buffalo Bills from 37, 25 and 42 yards out, while Koo had makes of 21 and 27 yards for the Atlanta Falcons. App State alumnus punter Sam Martin had a pair of punts for 78 yards for the Denver Broncos.
Akeem Davis-Gaither (App State, Cincinnati Bengals), Colby Gossett (App State, Atlanta Falcons), Kendall Lamm (App State, Tennessee Titans), Tarron Jackson (Coastal Carolina, Philadelphia Eagles), Raymond Johnson III (Georgia Southern, New York Giants), Jerick McKinnon (Georgia Southern, Kansas City Chiefs), Albert Wilson (Georgia State, Miami Dolphins), Kevin Dotson (Louisiana, Pittsburgh Steelers), Robert Hunt (Louisiana, Miami Dolphins) and Ty Nsekhe (Texas State, Dallas Cowboys) also saw game action in Week 1.
Forty-nine Sun Belt alumni—representing all 10 football programs—earned NFL roster spots entering the 2021 season, with 30 on active rosters, 15 on 16-man practice squads and three on injured reserve lists during Week 1.
Sun Belt football alumni dot 25-of-32 NFL rosters.
App State
* Ronald Blair – DL, New York Jets
Akeem Davis-Gaither – LB, Cincinnati Bengals (1 G)
^ Darrynton Evans – RB, Tennessee Titans
Colby Gossett – OL, Atlanta Falcons (1 G)
Shemar Jean-Charles – DB, Green Bay Packers (N/A)
Kendall Lamm – OL, Tennessee Titans (1 G)
Sam Martin – P, Denver Broncos (1 G, 1 GS, 2 Punts, 78 Yards)
* Ryan Neuzil – OL, Atlanta Falcons
* Josh Thomas – S, Buffalo Bills
Arkansas State
* Omar Bayless – WR, Carolina Panthers
Demario Davis – LB, New Orleans Saints (1 G, 1 GS, 4 Tackles)
* Aaron Donkor – LB, Seattle Seahawks
J.D. McKissic – RB, Washington Football Team (1 G, 1 Rush, 8 Yards)
* Forrest Merrill – DL, Los Angeles Chargers
* Kirk Merritt – WR, Miami Dolphins
Coastal Carolina
* Anthony Chesley – DB, Indianapolis Colts
Tarron Jackson – DL, Philadelphia Eagles (1 G)
Josh Norman – DB, San Francisco 49ers (N/A)
Georgia Southern
Tyler Bass – K, Buffalo Bills (1 G, 1 GS, 3-for-3 FG, 1-for-1 XP)
Matt Breida – RB, Buffalo Bills (1 G, 4 Rushes, 4 Yards)
Raymond Johnson III – DL, New York Giants (1 G)
Younghoe Koo – K, Atlanta Falcons (1 G, 1 GS, 2-for-2 FG)
Jerick McKinnon – RB, Kansas City Chiefs (1 G)
Kindle Vildor – DB, Chicago Bears (1 G, 1 GS, 5 Tackles)
Georgia State
Penny Hart – WR, Seattle Seahawks (1 G, 1 Tackle)
^ Wil Lutz – K, New Orleans Saints
Chandon Sullivan – DB, Green Bay Packers (1 G, 1 Tackle)
Albert Wilson – WR, Miami Dolphins (1 G)
Louisiana
* Ja’Marcus Bradley – WR, Cleveland Browns
Kevin Dotson – OL, Pittsburgh Steelers (1 G, 1 GS)
* Justin Hamilton – DL, Dallas Cowboys
Robert Hunt – OL, Miami Dolphins (1 G, 1 GS)
* Michael Jacquet – DB, Philadelphia Eagles
^ Elijah McGuire – RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Elijah Mitchell – RB, San Francisco 49ers (1 G, 19 Rushes, 104 Yards, 1 TD)
Trey Ragas – RB, Las Vegas Raiders (N/A)
* Nick Ralston – FB, Dallas Cowboys
Christian Ringo – DL, New Orleans Saints (1 G, 1 GS, 2 Tackles, 1 QB Hurry)
Tracy Walker III – S, Detroit Lions (1 G, 1 GS, 7 Tackles, 1 Sack, 1 TFL, 1 QB Hurry)
ULM
* Josh Johnson – RB, Seattle Seahawks
South Alabama
* Kawaan Baker – WR, New Orleans Saints
Gerald Everett – TE, Seattle Seahawks (1 G, 1 GS, 2 Receptions, 20 Yards, 1 TD)
* Jeremy Reaves – DB, Washington Football Team
Texas State
Aaron Brewer – OL, Tennessee Titans (N/A)
David Mayo – LB, Washington Football Team (1 G, 1 Tackle)
Ty Nsekhe – OL, Dallas Cowboys (1 G)
Troy
Mario Addison – DL, Buffalo Bills (1 G, 1 Tackle, 1 Sack, 1 QB Hurry, 1 Forced Fumble)
Steve McLendon – DL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 G, 1 Tackle)
* Practice Squad
^ Injured Reserve