Hokie ClubWith Week 9 in the NFL officially in the books and a lot to look forward to with Week 10 on the horizon, there's a bunch to take a glance at regarding what former Virginia Tech football players are up to at the professional level. With plenty of maroon and orange scattered across the league, there continues to be opportunity after opportunity to see a multitude of Hokies perform on Sunday's in the fall.
What's on-tap for Week 10? For a full rundown, read Wednesday's edition of NFL Hokies, presented by Coca-Cola.
Stay Connected with Tech Football
Notable Week 9 Performances
RB Raheem Blackshear
Carolina first-year running back Raheem Blackshear had quite the impressive day at the office on Sunday afternoon at Cincinnati's Paul Brown Stadium.
The 2022 undrafted free agent rushed for his first career touchdown in the team's 42-21 loss to the Bengals up in the Queen City, punching it in from two yards out to find the end zone for the first time in his professional career. The former two-year starter during his time in Blacksburg also recorded a 66-yard kickoff return that nearly went back for a score, continuing to show why the rookie tailback can be a huge boost on special teams for the Panthers going forward.
Blackshear, Amarè Barno and the rest of Carolina will look to get back on track this upcoming weekend when the team plays host to the Atlanta Falcons in this week's edition of Thursday Night Football. Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. ET with the game being streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
TE James Mitchell
Fellow rookie James Mitchell also reached the end zone for the first time in his NFL career this past weekend for the Detroit Lions.
A former captain with the maroon and orange, Mitchell hauled in two receptions for eight yards in the 15-9 victory over Green Bay on Sunday afternoon, including a three-yard touchdown reception that turned out to be the game-winner for Detroit inside Ford Field.
Up next for Mitchell and company, a trip to Chicago to face off against former college teammate Khalil "Juice" Herbert and the Chicago Bears. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. with the game being televised on FOX.
OT Christian Darrisaw
Former first-round draft pick Christian Darrisaw has been nearly impossible to stop this season on the Minnesota Vikings' offensive line.
The 6-foot-5, 315-pounder has participated in 328 pass-blocking snaps so far this season, and has still yet to allow a sack over halfway through the course of 2022. That's not all. The ex-First Team All-ACC member during his time with the Hokies totaled an 87.3 overall grade in the team's 20-17 win over Washington on Sunday afternoon, according to Pro Football Focus, with an insane 92 grade when it comes to pass-blocking to cap off what was yet another ridiculous performance up in the nation's capital.
Still having missed just one offensive snap this year, Darrisaw looks to keep that trend going when Minnesota travels to upstate New York this weekend to face off against Tremaine Edmunds, Tim Settle and the rest of the Buffalo Bills. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. with the game set to air on FOX.
More Week 10 Matchups
Sunday, Nov. 13
Denver at Tennessee - 1 p.m. - CBS
Fellow former first-round draft pick Caleb Farley played 10 snaps on special teams on Sunday evening in the Titans' 20-17 heartbreaking overtime loss to the Chiefs in this past week's edition of Sunday Night Football.
Although the No. 23 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft didn't secure a tackle for Tennessee out in Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium, Farley displayed throughout his Tech career the ability to produce at the highest level with a high upside that's ready to break out at any given moment.
And with another opportunity ahead for the second-year pro with the Denver Broncos coming to town this upcoming weekend, don't be surprised to see Farley once again play a big role in the Titans' secondary for the remainder of the 2022 campaign.
Cleveland at Miami - 1 p.m. - CBS
Cleveland star offensive guard Wyatt Teller enjoyed a much-needed bye week this past weekend, with the 2021 Pro Bowler still nursing a calf injury suffered in the loss to Baltimore that took place just a little under three weeks ago.
The two-time All-Pro played just 15 snaps in that narrow three-point defeat that has left him sidelined ever since, and will now aim to avoid missing back-to-back contests when the Browns hit the road for Miami to take on the Dolphins inside Hard Rock Stadium.
Houston at N.Y. Giants - 1 p.m. - CBS
Reserve quarterback Tyrod Taylor and the New York Giants return to action this weekend after a week off when they play host to the Houston Texan in an interconference matchup inside MetLife Stadium.
The former three-time ACC champion during his time with the Hokies has appeared in just one game so far this season, but has shown the ability in the past to come through in big situations if needed for a perennial contender in the NFC East.
New Orleans at Pittsburgh - 1 p.m. - FOX
Fifth-year safety Terrell Edmunds and the rest of the Pittsburgh Steelers look to get back to their winning ways when they welcome the New Orleans Saints into Acrisure Stadium on Sunday afternoon in the Steel City.
Edmunds, a former first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, tallied four total tackles, with two coming on his own, in the loss to Philadelphia that took place just under two weeks ago. And with the standout safety continuing to hold down the fort as a staple in the Steelers' secondary, keep an eye out for Edmunds to keep pace with what's already been a solid season so far in the 2022 campaign.
Indianapolis at Las Vegas - 4:05 p.m. - CBS
Cornerback Brandon Facyson and the Indianapolis Colts set to embark on a huge matchup between two teams hoping to find their footing when they travel to Las Vegas to face off against linebacker Divine Deablo and the Raiders inside Allegiant Stadium.
Facyson, a first-year member of the Colts' secondary, notched just a single tackle this past weekend in the team's 26-3 loss to New England last Sunday afternoon, but has shown he can serve as a valuable piece on the defensive side of the ball so far this season in 2022.
Meanwhile, Deablo has kept on flourishing since transitioning to the linebacker position upon entering the professional ranks just a little over a year ago. The former star safety during his time in Blacksburg posted a single tackle in the 27-20 setback to the Jacksonville Jaguars this past weekend, and will now aim to steer the ship in the right direction for a Raiders team looking to get it going in the AFC West.
Dallas at Green Bay - 4:25 p.m. - FOX
Offensive linemen Yosh Nijman, Luke Tenuta and the rest of the Green Bay Packers eye a potential season-altering victory this upcoming weekend with the Dallas Cowboys coming to Lambeau Field in search of their third consecutive win.
Nijman, an ex-undrafted free agent from back in 2019, played all 74 snaps for the Packers offensively back on Sunday afternoon, garnering a 74.2 pass-blocking grade in the 15-9 loss to Detroit in the Motor City. While Tenuta, a sixth-round pick in this April's NFL Draft, still seeks to make his professional debut after being scooped up off waivers from Indianapolis just a few short weeks ago.
Arizona at L.A. Rams - 4:25 p.m. - FOX
Rookie offensive guard Lecitus Smith played a career-high 54 snaps on the offensive end in Arizona's 31-21 defeat at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks this past weekend.
The 2022 sixth-round draft pick also added a career-high 76 pass-blocking grade to cap off his strongest performance yet at the NFL level, showcasing his skills shown off during his time at Tech for all to see in the desert as a productive guard for the Arizona Cardinals.
Smith will try to keep the momentum going this upcoming weekend, when the team makes the trip up to Southern California to face off against the Los Angeles Rams inside SoFi Stadium.
Monday, Nov. 7
Washington at Philadelphia - 8:15 p.m. - ESPN
Cornerback Kendall Fuller, tight end Logan Thomas, placekicker Joey Slye and the Washington Commanders attempt to get back in the win column this upcoming Monday when they head to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles in this week's edition of ESPN's Monday Night Football.
Fuller racked up four total tackles (2 solo) while roaming around the Commanders' secondary in the 20-17 loss to Minnesota just a few days ago, while Slye booted through a 44-yard field goal and two extra points to continue his solid start to the 2022 campaign.
Washington certainly will need the likes of all three Hokies to make a push for a potential playoff berth in the NFC, with the return of Thomas from that nagging calf injury being a major addition on the offensive end for the burgundy and gold.