The National Football League opened its 2020 season this week with 16 former Southern Conference football players on active rosters, totaling one touchdown, one interception, two field goals and 15 solo tackles.
Jerick McKinnon (Georgia Southern) and Jaquiski Tartt (Samford) represented the conference during the San Francisco 49ers' debut against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
It was a memorable Sunday opener for McKinnon, as he scored his first touchdown since Dec. 3, 2017, after missing the last two seasons due to a torn ACL. McKinnon gave the 49ers a 19-17 lead over the Cardinals with a completed pass from Jimmy Garoppolo for a 5-yard reception into the endzone. This marks his first touchdown in the red and gold as a 49er. In addition to his touchdown, McKinnon stacked up a total of three rushing attempts for 24 yards and three receptions for 20 yards in the 20-24 loss to Arizona.
Tartt assisted the 49ers' defense with an interception in the second quarter. He intercepted a tipped ball and returned it for 16 yards, marking his fourth career interception.
Samford’s James Bradberry dominated the defensive side of the ball in the New Giants’ Monday Night Fooball season opener versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bradberry made five solo tackles, forced a fumble and deflected two passes.
Sam Martin (Appalachian State) also played under the Monday Night lights with the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium in Denver. Martin opened his season with five punts averaging 46.4 yards.
Former Georgia Southern kicker Younghoe Koo, who earned SoCon All-Freshman honors before the Eagles departed for the Sun Belt, placed the first points on the board for the Atlanta Falcons 2020-21 season with a 49-yard field goal. Later in the game, he also made a successful onside kick that resulted in offense’s return to the field. Koo went 2-for-2 from the 40-49-yard range in the Atlanta Falcons’ 38-25 setback to the Seattle Seahawks.
Matt Breida (Georgia Southern) opened his fourth NFL season with 22 rushing yards in the Dolphins' 21-11 loss to the New England Patriots. Like Koo, Breida played his freshman year in the SoCon.
The Chicago Bears’ Buster Skrine (Chattanooga) deflected two passes with three solo tackles for a 1-0 start to the NFL season, as the Bears took home a win against the Detroit Lions.
See below for the full round up of former SoCon NFL player week one stats:
Daniel Kilgore, C, Kansas City Chiefs (Appalachian State, 2007-10)
Week 1 vs. Houston Texans: DNP
Kendall Lamm, OT, Cleveland Browns (Appalachian State, 2011-13)
Week 1 at Baltimore Ravens: Appeared in 38-6 loss
Sam Martin, P, Denver Broncos (Appalachian State, 2009-12)
Week 1 vs. Tennessee Titans: 5 punts averaging 46.4 yards
Andre Roberts, WR, Buffalo Bills (The Citadel, 2006-09)
Week 1 vs. New York Jets: Returned 1 kick for 31 yards, averaged 13.8 yards on 5 punt returns
Dakota Dozier, OG, Minnesota Vikings (Furman, 2010-13)
Week 1 vs. Green Bay Packers: Started in 43-34 loss
Matt Breida, RB, Miami Dolphins (Georgia Southern, 2013)
Week 1 at New England Patriots: 5 rushing attempts for 22 yards
Younghoe Koo, K, Atlanta Falcons (Georgia Southern, 2013)
Week 1 vs. Seattle Seahawks: 2 FG from the 40-49 yard range
Jerick McKinnon, RB, San Francisco 49ers (Georgia Southern, 2010-13)
Week 1 vs. Arizona Cardinals: 1 RecTD, 3 rushing attempts for 24 yards, 3 receptions for 20 yards
James Bradberry, CB, New York Giants (Samford, 2012-15)
Week 1 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: 5 solo tackles, 1 forced fumble, 2 pass deflections
Jaquiski Tartt, S, San Francisco 49ers (Samford 2011-14)
Week 1 vs. Arizona Cardinals: 3 solo tackles, 1 assist, 1 interception and 16-yard return
Nick Williams, DT, Detroit Lions (Samford, 2009-10)
Week 1 vs. Chicago Bears: 1 solo tackle
C.J. Board, WR, New York Giants (Chattanooga, 2013-16)
Week 1 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: 2 receptions for 17 yards
Tae Davis, LB, Cleveland Browns (Chattanooga, 2014-17)
Week 1: 1 solo tackle
Isaiah Mack, DT, Tennessee Titans (Chattanooga, 2015-18)
Week 1 vs. Denver Broncos: Inactive
Buster Skrine, CB, Chicago Bears (Chattanooga, 2007-10)
Week 1 vs. Detroit Lions: 3 solo tackles, 2 pass deflections
Keion Crossen, CB, Houston Texans (Western Carolina, 2014-17)
Week 1 at Kansas City: 1 assisted tackle
Practice Squads:
John Brannon, DB, Chargers (Western Carolina, 2015-19)
Devlin Hodges, QB, Steelers (Samford, 2015-18)
Kareem Orr, CB, Titans (Chattanooga, 2017-18)