NEW ORLEANS – Cleveland Browns rookie running back and Louisiana alumnus Jacob Kibodi made his National Football League (NFL) debut as a plethora of defensive performances spearheaded Sun Belt alumni efforts during the final week of the 2024-25 regular season.
Kibodi, who spent a majority of the season as a member of the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad, was signed to the Browns’ practice squad on Dec. 18 before being elevated to the club’s active roster ahead of Saturday evening’s season finale against the Baltimore Ravens. Kibodi earned five carries for 24 yards and made one catch for 15 yards in the team’s 35-10 road defeat.
Additional noteworthy offensive performances included Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and South Alabama alum Jalen Tolbert hauling in four receptions for a career-high 98 yards in a 23-19 home loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday. Ravens tight end and Coastal Carolina product Isaiah Likely caught three passes for 38 yards in the winning effort against the Browns.
In the scoring column, Saints kicker and Arkansas State alum Blake Grupe racked up 13 points, going 4-for-4 on field goals with one extra point, in a 27-19 road loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He connected on kicks from distances of 35, 39 (twice) and 49 yards, while the 13 points marked his second highest total of the season.
Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz out of Georgia State registered eight points on a 33-yard field goal and five extra-point conversions in a 38-0 home win over the Kansas City Chiefs to help clinch a playoff berth. Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates out of Texas State scored seven points on a 48-yard field goal and four extra points in a 31-9 victory home over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football to help clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye in the playoffs.
Defensively, Cincinnati Bengals linebacker and App State product Akeem Davis-Gaither recorded a game-high 12 tackles, including one tackle for loss and one fumble recovery, in a 19-17 road win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday evening. Davis-Gaither recorded double-digit tackles for the third time on the season, as he appeared in all 17 games, made seven starts and ranked third on the team in total tackles with 82.
Saints linebacker and five-time All-Pro selection Demario Davis out of Arkansas State recorded nine tackles and one pass defended against the Buccaneers, while Chiefs safety and Marshall alum Nazeeh Johnson also tallied nine takedowns against the Broncos.
Buffalo Bills rookie edge rusher and Troy alum Javon Solomon had perhaps his biggest game of the season finishing with seven tackles, one tackle for loss and a fumble recovery in a 23-16 road loss to the New England Patriots. Commanders safety and Louisiana alum Percy Butler earned his fifth start of the year and matched his season high with seven tackles against the Cowboys.
Carolina Panthers rookie cornerback and Georgia Southern product Shemar Bartholomew made the most of his first extended dose of playing time with three tackles, one tackle for loss and two passes defended in a 44-38 overtime road win against the Atlanta Falcons.
Eighty-seven Sun Belt football alumni held roster spots across all 32 NFL rosters during the 18th week of the regular season with 48 on active rosters, 24 on practice squads and 15 on injured or other reserve lists. In Week 18 action, 40 saw game action with 16 earning starts for their respective teams.
The NFL postseason kicks off Wild Card Weekend beginning with two games on Saturday, January 11, three games Sunday and one game Monday evening. Thirty-seven Sun Belt alums currently hold roster spots on playoff teams, including 23 listed on active rosters during the final week of the regular season.
App State
Akeem Davis-Gaither – LB, Cincinnati Bengals (1 G, 1 GS, 12 Tackles, 1 Tackle For Loss, 1 Fumble Recovered)
Darrynton Evans – RB, Chicago Bears (1 G)
Tyrek Funderburk – CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 G)
^ Nick Hampton – LB, Los Angeles Rams
^ Cooper Hodges – OL, Jacksonville Jaguars
Shemar Jean-Charles, DB, New Orleans Saints (1 G, 1 Tackle)
* Shaun Jolly – CB, Los Angeles Rams
^ D’Marco Jackson – LB, New Orleans Saints
^ Kendall Lamm – OL, Miami Dolphins
Sam Martin – P, Buffalo Bills (1 G, 1 GS, 4 Punts, 163 Yards)
Ryan Neuzil – OL, Atlanta Falcons (1 G)
* Andrew Parker Jr. – LB, New England Patriots
* Jalen Virgil – WR, Buffalo Bills
^ Bucky Williams – OL, Los Angeles Chargers
Arkansas State
Demario Davis – LB, New Orleans Saints (1 G, 1 GS, 9 Tackles, 1 Pass Defended)
Blake Grupe – K, New Orleans Saints (1 G, 1 GS, 4-for-4 FG, 1-for-1 XP)
Coastal Carolina
C.J. Brewer – DL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (DNP)
* Tarron Jackson – DL, San Francisco 49ers
Isaiah Likely – TE, Baltimore Ravens (1 G, 1 GS, 3 Receptions, 38 Yards)
Georgia Southern
Darrell Baker Jr. – CB, Tennessee Titans (1 G, 1 Tackle)
Shemar Bartholomew – CB, Carolina Panthers (1 G, 3 Tackles, 1 Tackle For Loss, 2 Passes Defended)
Tyler Bass – K, Buffalo Bills (1 G, 1 GS, 1-for-1 FG, 1-for-2 XP)
* Raymond Johnson III – DE, Cincinnati Bengals
^ Younghoe Koo – K, Atlanta Falcons
^ NaJee Thompson – CB, Minnesota Vikings
Kindle Vildor – CB, Detroit Lions (1 G, 2 Tackles, 1 Pass Defended)
Georgia State
Travis Glover – OL, Green Bay Packers (1 G)
Wil Lutz – K, Denver Broncos (1 G, 1 GS, 1-for-1 FG, 5-for-5 XP)
James Madison
* Ben DiNucci – QB, New Orleans Saints
* Jamree Kromah, DE, Chicago Bears
Aaron Stinnie – OL, New York Giants (1 G, 1 GS)
* Isaac Ukwu – DE, Detroit Lions
* Mike Greene – DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Louisiana
Percy Butler – S, Washington Commanders (1 G, 1 GS, 7 Tackles)
Kevin Dotson – OL, Los Angeles Rams (DNP)
Robert Hunt – OL, Carolina Panthers (DNP)
* Andre Jones Jr. – DE, Washington Commanders
Jacob Kibodi – RB, Cleveland Browns (1 G, 5 Rushes, 24 Yards, 1 Reception, 15 Yards)
^ Elijah Mitchell – RB, San Francisco 49ers
Max Mitchell – OL, New York Jets (1 G, 1 GS)
^ John Stephens Jr. – TE, Dallas Cowboys
^ Nathan Thomas – OL, Dallas Cowboys
Marshall
* Micah Abraham – CB, Cincinnati Bengals
Rasheen Ali – RB, Baltimore Ravens (1 G, 1 Tackle)
* Josh Ball – OL, New Orleans Saints
* Abraham Beauplan – LB, Detroit Lions
Ethan Driskell – OL, Kansas City Chiefs (1 G)
Neville Hewitt – LB, Houston Texans (1 G, 5 Tackles)
Nazeeh Johnson – S, Kansas City Chiefs (1 G, 1 GS, 9 Tackles)
* Elias Neal – LB, Los Angeles Rams
Dalton Tucker – OL, Indianapolis Colts (DNP)
Old Dominion
^ Tre Hawkins III – CB, New York Giants
* Marcus Haynes – DE, Cleveland Browns
Taylor Heinicke – QB, Los Angeles Chargers (DNP)
* Zack Kuntz – TE, New York Jets
Rick Lovato – LS, Philadelphia Eagles (1 G)
Zach Pascal – WR, Arizona Cardinals (1 G)
^ Nick Saldiveri – OL, New Orleans Saints
Stone Smartt – TE, Los Angeles Chargers (1 G)
Blake Watson – RB, Denver Broncos (DNP)
^ Oshane Ximines – LB, New England Patriots
South Alabama
Carter Bradley – QB, Las Vegas Raiders (DNP)
Gerald Everett – TE, Chicago Bears (1 G)
^ Darrell Luter Jr. – CB, San Francisco 49ers
Jeremy Reaves – S, Washington Commanders (1 G)
* Jamie Sheriff – LB, Seattle Seahawks
Jalen Tolbert – WR, Dallas Cowboys (1 G, 1 GS, 4 Receptions, 98 Yards)
Corliss Waitman – P, Pittsburgh Steelers (1 G, 1 GS, 5 Punts, 213 Yards)
Southern Miss
* Swayze Bozeman – LB, Kansas City Chiefs
Natrone Brooks – CB, Atlanta Falcons (1 G, 1 Kickoff Return, 22 Yards)
* Jason Brownlee – WR, New York Jets
* Frank Gore Jr. – RB, Buffalo Bills
Tim Jones – WR, Jacksonville Jaguars (1 G, 2 Tackles)
Tarvarius Moore – S, Chicago Bears (1 G)
Nick Mullens – QB, Minnesota Vikings (DNP)
Rakeem Nunez-Roches – DL, New York Giants (1 G, 1 GS, 4 Tackles)
* Cameron Tom – C, Cleveland Browns
* Quez Watkins – WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Texas State
Jake Bates – K, Detroit Lions (1 G, 1 GS, 1-for-1 FG, 4-for-4 XP)
Aaron Brewer – OL, Miami Dolphins (1 G, 1 GS)
Kyle Hergel – OL, New Orleans Saints (1 G)
Troy
^ Jake Andrews – OL, New England Patriots
* Shakel Brown – DL, Miami Dolphins
Dell Pettus – S, New England Patriots (1 G, 2 Tackles)
Javon Solomon – EDGE, Buffalo Bills (1 G, 7 Tackles, 1 Tackle For Loss, 1 Fumble Recovered)
* Reddy Steward – CB, Chicago Bears
Kimani Vidal – RB, Los Angeles Chargers (1 G)
*Practice Squad
^Injured & Other Reserve