Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – The ninth week of NFL action concluded this past Monday, marking the end of many exciting competitions across three days of matchups. Hokie alumni have continued to perform for their teams throughout the season, demonstrating their value both on offense and defense through nine weeks of play. In this edition of NFL Hokies, presented by Coca-Cola, we evaluate the most impressive performances from Hokie alumni in Week 9 and forecast the most exciting matchups in Week 10.
CB Kendall Fuller
Dolphins cornerback Kendall Fuller was a prominent chess piece in the Miami defense on Sunday. Over 65 snaps on defense, the former Hokie posted five tackles for Miami, three of which were solo efforts, against a Buffalo team that has produced 335.2 yards per game this season. While Miami’s two fourth-quarter touchdowns failed to be enough to match Buffalo kicker Tyler Bass’s game-winning 61-yard field goal as time expired, Fuller and the defense posted a total of 55 tackles on the day. For his efforts on gameday, the Baltimore, Maryland native earned an 81.5 tackling grade on Pro Football Focus (PFF) alongside a team second-best 75.2 defense grade.
RB Raheem Blackshear
Carolina Panthers running back Raheem Blackshear saw much of his action on Sunday in a special teams role. The former Hokie posted four total returns, returning two kickoffs for 39 yards and two punts for 24 yards. Blackshear’s work as return specialist proved to be integral in ending the Panthers’ five-game skid against a New Orleans team that has now lost seven straight after starting 2-0. Look for Blackshear to continue to see the field in a special teams role this season as he continues to develop his 82.9 total return yards per game.
LB Tremaine Edmunds
Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds continued to demonstrate his defensive skills against the Cardinals on Sunday. After an impressive showing against the Washington Commanders in Week 8, Edmunds followed up his 10-tackle performance with a team fourth-highest five tackles over 58 defensive snaps. Edmunds has now played 100% of the defensive snaps in back-to-back contests and has done so in six of eight games this season. For his work against Arizona, the former Hokie was awarded a 79.8 tackling grade from PFF, his second-highest rating in the category across eight contests.
LB Divine Deablo
Raiders linebacker Divine Deablo produced yet another solid performance against Cincinnati on Sunday. Playing all of his 70 defensive snaps at weak side linebacker, the former Hokie posted four tackles on the day, three of which were solo, while also failing to allow a single rushing touchdown to Bengals back Chase Brown. While Cincinnati would go on to win the contest due to quarterback Joe Burrow’s five passing touchdowns, Diablo and the Raiders defense were formidable against the run game.
DT Tim Settle
In his first season with Houston, tackle Tim Settle has been a reliable cornerstone for the Texans defensive line. Against the Jets last Thursday, the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native posted a pair of solo tackles alongside one tackle for loss over 40 snaps in his third straight start. Settle was a key contributor to a Texans defense that ranks fourth in sacks (31.0 over nine games) and a team that currently holds first place in the AFC South at 6-3. For his work on Halloween, Settle was awarded a 75.6 pass rushing grade, the highest of his season and second highest on the team Thursday.
Notable Week 10 Matchups
New England Patriots at Chicago Bears: Sunday, Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. ET on FOX
The Drake Maye-led New England Patriots will travel to Soldier Field on Sunday in a matchup that pits the first and third overall picks of the 2024 NFL Draft against each other. The Patriots, who most recently dropped a matchup against a struggling Tennessee Titans team, will look to land back in the win column against a Chicago team that lost to Arizona 9-29 last week. The matchup is stacked with a mix of former Hokies at different positions, including Patriots kicker Joey Slye and Chicago linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. Keen fans should tune in to see if Edmunds will continue to build on his streak of dominant games at the linebacker position.
Carolina Panthers vs. New York Giants: Sunday, Nov. 10 at 9:30 a.m. ET on NFL+
For the second time in NFL history, a football game will be played in Munich, Germany on Sunday. The matchup, which pits two 2-7 teams together, is another step in the NFL International Series initiative that has seen over 40 games since its development in 2005. Tech fans should tune in to see if Carolina running back Raheem Blackshear’s work as a premier return specialist continues against a Giants team that has punted 41 times over nine games.