Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – The NFL season is officially back in action this fall, as 32 teams seek to achieve fame and glory throughout 17 weeks of exciting competition. The league’s triumphant return to Sunday afternoons is made extra special this season, as a plethora of just-recently graduated Hokies continue to carve their paths on teams across the nation. In this edition of NFL Hokies presented by Coca-Cola, we’re looking at former Blacksburg stars, from rookies to veterans, and how they performed in the opening two weeks of the NFL season.
Chuck Clark - Safety, Pittsburgh Steelers
A recurring figure throughout last season’s NFL Hokies series, Chuck Clark finds himself in Steeler black and gold in what is now his eighth year in the pros. The former Hokie is on his second new team in as many years, after spending the first six seasons of his career as a Baltimore Raven.
In his first two games under Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, Clark picked up right where he left off as a New York Jet last season, logging eight tackles against both the Jets in the season opener and the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2. While the Steelers sit at an even .500 through the first two games of the season, Clark’s 16 tackles (12 solo, 4 assists) rank first amongst the Steeler defense.
Bhayshul Tuten – Running Back, Jacksonville Jaguars
After a wildly successful career in maroon and orange, former Hokie running back Bhayshul Tuten was the first 2024 Tech graduate to be selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Jacksonville Jaguars were the ones to call the running back, picking up the 5-foot-9, 209-pound New Jersey native with the 104th pick in last April’s selection show.
While his first game in teal and gold was relatively quiet (3 rushes, 11 yards), Tuten made his mark in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals. The former Hokie was a dual-threat option in his second professional game, rushing eight times for 42 yards while also hauling in a pair of targets for 32 receiving yards. Tuten also found paydirt for the first time as a Jaguar, slicing through a pair of Bengals defenders en route to an 8-yard score. His work this past Sunday earned him an NFL Rookie of the Week nomination, the first of his young career.
Parker Romo and Joey Slye – Kickers, Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans
Kickers Parker Romo and Joey Slye had made names for themselves throughout the 2024 season. Slye booted a 63-yard field goal as a member of the New England Patriots last fall, while then-Minnesota Viking Romo hit from 55 in a highly contested matchup against the Arizona Cardinals late in the season. With the advent of the 2025 season, however, the pair have donned new threads and joined new teams. Their kicking, however, has stayed exactly the same.
Starting with Romo: While he was a non-factor in the opening matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the former Hokie made his presence known in Week 2, sending five field goal tries through the uprights on Sunday Night Football. Romo’s consistency was seen all over the field this past Sunday, as the Georgia native converted tries from 29, a pair from 33, 38, and a staggering 54 yards.
Slye’s booming leg has also been a key factor through two games in Titan blue. Week 1 saw the NFL journeyman send four of four tries through the uprights, converting from 33, 35, 42, and 50 for all 12 of Tennessee’s points. Week 2 was no different, as Slye sent kicks of 35, 37, 55 and 57 for another 12 points, this time against the Los Angeles Rams.
Romo and Slye are two of just nine kickers with a perfect accuracy through two weeks of play (min. 5 attempts). Regardless of location, conditions, or pressure, the pair have been essential assets for their respective teams in 2025.
Among the former Hokies who had success this week, several 2025 NFL Hokies are seeing the professional gridiron for the first time in their careers. While their teams may have had mixed results, the Hokies-turned-pros are a testament to the talent, skill, and passion each demonstrated during their time in Blacksburg:
- Cornerback Dorian Strong, Buffalo Bills: 4 tackles (4 solo) over 2 games
- Wide Receiver Jaylin Lane, Washington Commanders: 2 receptions, 13 yards over 2 games
- Defensive Lineman Aeneas Peebles, Baltimore Ravens: Tackle, pass deflection over 2 games
Notable Week 3 Matchups
Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers: Sunday, Sept. 21 at 1 p.m. ET on FOX
Kicking off Week 3’s Sunday afternoon action, the Atlanta Falcons will travel to Charlotte, N.C. to face the Carolina Panthers for an interconference matchup. Both teams enter the contest at largely different points in their new seasons, the Falcons riding the momentum of a Week 2 Sunday night victory while the Panthers search for their first win of the year. Hokies can be found on both teams in the game, as Romo and linebacker Divine Deablo suit up for Atlanta while James Mitchell and Yosh Nijman suit up for Carolina.
Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: Sunday, Sept. 21 at 1 p.m. ET on CBS
Atlanta and Carolina aren’t the only teams with former Hokies set to face off this Sunday. The Houston Texans, who are scrambling for a victory behind quarterback CJ Stroud, will head to the Sunshine State for a contest against playcaller Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tim Settle Jr., a former Hokie and eight-year NFL veteran, will aim to rally his defensive line and stop Tuten from having another big game on both the ground and in the air.