The NFL preseason continues to roll on, and former Penn State players lit up the league with highlight reel plays and impressive performances in Week 2.
Nittany Lion wide receivers posted particularly strong performances as they battle for roster spots for the upcoming season, while several defenders racked up big tackle totals over the weekend.
Here’s an overview of everything that went down.
Mitchell Tinsley, wide receiver, Cincinnati Bengals: Arguably the most impressive performance of any Nittany Lion, Tinsley finished with five receptions for 73 yards and two touchdowns, all team-highs. Tinsley showed off his hands with a tip drill reception, back shoulder fade and high-point touchdown all in the span of a few minutes.
Amani Oruwariye, cornerback, Tennessee Titans: One of four former Nittany Lions on the Titans defense, Oruwariye played throughout the first half and into the third quarter, recording five total tackles which ranked third among all Titans. He added a defended pass, his first of the preseason.
Curtis Jacobs, linebacker, Tennessee Titans: Jacobs finished with three tackles, improving on the two he registered against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week. He’s looking to carve out a contributing role after going undrafted and serving brief stints with the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots.
Jalen Kimber, cornerback, Tennessee Titans: Kimber didn’t make the stat sheet in Week 1 of the preseason but bounced back with two tackles on Friday.
Hunter Nourzad, center, Kansas City Chiefs: Nourzad saw time during the second quarter, starting with a drive which resulted in a touchdown. However, on his second drive, Nourzad allowed a defensive tackle to slip through the A-gap on a stunt and record a safety.
Coziah Izzard, defensive tackle, Kansas City Chiefs: After coming up empty handed a week prior, Izzard got into the game late against the Seahawks and tallied three tackles, an impressive number given his limited playing time.
Sean Clifford, quarterback, Green Bay Packers: The only former Penn State quarterback currently rostered in the NFL, Clifford got into the game in the fourth quarter for one drive. Trailing 19-16, Clifford led the Packers down the field. His highlights include a 9-yard run on fourth-and-seven and an 11-yard touchdown scamper. Through the air, he completed just one of four passes.
Tyler Warren, tight end, Indianapolis Colts: On the losing end of Clifford’s walk-off, Warren and the Colts fell to 0-2 in preseason play. Still, the tight end got the start and had a 25-yard reception before being pulled from the game. On another instance, he was wide open downfield for a potential walk-in touchdown but was overthrown.
Nick Scott, safety, Carolina Panthers: After a rough Week 1 showing, Scott had an improved week. He finished with two tackles in a loss to the Texans.
Ji’Ayir Brown, safety, San Francisco 49ers: Brown’s strong preseason continued on Saturday. The former Penn State safety has earned praise throughout camp and with four tackles against the Raiders, those plaudits seem justified.
Adisa Isaac, linebacker, Baltimore Ravens: Isaac took a step back from his four-tackle performance a week ago, but he got on the board with a solo tackle against the Cowboys. Isaac is dealing with a lingering injury, but he’s expected to see time this year in a rotational capacity.
Jordan Stout, punter, Baltimore Ravens: Stout has been a stalwart since he was taken by the Ravens in the fourth round in 2022. The former Nittany Lion boomed two punts totaling 112 yards, with both landing inside the 20-yard line.
Kobe King, linebacker, Minnesota Vikings: King had a strong second outing with the Vikings, posting five total tackles in substantial playing time. He also had a third-down pass breakup on former Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson in the flat. He’s up to eight tackles in two preseason games.
Miles Sanders, running back, Dallas Cowboys: Sanders produced an underwhelming performance, racking up just 15 yards on seven carries in the loss to the Ravens. Sanders is expected to serve as the RB2 for the Cowboys in his seventh NFL season.
Theo Johnson, tight end, New York Giants: Johnson didn’t play much, but he took a screen pass and rumbled downfield for 30 yards in his only action of the day.
Abdul Carter, defensive end, New York Giants: Carter was able to record his first NFL tackle on Saturday, but also found himself going viral for the wrong reason after being knocked over by a pancake block from tight end Stone Smartt.
Dvon J-Thomas, defensive tackle, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: J-Thomas saw action late and recorded his first professional tackle in a 17-14 win against the Steelers. The former Nittany Lion is fighting an uphill battle for playing time as an undrafted free agent, especially on a 3-4 base defense in Tampa Bay.
PJ Mustipher, defensive tackle, Arizona Cardinals: After a slow first week, Mustipher saw significant playing time and notched six tackles, including two for loss. It was a strong performance for the former Penn Stater as he battles for playing time with a new squad this season.
Blake Gilikin, punter, Arizona Cardinals: It was a busy day for Gilikin, who punted nine times thanks to an anemic offensive performance, tying his most in any NFL game. He averaged 53.1 yards per boot, including a long of 70 yards.
Brenton Strange, tight end, Jacksonville Jaguars: Strange recorded two catches on two targets for 22 yards, doubling his one catch for 11 yards from the previous week.
Parker Washington, wide receiver, Jacksonville Jaguars: Washington snagged two balls for 19 yards, including a touchdown reception on which he broke a pair of tackles.
Daequan Hardy, cornerback, Buffalo Bills: Still battling his way up the depth chart after being selected in the sixth round in 2024, Hardy saw significant time on Sunday night and recorded four tackles against the Bears.
KJ Hamler, wide receiver, Buffalo Bills: Hamler had just one reception for 7-yards but also recorded a 28-yard kick return. Hamler isn’t expected to start at wide receiver for the Bills but could make an impact on special teams as either kick or punt returner.
KeAndre Lambert-Smith, wide receiver, Los Angeles Chargers: The former Nittany Lion and Auburn Tiger continued to steal the show, making another great grab in the Chargers Week 2 matchup against the Rams. He finished with two catches for 60 yards, including an over-the-shoulder bucket catch down the sideline.
