This past weekend was an exciting time for football fans everywhere who had been anxiously awaiting the start of the 2023 NFL season. With many teams trying to make their case for the playoffs, there have been an array of players making a name for themselves as well. This includes a cast of former members of NC State football who shined in week one.
Trenton Gill — Chicago Bears, Punter
The Chicago Bears suffered a frustrating loss to the Green Bay Packers in their season opener. Though some players put up good numbers, a series of untimely mistakes ultimately did the Bears in. Despite the loss, punter Trenton Gill showcased his skills by tallying four punts throughout the afternoon. He averaged 53 yards per boot for a total of 212 yards while also pinning one within the Packer’s 20-yard line.
Jakobi Meyers — Las Vegas Raiders, Wide Receiver
After posting 2,758 receiving yards with the New England Patriots over the past four seasons, wideout Jakobi Meyers departed in free agency this offseason for the Las Vegas Raiders. As a physical receiver with impressive route running and a large catch radius, Meyers will complement star receiver Davante Adams as they catch passes from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in the desert.
On Sunday, Meyers made his Raiders debut against the Denver Broncos. Las Vegas stepped up to the challenge in a hard-fought 17-16 win, and Meyers might have been the Raider’s MVP for the day. He compiled 81 receiving yards and two touchdowns — one at the end of the game to help seal the victory for Las Vegas. If Meyers can continue to build chemistry with Jimmy Garoppolo and the rest of the team, it should be no surprise to see a breakout season from him this year.
Germaine Pratt — Cincinnati Bengals, LB
Much like the Bears, the Cincinnati Bengals did not have a particularly pleasing beginning to the season. In a game marred by heavy rainfall, the Bengals were simply outplayed by the Cleveland Browns. Despite the team’s poor outing, linebacker Germaine Pratt put forth a very solid performance that should not be overlooked. He proved to be the most active member of the Cincinnati defense, collecting 11 total tackles which included seven solo takedowns. Those 11 also included two tackles for a loss and a sack.
Since getting drafted by the Bengals in 2019, Pratt has continued to increase his production and has evolved into a centerpiece of the defense. In that time, the Cincinnati defense has quietly emerged as one of the league’s best units. Last season, the unit ranked fifth in defense overall and Pratt played a major role in that accomplishment.
Russell Wilson — Denver Broncos, QB
On the other side of the aforementioned matchup between the Raiders and the Broncos, Denver suffered a crushing week one loss. Coming off of a very disappointing 2022 campaign, lots of changes were made during the offseason, including many personnel changes and the addition of new head coach Sean Payton.
Last year was a rough season for quarterback Russel Wilson — he struggled to find any form of consistency — and Denver fans will certainly be pleased to see a solid performance from him in week one. Despite only throwing for 177 yards, he played a clean game, completing 79% of his passes and tossing two touchdowns. So far, Wilson is off to a good start and is working towards returning to the production level he had for many years in Seattle.
