NEW ORLEANS – Georgia State alumnus and Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz recorded one of the best performances of his career, as multiple defensive backs delivered impact performances and a handful of Sun Belt Conference alumni made their season debuts during Week 11 of the 2025 National Football League (NFL) season.
In his ninth NFL season, Lutz produced his best outing of the season with 16 points, including a 5-for-5 effort on field goals and one extra point conversion in a 22-19 home win over the Kansas City Chiefs. He connected on field goals from distances of 54, 38, 35, 29 and 24 yards in his first double-digit scoring performance of the season, as his 35-yarder won the game as time expired.
Lutz’s five field goals matched his personal best and marks the third straight season in which he has recorded at least one 5-for-5 effort. His 16 points were one shy of his career-high (17) established in Week 12 of the 2024 campaign.
Georgia Southern alum and Tennessee Titans cornerback Darrell Baker Jr. made his third start of the season while recording a career-high 12 tackles to lead all players in a 16-13 home loss to the Houston Texans. It was Baker’s first time tallying double-digit tackles in 44-career appearances, as he also defended one pass.
Louisiana alum and Baltimore Ravens undrafted rookie cornerback Keyon Martin registered three tackles and defended one pass in a 23-16 road win over the Cleveland Browns, as he also recorded his first NFL sack with a takedown of quarterback Shedeur Sanders for a 14-yard loss in the third quarter.
South Alabama product and Washington Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves made his third straight start and seventh in the team’s last eight games while racking up seven tackles in a 16-13 overtime loss on the road to the Miami Dolphins. Reaves has posted at least seven tackles in four-straight games and six times overall in 2025.
Former Southern Miss standout and Atlanta Falcons second-year cornerback Natrone Brooks earned his first NFL start and recorded career highs in tackles (5) and passes defended (2) in a 30-27 home loss in overtime to the Carolina Panthers. Brooks also contributed on special teams, returning four kickoffs for 75 yards.
A five-year letterwinner at Louisiana, undrafted rookie wide receiver Dalen Cambre was elevated from the New York Giants’ practice squad and made his NFL debut in the team’s 27-20 home loss to the Green Bay Packers. Cambre played eight snaps on special teams and made two tackles.
In addition to Cambre, four Sun Belt alumni and NFL veterans made their 2025 season debuts. Southern Miss product and Jacksonville Jaguars backup quarterback Nick Mullens played eight offensive snaps, Commanders cornerback Tre Hawkins III out of Old Dominion earned two snaps on special teams, and Chiefs running back Elijah Mitchell out of Louisiana competed on seven offensive snaps while drawing one target in the passing game.
Sun Belt football alumni held 81 roster spots on 30-of-32 NFL rosters with 44 on active rosters, 24 on practice squads and 13 on injured or other reserve lists. In Week 11 contests, 38 saw game action with 16 earning the start for their respective teams. Three Sun Belt alums on active rosters were on a bye week as members of the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints.
Every Sun Belt program has been represented on an NFL roster each week during the 2025 campaign. App State leads all Sun Belt teams with 11 former standouts on NFL rosters followed by Louisiana, South Alabama and Southern Miss with nine apiece.
App State
Akeem Davis-Gaither – LB, Arizona Cardinals (1 G, 1 GS, 4 Tackles)
* Tyrek Funderburk – CB, Minnesota Vikings
Nick Hampton – LB, Los Angeles Rams (1 G, 1 Tackle)
^ Cooper Hodges – OL, Jacksonville Jaguars
D’Marco Jackson – LB, Chicago Bears (1 G, 1 Tackle)
* Shemar Jean-Charles, DB, Seattle Seahawks
Kendall Lamm – OL, Miami Dolphins (1 G)
Sam Martin – P, Carolina Panthers (1 G, 1 GS, 3 Punts, 140 Yards)
^ Jalen McLeod – LB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Ryan Neuzil – OL, Atlanta Falcons (1 G, 1 GS, 1 Fumble Recovery)
* Jalen Virgil – WR, Arizona Cardinals
Arkansas State
* Jacob Bayer – OL, Cincinnati Bengals
* William Bradley-King – LB, San Francisco 49ers
Demario Davis – LB, New Orleans Saints (Bye Week)
Blake Grupe – K, New Orleans Saints (Bye Week)
* Courtney Jackson – WR, Seattle Seahawks
* Trevian Thomas – S, Carolina Panthers
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, 2 Receptions, 15 Yards)
Georgia Southern
Darrell Baker Jr. – CB, Tennessee Titans (1 G, 1 GS, 12 Tackles, 1 Pass Defended)
* Shemar Bartholomew – CB, Minnesota Vikings
^ Tyler Bass – K, Buffalo Bills
Younghoe Koo – K, New York Giants (1 G, 1 GS, 2-for-3 XP)
Kindle Vildor – CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 G)
Georgia State
Benjamin Chukwuma – OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 G)
^ Travis Glover – OL, Green Bay Packers
Wil Lutz – K, Denver Broncos (1 G, 1 GS, 5-for-5 FG, 1-for-1 XP)
James Madison
* Liam Fornadel, OL, New York Jets
* Jamree Kromah, DE, Chicago Bears
Aaron Stinnie – OL, New York Giants (1 G)
Louisiana
Percy Butler – S, Washington Commanders (1 G, 1 Tackle)
Dalen Cambre – WR, New York Giants (1 G, 2 Tackles)
Kevin Dotson – OL, Los Angeles Rams (1 G, 1 GS)
^ Robert Hunt – OL, Carolina Panthers
* Andre Jones Jr. – DE, Buffalo Bills
Keyon Martin – CB, Baltimore Ravens (1 G, 3 Tackles, 1 Sack, 1 Tackle For Loss, 1 Quarterback Hit, 1 Pass Defended)
Elijah Mitchell – RB, Kansas City Chiefs (1 G)
Max Mitchell – OL, New York Jets (DNP)
Nathan Thomas – OL, Dallas Cowboys (1 G)
ULM
* Car’lin Vigers – CB, Washington Commanders
Marshall
Rasheen Ali – RB, Baltimore Ravens (1 G, 1 Reception, 15 Yards, 1 Kickoff Return, 25 Yards, 2 Tackles)
^ Ethan Driskell – OL, Kansas City Chiefs
Mike Green – LB, Baltimore Ravens (1 G, 1 Tackle)
Neville Hewitt – LB, New York Giants (1 G)
^ Nazeeh Johnson – S, Kansas City Chiefs
* Elias Neal – LB, Los Angeles Rams
^ J.J. Roberts – S, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Dalton Tucker – OL, Indianapolis Colts (Bye Week)
Old Dominion
Tre Hawkins III – CB, Washington Commanders (1 G)
^ Nick Saldiveri – OL, New Orleans Saints
Stone Smartt – TE, New York Jets (1 G)
^ Blake Watson – RB, Tennessee Titans
Keion White – DL, San Francisco 49ers (1 G, 1 Tackle, 1 Fumble Recovery, 1 Pass Defended)
South Alabama
* Carter Bradley – QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Darrell Luter Jr. – CB, San Francisco 49ers (1 G, 3 Tackles)
* Jamaal Pritchett – WR, New York Jets
Jeremy Reaves – S, Washington Commanders (1 G, 1 GS, 7 Tackles)
* Jamie Sheriff – LB, Seattle Seahawks
* Wy’Kevious “Bubba” Thomas – DL, Seattle Seahawks
Jalen Tolbert – WR, Dallas Cowboys (1 G, 1 GS)
Corliss Waitman – P, Pittsburgh Steelers (1 G, 1 GS, 3 Punts, 133 Yards)
* Jeremiah Webb – WR, New England Patriots
Southern Miss
^ Cornell Armstrong – CB, Miami Dolphins
* Swayze Bozeman – LB, New York Giants
Natrone Brooks – CB, Atlanta Falcons (1 G, 1 GS, 5 Tackles, 2 Passes Defended, 4 Kickoff Returns, 75 Yards)
* Jason Brownlee – WR, Kansas City Chiefs
* Frank Gore Jr. – RB, Buffalo Bills
* Tim Jones – WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Nick Mullens – QB, Jacksonville Jaguars (1 G)
Rakeem Nunez-Roches – DL, New York Giants (DNP)
* Quez Watkins – WR, Philadelphia Eagles
Texas State
Jake Bates – K, Detroit Lions (1 G, 1 GS, 1-for-1 FG, 0-for-1 XP)
Aaron Brewer – OL, Miami Dolphins (1 G, 1 GS)
^ Deion Hankins – RB, Chicago Bears
* Kyle Hergel – OL, Chicago Bears
Troy
Jake Andrews – OL, Houston Texans (1 G, 1 GS)
Dell Pettus – S, New England Patriots (1 G, 1 Tackle, 1 Pass Defended)
Javon Solomon – EDGE, Buffalo Bills (1 G)
Reddy Steward – CB, Dallas Cowboys (1 G, 3 Tackles)
Kimani Vidal – RB, Los Angeles Chargers (1 G, 1 GS, 5 Rushes, 13 Yards, 2 Receptions, -1 Yards, 1 Tackle)
*Practice Squad
^Injured & Other Reserve