Vols In The League: How Former VFLs Fared In NFL Week 1
Image: Michael C. Herbert/New Orleans Saints
By Aidan Sidoti
The NFL season kicked off this past Thursday, and the Volunteers had 27 players featured on active rosters across the league.
Here’s how Tennessee’s finest performed in Week 1.
James Pearce (Atlanta Falcons DE)
In Pearce’s NFL debut, the rookie from Charlotte, North Carolina finished with zero tackles but registered one quarterback hurry in Atlanta’s 23-20 loss to Tampa Bay.
Joshua Palmer (Buffalo Bills WR)
Hauled in five catches for 61 yards in Buffalo’s 41-40 win over Baltimore, including a 32-yard grab on the final drive that set up the game-winning field goal.
Cade Mays (Carolina Panthers OL)
Mays saw two snaps on special teams in Carolina’s 26-10 loss in Jacksonville.
Darnell Wright (Chicago Bears OL)
Set to start at right tackle tonight as the Bears face the Vikings on Monday Night Football.
Dylan Sampson (Cleveland Browns RB)
Led Cleveland’s backfield with 12 carries in a 17-16 loss to Cincinnati. Ran for 29 yards and caught all eight targets for 64 yards.
Cedric Tillman (Cleveland Browns WR)
Caught five passes on eight targets for 52 yards and a touchdown from Joe Flacco in Cleveland’s 17-16 loss to Cincinnati.
Joe Milton III (Dallas Cowboys QB)
Did not see any action in the Cowboys’ season opening loss to Philadelphia.
Kamal Hadden (Green Bay Packers CB)
Hadden played two snaps on special teams in Green Bay’s 27-13 defeat of Detroit.
Derek Barnett (Houston Texans DE)
Barnett registered one tackle in 15 snaps in Houston’s week one loss to the Rams.
Darrell Taylor (Houston Texans DE)
Taylor had just one tackle in the Texans’ 14-9 loss in Los Angeles.
Omarr Norman-Lott (Kansas City Chiefs DT)
Norman-Lott did not see any snaps for the Chiefs in Brazil.
Trey Smith (Kansas City Chiefs OL)
Played every snap and did not allow a sack in Kansas City’s 27-21 loss over the Chargers.
Jaylen McCollough (Los Angeles Rams SAF)
Recorded his first-career sack and three tackles in the Rams’ 14-9 victory over Houston.
Byron Young (Los Angeles Rams LB)
The linebacker out of Georgetown, South Carolina recorded nine tackles, a sack, and two quarterback hurries in the Rams’ win over Houston on Sunday afternoon.
Dont’e Thornton Jr. (Las Vegas Raiders WR)
Thornton Jr. hauled in two catches for 45 yards in his NFL debut as Las Vegas defeated New England 20-13
Matthew Butler (Miami Dolphins DE)
In 20 snaps Sunday, Butler logged two tackles as Miami fell to Indianapolis, 33–8.
Jaylen Wright (Miami Dolphins RB)
Wright was inactive on Sunday after undergoing a procedure on his right leg.
Theo Jackson (Minnesota Vikings SAF)
Jackson and the Vikings take on the Chicago Bears tonight on Monday Night Football.
Joshua Dobbs (New England Patriots Quarterback)
Dobbs did not see the field in the Patriots’ 20-13 loss over the Raiders.
Alontae Taylor (New Orleans Saints Cornerback)
Recorded his sixth career sack and two tackles over the Cardinals on Sunday.
Velus Jones Jr. (New Orleans Saints RB)
Jones returned two kicks for 40 all-purpose yards but did not record any other stats in Sunday’s loss.
Alvin Kamara (New Orleans Saints RB)
Kamara found the end zone in New Orleans’ 20-13 loss to Arizona, the former Vol rushed 11 times for 45 yards and a touchdown, while adding 12 receiving yards on two touchdowns.
Jalin Hyatt (New York Giants WR)
Hyatt did not see any action in the Giants’ 21-6 loss to the Commanders.
Jauan Jennings (San Francisco 49ers WR)
Jennings hauled in just two receptions for 16 yards as San Francisco defeated Seattle 17-13.
Morgan Cox (Tennessee Titans LS)
Started at long snapper for the Titans 20-12 loss against the Broncos.
Shy Tuttle (Tennessee Titans DT)
Tuttle did not appear in Tennessee’s loss over Denver.
Gabe Jeudy-Lally (Tennessee Titans CB)
Jeudy-Lally also did not appear in the Titans' loss to Denver.
