Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season wrapped up this past Monday, concluding a three-day window of exciting action that saw plenty of former Hokies find success on the gridiron. Athletes that saw their skills flourish in Blacksburg have been displaying their talents on both sides of the ball this season, racking up high tackle totals and dashing into the endzone for their professional squads. In this week’s edition of NFL Hokies presented by Coca-Cola, we take a closer look at some of the most impressive performances from some of Blacksburg’s greatest former players.
Tremaine Edmunds – Linebacker, Chicago Bears
Chicago linebacker Tremaine Edmunds has earned a reputation for logging tackle totals at a high rate. Hokie fans are familiar with his exploits, now in his eighth year in the big leagues, Edmunds has continually been a defensive force during stops in Buffalo and now in the Windy City.
Sunday’s contest against the Dallas Cowboys was yet another example of Edmunds’ pedigree on the gridiron. He tallied a staggering 15 total tackles against Dallas, leading the Chicago defense and powering the team to a 31-14 victory. Edmunds also knocked down two pass attempts from Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, demonstrating his ability to wreak havoc both in the air and on the ground.
Edmunds’ 29 tackles through three contests leads all Bears. If Edmunds can rack up over 100 tackles this fall, it will be the eighth consecutive year in which he has achieved the feat.
Jaylin Lane – Wide Receiver, Washington Commanders
In just his first year in the NFL, Commanders fourth-round pick Jaylin Lane has demonstrated his talent in a variety of areas through three games. Whether it be hauling in passes as a wide receiver or weaving through the defense as a kick-returning specialist, the former Hokie has seemed comfortable in his first season in the NFL.
In last Sunday’s win against the Las Vegas Raiders, Lane found the end zone in a familiar manner, on a punt return. Towards the middle of the third quarter, Lane fielded a punt and dashed 90 yards down FedEx Field finding the end zone and giving Washington a 17-point lead. Lane returned five punts on the day and logged 127 return yards, averaging an impressive 25.4 yards per return in the 41-24 victory.
Tim Settle Jr. - Defensive Tackle, Houston Texans
Now on his third club in the NFL, defensive tackle Tim Settle Jr. continues to make his mark in the league. The former fifth-round pick continually posts impressive ratings and imposes his will on opposing offenses, now doing so with the Houston Texans for a second straight year.
Through three weeks of NFL action, Settle ranks as the sixth highest NFL interior defender by Pro Football Focus (PFF), earning himself an average 82.3 overall defensive grade in 2025. Week 3 was no different – after a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars which saw him post a TFL and a pass deflection, Settle’s 91.1 was the second-highest overall defensive grade amongst defensive linemen on Sunday. The high grades are a testament to the defensive talent Settle honed during a pair of seasons as a Hokie (2016-17).
Bhayshul Tuten – Running Back, Jacksonville Jaguars
On the heels of a college career that saw 25 total touchdowns and over 2,000 rushing yards, Jaguars back Bhayshul Tuten heard his name called in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft this past April. The first 2025 Tech athlete off the board, Tuten was selected No. 104 overall and has instantly positioned himself as an elite offensive option in Jacksonville.
While Settle and the Texans defense limited the Jaguars rushing attack to a 86 yards on Sunday, Tuten found just enough of an opening in the first quarter to score his first career rushing touchdown. The 1-yard end zone scamper was the first score of a relatively quiet 17-10 contest, a game that Jacksonville won behind fellow running back Travis Etienne Jr.’s late score with under two minutes left in the matchup.
Tuten’s touchdown this past Sunday was not his first touchdown in the NFL, however. He posted a receiving touchdown in the Week 2 contest against the Bengals to find paydirt for the first time at the pro level.
Tyrod Taylor – Quarterback, New York Jets
After starting quarterback Justin Fields entered the league’s concussion protocol after meeting the Buffalo Bills in Week 2, Tyrod Taylor was inserted into the Jets’ starting lineup.
In his first start with the Jets, Taylor completed 26 of 36 passes for 197 yards and used his legs for 48 rushing yards. The former ACC Player of the Year (2010) also found the end zone twice against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3, rifling a pair of passing touchdowns to receivers Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard in what was a 21-point fourth quarter.
While the Jets lost in buzzer-beating fashion to a Tampa Bay field goal, the former sixth-round pick led a valiant effort in Week 3’s contest.
Notable Week 4 Matchups
Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans: Sunday, Sept. 28 at 1 p.m. on CBS
It’s a battle of two winless conference foes in Week 4, as the 0-3 Titans will travel to Houston for a contest against the equally 0-3 Texans. Tennessee barely has the all-time matchup edge in the contest, as the Titans have won 24 of the last 46 matchups against the Texans. Hokies can be found on both sides of the ball, as Tim Settle Jr. will aim to stop the Tennessee offense from putting Joey Slye in position to kick field goals for the Titans.
Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs: Sunday, Sept. 28 at 4:25 p.m. on CBS
In what will be a rematch of the 2023 AFC Championship Game, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens will travel to Arrowhead Stadium to face the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4 competition. Both teams have mounting pressure to perform in this game, as the loser will fall to a less-than-ideal 1-3 record in an already competitive conference. Hokies who once were factors on the Lunch Pail Defense in Blacksburg are now assets for opposing teams in the game, as Chiefs safety Chamarri Conner and Ravens defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles will both dress.