The last week of the NFL’s regular season saw the most active slate yet for former members of the Wolfpack, who shined bright against all odds. With their performances capping off some already impressive seasons at the highest level of football, it’s time to look back on what they accomplished over the year.
Nyheim Hines – Buffalo Bills, RB
2022 stats: 274 yards from scrimmage, two total touchdowns
In one of the most emotionally charged games in recent history, Nyheim Hines did the unthinkable — becoming the first Bills player to return two kicks for touchdowns in a game. Making the moment even more special, Hines’ effort helped lead Buffalo to a 35-23 victory over the Patriots in the week following one of the most intense injuries in American sporting history to his teammate Damar Hamlin.
It’s been tough for Hines to find consistent time in the backfield for Buffalo this season after being shipped from Indianapolis halfway through the year. As he has for his entire career, however, the former NC State standout has made the most of opportunities afforded to him — excelling as a pass-catching back and providing a spark on special teams. His efforts in week 18 helped the Bills lock up the second seed in the AFC heading into Super Wild Card Weekend and sent New England back home to watch the playoffs from the couch.
Russell Wilson – Denver Broncos, QB
2022 stats: 3,524 passing yards, 60.5% completion rate, 16 touchdowns, 11 interceptions
Criticizing Russell Wilson at this point of the season seems unfair. The nine-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champ has faced every roadblock imaginable, from incompetent coaching to leading the league in sacks taken and dealing with multiple injuries. That’s not to say Wilson holds no blame, however, as the Broncos offense has certainly stalled plenty of times due to his lack of timing and awareness.
Despite everything that’s gone wrong this year, Wilson delivered a 283-yard, three-touchdown performance to finish the season with a 31-28 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. The Broncos sold their future in acquiring “Mr. Unlimited,” and it seems there may be something salvageable in his game despite being 34 years old. Denver’s top priority will be filling its head coaching vacancy after firing Nathaniel Hackett and acquiring the pieces necessary to prevent Wilson from taking over 50 sacks again.
Jakobi Meyers – New England Patriots, WR
2022 stats: 67 receptions, 804 receiving yards, six touchdowns
Jakobi Meyers continues to be one of the most consistent pieces to an otherwise inconsistent Patriots squad that continues to struggle in finding its identity post-Tom Brady. In his second consecutive season with 800-plus receiving yards and multiple touchdowns, Meyers has likely extended his stay in New England to the next couple of seasons.
This year hasn’t been without its blunders for the NC State product, however, who contributed to what may go down as the most embarrassing play in NFL history. Effectively throwing a touchdown pass to the opposing team on the last play of the game to suffer a loss that now keeps the Patriots out of the playoffs, Meyers had to find it in himself to brush it off and keep moving forward. Despite the aforementioned loss to the Bills in week 18, Meyers still made his presence felt with a remarkable touchdown grab to keep the game competitive in the early going. As New England enters its rebuilding era, expect Meyers to be a face that sticks around.
Ikem Ekwonu – Carolina Panthers, OT
2022 stats: 1,018 snaps played, 13 penalties, six sacks allowed
Ikem Ekwonu, a member of the 2021 Wolfpack squad, was thrown into the fire in his first season of professional football. Carving out a starting role for himself immediately, the former sixth-overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft had to learn on the run. Even though he led the league in penalties, at certain points in the year he looked like the most promising tackle in football. As part of a young core in Carolina being built around in free agency and the upcoming draft, Ekwonu’s stock is only going to rise as the rookie mistakes begin to fade out of his game.
Germaine Pratt – Cincinnati Bengals, LB
2022 stats: 98 tackles, six tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions, one forced fumble
Helping prove that the Bengals’ Super Bowl run a year ago wasn’t a fluke, Germaine Pratt has been dominant in both run-stopping and pass coverage this season. Even with a quiet outing against the Baltimore Ravens to end the season, Pratt’s stats place him second amongst Bengals tacklers, his six TFLs land him in the same spot and his two interceptions made him the only Cincinnati linebacker to record multiple INTs. Stats aside, Pratt continues to put himself in position to make game-winning plays time and time again in his fourth year as a pro.
Zonovan Knight – New York Jets, RB
2022 stats: 400 yards from scrimmage, one touchdown
One of the biggest surprise performers among Pack Pros this season has to be Zonovan Knight, who exploded onto the scene to revive an injury-stricken running back room for the Jets. In seven appearances, four of which were starts, Knight impressed enough to return to the lineup each week — even earning Rookie of the Week honors in week 14.
After missing the playoffs, the backs ahead of Knight will have a full offseason to get healthy. That certainly puts Knight’s immediate future on the roster in question, with the rookie proving his worth on the big stage and potentially earning himself an expanded role with a new team. It’s unlikely that the Jets will lean his way with the return of both Breece Hall and Michael Carter, but if they opt for a running back by committee situation, it would absolutely be the most deadly trio in the league.
Other Pack Pro stat lines around the league:
Justin Jones – Chicago Bears, DT
2022 stats: 52 tackles, three sacks, 12 tackles for loss, seven QB hits
Trenton Gill – Chicago Bears, P
2022 stats: 46 yards per punt, 20 punts inside the 20
B.J. Hill – Cincinnati Bengals, DT
2022 stats: 68 tackles, three sacks, four tackles for loss, 11 QB hits
Jacoby Brissett – Cleveland Browns, QB
2022 stats: 2,608 yards, 12 touchdowns, six interceptions
Alim McNeill – Detroit Lions, DT
2022 stats: 41 tackles, six tackles for loss, one sack, seven QB hits
Bradley Chubb – Miami Dolphins, LB
2022 stats: 39 tackles, eight sacks, five tackles for loss, three forced fumbles
AJ Cole – Las Vegas Raiders, P
2022 stats: 48.9 yards per punt, 26 punts inside the 20
Kentavius Street – New Orleans Saints, DT
2022 stats: 29 tackles, 3.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, eight QB hits
