Here’s the Week 7 summary of former BYU Cougars in the NFL. Power Rankings reflect this season's overall performance.
No. 1 - Fred Warner, LB, San Francisco 49ers
Stats: 8 tackles
The 3-4 San Francisco 49ers are struggling this season, and Fred Warner is one of the few players keeping the team’s playoff hopes alive. His PFF grade of 91.8 ranks No. 1 of 149 linebackers. He’s a leading contender for Defensive Player of the Year.
No. 2 - Kyle Van Noy, LB, Baltimore Ravens
Stats: 3 tackles, 1 sack, 2 QB hits
KVN’s outstanding season continued Monday night with yet another sack, this time in a dominant Baltimore Ravens win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Monday Night Football commentators raved about Van Noy’s high-level of play, and deservedly so.
No. 3 - Brady Christensen, OL, Carolina Panthers
Stats: 43 offensive snaps (100%)
Once again, Brady Christensen not only started for the Panthers and played every offensive snap, but he continued to play well. His PFF grade of 79.6 ranks fifth among centers on the season. In 140 offensive snaps this year, he has zero penalties and has allowed zero snaps. Christensen’s stellar play at center has been the single most underreported development among former Cougars in the NFL this year. He shouldn’t fly under the radar anymore. This is a big, big deal for Brady who’s playing in the final year of his four-year rookie contract.
No. 4 - Tyler Allgeier, RB, Atlanta Falcons
Stats: 5 rushes, 36 yards; 1 reception, 9 yards
This week I wrote a separate column about how the Atlanta Falcons' mismanagement of Tyler Allgeier and his criminally-low usage is an NFL travesty. Five carries for the running back with the fifth-highest yards-per-carry average in the league? You do you, Falcons!
No. 5 - Ryan Rehkow, P, Cincinnati Bengals
This Week’s Stats: 8 punts, 44.3 average, 4 inside the 20
Another solid week for the rookie with half of his eight punts landing inside the 20. Rehkow’s 44.9 net yard average net-yardin the league.
No. 6 - Khyiris Tonga, DT, Arizona Cardinals
Stats: No stats, 14 defensive snaps, 1 special teams snap
After a stellar run of racking up tackles leading up to Week 7, Tonga didn’t record a stop but he still played 14 meaningful defensive snaps. He has been really good on a per-snap basis this year and his PFF grade of 70.4 ranks 23rd of 193 interior defensive linemen. Tonga’s play this year has been a bright spot for BYU fans as the Cougars have struggled to recruit and develop NFL-caliber interior defensive linemen. Tonga is the example Kalani Sitake and his staff can point to to outline a path to the NFL for the defensive linemen they’re recruiting.
No. 7 - Jamaal Williams, RB, New Orleans Saints
Stats: 3 rushes, 17 yards
Sadly, Jamaal is being phased out of the Saints offense and has had a limited impact this season. That trend continued in Week 7.
No. 8 - Zayne Anderson, S, Green Bay Packers
Stats: 1 tackle, 20 special teams snaps
It seems like every week at this point that Zayne Anderson is going to record a special teams tackle. He knows his job and does it well.
No. 9 - Chris Brooks, RB, Green Bay Packers
Stats: No stats, 8 offensive snaps, 6 special teams snaps
While Brooks didn’t touch the ball in this one, it’s a promising sign to see him record eight offensive snaps in a close game that went down to the wire for a Packers win.
No. 10 - Michael Davis, CB, Washington Commanders
Stats: 1 tackle, 3 defensive snaps, 14 special teams snaps
Davis continues to be used primarily on special teams where he recorded a tackle this week, and he did get three snaps on defense. That said, BYU fans are wistful for years past when Davis was starting at corner for the Los Angeles Chargers.
No. 11 - Kingsley Suamataia, OT, Kansas City Chiefs
Stats: 4 special teams snaps
While Kingsley’s rookie season isn’t playing out as most of us had hoped - most of us envisioned him being a solid Day 1 starter - he’s continuing to contribute on special teams.
No. 12 - Blake Freeland, OT, Indianapolis Colts
Stats: 1 offensive snap
Finally! Seven games into the season and Blake Freeland has finally made his season debut. He had been inactive for each of the Colts first six games, but he was activated against the Dolphins. Sure, he only played one snap, but that’s progress!
Did Not Play:
Taysom Hill, TE, New Orleans Saints (Injured)
Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams (IR)
Sione Takitaki (Inactive)
Zach Wilson, QB, Denver Broncos (Inactive)
On Practice Squads:
Kedon Slovis, QB, Houston Texans
Max Tooley, LB, Minnesota Vikings
Jaren Hall, QB, Seattle Seahawks