With the second week of the NFL preseason almost in the books, a handful of NC State alums are continuing to impress in training camp and game action and are working their way up their respective teams’ depth charts. Here are a few former Wolfpack stars who shone the brightest in their second preseason games.
Jakobi Meyers, Wide Receiver, New England Patriots
After a breakout performance in the Patriots’ first preseason game that saw Meyers catch two first-half touchdowns, the 6-foot-2 slot receiver picked up right where he left off, catching six passes for 82 yards.
In the Patriots’ 22-17 win over the Tennessee Titans, Meyers consistently served as a security blanket for quarterbacks Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham, catching all six passes attempted to him. Meyers has been making a living over the middle of the field in the preseason, constantly getting out of his release at the line of scrimmage and getting open quickly.
Meyers played the entire game this week and is looking more and more like he has officially transitioned from practice squad hopeful to roster lock. There is still two more weeks left of preseason, but if Meyers continues to impress he’ll soon get a chance to catch passes from six-time Super Bowl-champion quarterback Tom Brady in the regular season.
Ryan Finley, Quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals
The ever-consistent Finley looked excellent in the Bengals’ 23-13 win over Washington, consistently showing off the accuracy that enticed the Bengals to draft him in the fourth round of the NFL draft.
Finley completed 20 of 26 passes Thursday night, throwing for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Coming in relief of starting quarterback Andy Dalton, who completed just 56% of his passes and threw a pick-six, Finley looked like the best quarterback on the field. Never one to take unnecessary risks, Finley efficiently managed the game and mixed in a number of smart checkdowns and short completions.
On Finley’s first drive, which ended in a touchdown, he went 8-for-8 for 79 yards and converted two key third-down passes to keep the possession alive. Finley has quickly overtaken former Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel for the second string quarterback position and if incumbent starter Dalton struggles this season or suffers an injury, Finley could get his chance on the field.
Jacoby Brissett, Quarterback, Indianapolis Colts
In his fourth year in the NFL, Brissett is continuing to solidify his reputation as one of the best, most reliable backup quarterbacks in the league. Brissett was nearly perfect in the Colts’ 21-18 loss to the Cleveland Browns Saturday night, completing 8 of 10 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown and adding an 11-yard carry on the ground.
Brissett looked calm and poised in the pocket during his three series of work, which is nothing new for the guy who has 17 career NFL starts under his belt. Current starting-quarterback Andrew Luck has been out all preseason with a lower leg injury, and if he isn’t healthy by the start of the regular season, Brissett will once again get a chance to start.
In 15 starts in place of the injured Luck in 2017, Brissett threw for over 3,000 yards, 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions despite playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in football and with few offensive weapons. The Colts’ revamped offensive line and an offense that features wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, tight ends Jack Doyle and Eric Ebron, and running backs Marlon Mack and NC State alum Nyheim Hines should provide Brissett with all the opportunity in the world to shine.
Jaylen Samuels, Running Back, Pittsburgh Steelers
The former all-purpose athlete, who is no. 2 all-time in touchdowns scored for the Wolfpack, found himself in a familiar spot Saturday night: the end zone. Samuels ran in untouched around left end for a 14-yard yard touchdown in the second quarter of the Steelers’ 17-7 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Samuels carried the ball four times for 26 yards, playing just a few series during the game, a good indicator that the Steelers view him as a key piece of their offense in the upcoming season. The 6-foot athlete is the clear-cut number-two running back behind James Conner, but after impressing in a few starts last season and continuing that in the preseason last year, it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see the Steelers take more of a running back-by-committee approach to get “Jay Sam” his touches.
Mike Glennon, Quarterback, Oakland Raiders
Glennon was, quite literally, perfect Thursday night in the Raiders’ 33-26 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The six-year NFL journeyman had a perfect passer rating of 158.3, completing 11 of 14 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns, consistently tearing up the Cardinals’ secondary.
Glennon is currently battling with former Bills starting quarterback Nathan Peterman for the Raiders backup quarterback position, and another performance like Thursday night’s should be enough for the 6-foot-7 Glennon to win the job.
Redshirt senior quarterback Jacoby Brissett hurls a pass downfield against the Tar Heels at Carter-Finley Stadium on Nov. 28, 2015. Brissett completed 17 of 37 passes for 206 yards in the game. The Wolfpack fell to the Tar Heels 45-34.
