With Week 14 in the NFL officially in the books and a lot to look forward to with Week 15 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 15? For a full rundown, read Wednesday's edition of NFL Hokies, presented by Coca-Cola.
Notable Week 14 Performances
RB Raheem Blackshear
Rookie running back Raheem Blackshear found the end zone for the second time this season for the Carolina Panthers in the team's 30-24 victory over Seattle on Sunday afternoon.
The 2022 undrafted free agent rushed for 32 yards on four carries in the six-point win, including an eight-yard scamper that went to the house and a 17-yard reception to help move Carolina into striking distance of a potential division title in the NFC South.
Up next for Blackshear, Amaré Barno and the rest of the Panthers, a date with Terrell Edmunds and the Pittsburgh Steelers inside Bank of America Stadium this upcoming Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET will the game being televised on CBS.
Raheem breaking through traffic 💪 pic.twitter.com/upjh6chz1M
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) December 12, 2022
QB Tyrod Taylor
Quarterback Tyrod Taylor saw action for the first time since early October in the New York Giants' 48-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles this past Sunday.
The former three-time ACC champion during his time with the Hokies completed all five of his passes at MetLife Stadium in the divisional defeat, throwing for his first touchdown of the 2022 campaign and rushing for 40 yards on two attempts in a reserve role for a team with playoff aspirations in the NFC East.
Taylor and company will look to get back on track this upcoming weekend when the team hits the road for the nation's capital to take on former college teammate Logan Thomas, cornerback Kendall Fuller, placekicker Joey Slye and the rest of the Washington Commanders for this week's edition of Sunday Night Football. Kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m. with the game set to air on NBC.
LB Tremaine Edmunds
Buffalo star linebacker Tremaine Edmunds had quite the day at the office on Sunday afternoon in the Bills' 20-12 triumph over the New York Jets inside Highmark Stadium.
The 2018 first-round draft pick racked up eight total tackles (4 solo) in the crucial eight-point victory, adding 1.5 tackles for loss to complement a productive afternoon at the linebacker position for a perennial contender in the AFC East.
Edmunds, Tim Settle and the rest of the Bills look to keep the momentum going this upcoming Saturday when they play host to the Miami Dolphins, seeking their fifth consecutive win. Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. with the game scheduled to appear on the NFL Network.
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OT Duane Brown
15-year veteran Duane Brown posted the team's highest pass-blocking grade this past weekend in the New York Jets' 20-12 heartbreaker to the Buffalo Bills, according to Pro Football Focus.
The first-year member of the Jets' offensive line played all 74 offensive snaps on Sunday afternoon, putting up an impressive 84.0 grade that marked the second-highest Brown's been able to record so far this season in 2022.
Brown and company aim to return to the win column this upcoming Sunday when the Jets welcome in tight end James Mitchell and the Detroit Lions into MetLife Stadium for an interconference matchup. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. with the game being televised on CBS.
More Week 15 Matchups
Saturday, Dec. 17
Indianapolis at Minnesota - 1 p.m. - NFL Network
Cornerback Brandon Facyson and the Indianapolis Colts look to once again find their footing when they travel to Minneapolis to take on Christian Darrisaw and the Minnesota Vikings inside U.S. Bank Stadium.
Facyson, a first-year member of the Colts' secondary, tallied a single tackle in the team's 54-19 loss to the Cowboys a little under two weeks ago. While Darrisaw, a former first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, remains a question mark after being sidelined the past two weeks while being placed into concussion protocol.
Baltimore at Cleveland - 4:30 p.m. - NFL Network
Sixth-year safety Chuck Clark and the Baltimore Ravens eye their third consecutive victory when they head north to Cleveland to take on Wyatt Teller and the Browns in a big one for both in the AFC North.
Clark, a secondary stronghold during his time in the Charm City, added six total tackles, with four coming on his own, in the team's narrow 16-14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers this past weekend.
While Teller, a former college teammate during his time in Blacksburg, saw the field on all 72 offensive snaps in the team's 23-10 loss to the Bengals back on Sunday afternoon.
Sunday, Dec. 18
Arizona at Denver - 4:05 p.m. - CBS
Rookie offensive lineman Lecitus Smith and the Arizona Cardinals target their first victory in over a month when they hit the road for Denver to take on the Broncos inside Empower Field at Mile High.
Smith, a sixth-round pick in this past April's NFL Draft, participated in four special teams snaps this past Monday evening in the team's 27-13 loss to the Patriots on ESPN's Monday Night Football, showcasing his versatility at the highest level that was on full display during his five-year career suiting up on Tech's offensive line.
Monday, Dec. 19
L.A. Rams at Green Bay - 8:15 p.m. - ABC/ESPN
Fellow offensive linemen Yosh Nijman, Luke Tenuta and the remainder of the Green Bay Packers return to action this upcoming weekend when the Los Angeles Rams come to town for this week's edition of ESPN's Monday Night Football.
Nijman, a former undrafted free agent pickup following the 2019 NFL Draft, played all 66 offensive snaps in the 28-19 win over the Bears just under two weeks ago, mustering a solid 79.9 pass-blocking grade that marked his third-best performance so far this season in 2022.
Meanwhile, 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 weeks ago.