NEW ORLEANS – Linebacker Demario Davis of the New Orleans Saints via Arkansas State and cornerback Reddy Steward of the Dallas Cowboys via Troy continued to assert themselves as impact defensive players to lead Sun Belt Conference alumni performances during the third week of the 2025 National Football League (NFL) season.
A five-time All-Pro, Davis recorded double-digit tackles for the second week in a row with 11 stops and one tackle for loss against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon. A 14-year veteran and Saints team captain, Davis will make his 200th NFL start next week against the Buffalo Bills.
Steward, who earned his first NFL start in Week 2, tallied a career-high six tackles and two tackles for loss against the Chicago Bears – the franchise he debuted with as a rookie in 2024.
Additional defensive standouts included App State alumnus and Arizona Cardinals linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither who recorded a season-high eight tackles against the San Francisco 49ers. Marshall alum and Baltimore Ravens rookie edge rusher Mike Green tallied a season-high four tackles and registered one quarterback hit against the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football. South Alabama product and Washington Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves also recorded four tackles and one quarterback hit against the Las Vegas Raiders.
In the scoring column, Denver Broncos kicker and Georgia State alum Wil Lutz was responsible for eight points, going 2-for-2 on field goals from 42 and 26 yards with two extra points against the Los Angeles Chargers. Lions kicker and Texas State alum Jake Bates also scored eight points, connecting on a 45-yard field goal and all five of his extra point attempts. Saints kicker and Arkansas State product Blake Grupe had seven points on a pair of field goals from 27 and 23 yards with one extra point against the Seahawks.
Seventy-six Sun Belt football alumni held roster spots on 30-of-32 NFL rosters with 44 on active rosters, 20 on practice squads and 12 on injured or other reserve lists. In Week 3 contests, 35 saw game action with 11 earning the start for their respective teams.
App State
Akeem Davis-Gaither – LB, Arizona Cardinals (1 G, 1 GS, 8 Tackles)
* Tyrek Funderburk – CB, Minnesota Vikings
Nick Hampton – LB, Los Angeles Rams (DNP)
^ Cooper Hodges – OL, Jacksonville Jaguars
D’Marco Jackson – LB, Chicago Bears (DNP)
* Shemar Jean-Charles, DB, Seattle Seahawks
Kendall Lamm – OL, Miami Dolphins (1 G)
* Ahmani Marshall – RB, Cleveland Browns
Sam Martin – P, Carolina Panthers (1 G, 1 GS, 3 Punts, 135 Yards)
^ Jalen McLeod – LB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Ryan Neuzil – OL, Atlanta Falcons (1 G, 1 GS)
Arkansas State
Demario Davis – LB, New Orleans Saints (1 G, 1 GS, 11 Tackles, 1 Tackle For Loss)
Blake Grupe – K, New Orleans Saints (1 G, 1 GS, 2-for-3 FG, 1-for-1 XP)
* Courtney Jackson – WR, Seattle Seahawks
* Trevian Thomas – S, Carolina Panthers
Coastal Carolina
* C.J. Brewer – DL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
^ Tarron Jackson – DL, San Francisco 49ers
Isaiah Likely – TE, Baltimore Ravens (DNP)
Georgia Southern
Darrell Baker Jr. – CB, Tennessee Titans (1 G, 2 Tackles)
*Shemar Bartholomew – CB, Carolina Panthers
^ Tyler Bass – K, Buffalo Bills
Kindle Vildor – CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (DNP)
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, 2-for-2 FG, 2-for-2 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)
* Dalen Cambre – WR, New York Giants
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, 1 Tackle)
Elijah Mitchell – RB, Kansas City Chiefs (DNP)
Max Mitchell – OL, New York Jets (DNP)
^ John Stephens – TE, Dallas Cowboys
Nate Thomas – OL, Dallas Cowboys (1 G)
ULM
* Myles Cole – DE, Cincinnati Bengals
* Car’lin Vigers – CB, Washington Commanders
Marshall
Rasheen Ali – RB, Baltimore Ravens (1 G, 4 Kickoff Returns, 105 Yards)
^ Ethan Driskell – OL, Kansas City Chiefs
Mike Green – EDGE, Baltimore Ravens (1 G, 4 Tackles, 1 Quarterback Hit)
Neville Hewitt – LB, New York Giants (1 G, 2 Tackles)
^ Nazeeh Johnson – S, Kansas City Chiefs
* Elias Neal – LB, Los Angeles Rams
^ J.J. Roberts – S, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Dalton Tucker – OL, Indianapolis Colts (1 G)
Old Dominion
* LaMareon James – CB, New York Giants
Rick Lovato – LS, Los Angeles Chargers (1 G)
^ Nick Saldiveri – OL, New Orleans Saints
Stone Smartt – TE, New York Jets (1 G)
Keion White – DL New England Patriots (1 G, 1 Tackle)
South Alabama
Darrell Luter Jr. – CB, San Francisco 49ers (1 G, 2 Tackles)
* Jamaal Pritchett – WR, New York Jets
Jeremy Reaves – S, Washington Commanders (1 G, 4 Tackles, 1 Quarterback Hit)
* Jamie Sheriff – LB, Seattle Seahawks
Jalen Tolbert – WR, Dallas Cowboys (1 G, 3 Receptions, 24 Yards)
Corliss Waitman – P, Pittsburgh Steelers (1 G, 1 GS, 4 Punts, 169 Yards)
* Jeremiah Webb – WR, New England Patriots
Southern Miss
Cornell Armstrong – CB, Miami Dolphins (1 G, 1 Tackle)
Swayze Bozeman – LB, New York Giants (1 G, Tackle)
Natrone Brooks – CB, Atlanta Falcons (1 G, 2 Kickoff Returns, 27 Yards)
Jason Brownlee – WR, Kansas City Chiefs (1 G)
* Frank Gore Jr. – RB, Buffalo Bills
Tim Jones – WR, Minnesota Vikings (DNP)
Nick Mullens – QB, Jacksonville Jaguars (DNP)
Rakeem Nunez-Roches – DL, New York Giants (DNP)
Texas State
Jake Bates – K, Detroit Lions (1 G, 1 GS, 1-for-2 FG, 5-for-5 XP)
Aaron Brewer – OL, Miami Dolphins (1 G, 1 GS)
^ Deion Hankins – RB, Chicago Bears
Troy
Jake Andrews – OL, Houston Texans (1 G, 1 GS)
Dell Pettus – S, New England Patriots (1 G)
Javon Solomon – EDGE, Buffalo Bills (1 G)
Reddy Steward – CB, Dallas Cowboys (1 G, 6 Tackles, 2 Tackles For Loss)
* Kimani Vidal – RB, Los Angeles Chargers
*Practice Squad
^Injured & Other Reserve