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NEW ORLEANS – App State alumnus and Chicago Bears linebacker D’Marco Jackson earned his first professional start and recorded a career-high 15 tackles to lead numerous exemplary defensive performances by Sun Belt Conference alumni during Week 12 of the 2025 National Football League (NFL) season.
In his third NFL season and first as a member of the Bears, Jackson made five solo tackles and assisted on 10 others while recording a tackle for loss in the first double-digit tackling performance of his career in the team’s 31-28 home win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Making his 37th NFL appearance, Jackson played a game-high 80 snaps and was one of four Bears to play all 72 snaps on defense. He added eight more on special teams.
Arkansas State alum and five-time All-Pro linebacker Demario Davis of the New Orleans Saints also recorded double-digit tackles with 11 in the team’s 24-10 home setback against the Atlanta Falcons. He now has at least 10 tackles in seven of the Saints’ 11 contests this season.
Another former App State linebacker, Akeem Davis-Gaither of the Arizona Cardinals, made an impact in his ninth start of the year during Sunday’s action with seven tackles, one pass defended and an interception in a 27-24 home defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The interception was his first of the season and third in his sixth NFL season, halting a late third-quarter drive by the Jaguars on third down.
Marshall product and Baltimore Ravens rookie edge rusher Mike Green compiled five tackles, two quarterback hits and one sack in a 23-10 home win over the New York Jets. The sack increased Green’s count to 2.5 on the season and marked his fifth tackle for loss.
In the scoring column, Texas State product and Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates registered 10 points going 2-for-2 on field goals and 4-for-4 on extra points in a 34-27 overtime home win against the New York Giants. He converted field goals from 37 and 59 yards, while the latter marked a career long and tied the game with 28 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
Georgia Southern alum and Giants kicker Younghoe Koo tallied a season-high nine points going 2-for-2 on field goals and 3-for-3 on extra points against the Lions. His successful field goal attempts came from distances of 21 and 44 yards, respectively.
Sun Belt football alumni held 80 roster spots on 30-of-32 NFL rosters with 46 on active rosters, 21 on practice squads and 13 on injured or other reserve lists. In Week 12 contests, 35 saw game action with 16 earning the start for their respective teams. Six Sun Belt alums on active rosters were on a bye week as members of the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders.
All 14 Sun Belt programs have been represented on an NFL roster each week during the 2025 campaign. App State leads all Sun Belt teams with 10 former standouts on NFL rosters followed by Louisiana, South Alabama and Southern Miss with nine apiece.
App State
Akeem Davis-Gaither – LB, Arizona Cardinals (1 G, 1 GS, 7 Tackles, 1 Interception, 1 Pass Defended)
* Tyrek Funderburk – CB, Minnesota Vikings
Nick Hampton – LB, Los Angeles Rams (1 G, 4 Tackles)
^ Cooper Hodges – OL, Jacksonville Jaguars
D’Marco Jackson – LB, Chicago Bears (1 G, 1 GS, 15 Tackles, 1 Tackle For Loss)
* Shemar Jean-Charles, DB, Seattle Seahawks
Kendall Lamm – OL, Miami Dolphins (Bye Week)
Sam Martin – P, Carolina Panthers (1 G, 1 GS, 4 Punts, 201 Yards)
^ Jalen McLeod – LB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Ryan Neuzil – OL, Atlanta Falcons (1 G, 1 GS)
Arkansas State
* Jacob Bayer – OL, Cincinnati Bengals
* William Bradley-King – LB, San Francisco 49ers
Demario Davis – LB, New Orleans Saints (1 G, 1 GS, 11 Tackles)
Blake Grupe – K, New Orleans Saints (1 G, 1 GS, 1-for-3 FG, 1-for-1 XP)
* Courtney Jackson – WR, Seattle Seahawks
* Trevian Thomas – S, Carolina Panthers
Coastal Carolina
C.J. Brewer – DL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 G)
^ Tarron Jackson – DL, San Francisco 49ers
Isaiah Likely – TE, Baltimore Ravens (1 G, 1 GS, 1 Reception, 10 Yards)
Georgia Southern
Darrell Baker Jr. – CB, Tennessee Titans (1 G, 1 GS, 2 Tackles, 1 Pass Defended)
*Shemar Bartholomew – CB, Carolina Panthers
^ Tyler Bass – K, Buffalo Bills
Younghoe Koo – K, New York Giants (1 G, 1 GS, 2-for-2 FG, 3-for-3 XP, 1 Tackle)
Kindle Vildor – CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 G, 1 GS, 4 Tackles, 1 Pass Defended)
Georgia State
Benjamin Chukwuma – OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 G)
^ Travis Glover – OL, Green Bay Packers
Wil Lutz – K, Denver Broncos (Bye Week)
James Madison
* Liam Fornadel, OL, New York Jets
* Jamree Kromah, DE, Chicago Bears
Aaron Stinnie – OL, New York Giants (1 G)
Louisiana
Percy Butler – S, Washington Commanders (Bye Week)
Dalen Cambre – WR, New York Giants (1 G)
Kevin Dotson – OL, Los Angeles Rams (1 G, 1 GS)
^ Robert Hunt – OL, Carolina Panthers
* Andre Jones Jr. – DE, Buffalo Bills
Keyon Martin – CB, Baltimore Ravens (DNP)
Elijah Mitchell – RB, Kansas City Chiefs (DNP)
Max Mitchell – OL, New York Jets (1 G, 1 GS)
Nate Thomas – OL, Dallas Cowboys (1 G)
ULM
* Car’lin Vigers – CB, Washington Commanders
Marshall
Rasheen Ali – RB, Baltimore Ravens (DNP)
^ Ethan Driskell – OL, Kansas City Chiefs
Mike Green – LB, Baltimore Ravens (1 G, 5 Tackles, 1 Sack, 1 Tackle For Loss, 2 Quarterback Hits)
Neville Hewitt – LB, New York Giants (1 G)
^ Nazeeh Johnson – S, Kansas City Chiefs
Elias Neal – LB, Los Angeles Rams (1 G)
^ J.J. Roberts – S, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Dalton Tucker – OL, Indianapolis Colts (1 G)
Old Dominion
* Tre Hawkins III – CB, Washington Commanders
^ Nick Saldiveri – OL, New Orleans Saints
Stone Smartt – TE, New York Jets (1 G)
^ Blake Watson – RB, Tennessee Titans
Keion White – DL, San Francisco 49ers (1 G, 1 Tackle)
South Alabama
* Carter Bradley – QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Darrell Luter Jr. – CB, San Francisco 49ers (1 G)
* Jamaal Pritchett – WR, New York Jets
Jeremy Reaves – S, Washington Commanders (Bye Week)
Jamie Sheriff – LB, Seattle Seahawks (1 G, 1 Tackle)
* Wy’Kevious “Bubba” Thomas – DL, Seattle Seahawks
Jalen Tolbert – WR, Dallas Cowboys (DNP)
Corliss Waitman – P, Pittsburgh Steelers (1 G, 1 GS, 3 Punts, 106 Yards)
* Jeremiah Webb – WR, New England Patriots
Southern Miss
^ Cornell Armstrong – CB, Miami Dolphins
Swayze Bozeman – LB, New York Giants (1 G, 3 Tackles)
Natrone Brooks – CB, Atlanta Falcons (1 G)
* Jason Brownlee – WR, Kansas City Chiefs
* Frank Gore Jr. – RB, Buffalo Bills
* Tim Jones – WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Nick Mullens – QB, Jacksonville Jaguars (DNP)
Rakeem Nunez-Roches – DL, New York Giants (1 G, 1 GS, 2 Tackles, 1 Sack, 1 Tackle For Loss)
* Quez Watkins – WR, Philadelphia Eagles
Texas State
Jake Bates – K, Detroit Lions (1 G, 1 GS, 2-for-2 FG, 4-for-4 XP)
Aaron Brewer – OL, Miami Dolphins (Bye Week)
^ Deion Hankins – RB, Chicago Bears
* Kyle Hergel – OL, Chicago Bears
Troy
Jake Andrews – OL, Houston Texans (1 G, 1 GS)
Dell Pettus – S, New England Patriots (1 G)
Javon Solomon – EDGE, Buffalo Bills (1 G, 1 Tackle)
Reddy Steward – CB, Dallas Cowboys (1 G, 6 Tackles)
Kimani Vidal – RB, Los Angeles Chargers (Bye Week)
*Practice Squad
^Injured & Other Reserve