Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Week six of the NFL season finished up this past Monday, closing a three-day stretch of exciting action across the league. Athletes who starred in maroon and orange are continuing to do so on the professional gridiron, as former Hokies have dazzled in all three phases. In this week’s edition of NFL Hokies, we analyze a series of impressive performances from some of Blacksburg’s brightest former stars.
Chamarri Conner – Safety, Kansas City Chiefs
Through six games this fall, third-year safety Chamarri Conner has been one of the most reliable members of the Chiefs’ secondary.
Against the Detroit Lions this past Sunday, Conner exploded for a season-high 14 tackles, 10 of which were solo efforts. For his work on gameday, the Super Bowl champion was given season highs in his tackling grade (85.7) and coverage grade (74.2) from Pro Football Focus (PFF). Conner leads his team in solo tackles with 29.
Jaylin Lane – Wide Receiver, Washington Commanders
First-year wideout Jaylin Lane has seen his impact reverberate around the Washington Commanders through the 2025 season. A playmaker on both offense and in special teams roles, the former All-ACC Third Team athlete is contributing at a high level.
While he saw just two targets against the Chicago Bears this past Monday, the rookie made sure to make them count. Behind a stutter-step move that fooled Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, Lane hauled in a 37-yard reception early in the fourth quarter. Even though the Commanders dropped the game 25-24, the wideout posted a 74.8 offense grade from PFF.
Tremaine Edmunds – Linebacker, Chicago Bears
Coming into the league as a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Tremaine Edmunds has become one of the league’s premier linebackers. The former Butkus Award finalist is consistently seen in the box score, often leading his Bears defense in key defensive categories.
In 65 snaps on Monday night, the former First Team All-ACC linebacker registered 13 tackles, four of which were solo efforts. The contest also marks the third consecutive game in which Edmunds has logged double-digit tackles.
What Edmunds is doing on the field isn’t lost upon the league. PFF gave the Bears’ defensive playmaker the highest run defense grade (90.8) among linebackers in Week 6, and his tackling grade (82.1) is eighth among those at the position. His 53 tackles over six games rank ninth across the entire league.
Notable Week 7 Matchups
Carolina Panthers at New York Jets: Sunday, Oct. 19 at 1 p.m. ET on FOX
The Carolina Panthers, who have won three of their last four games this season, will look to keep the good times rolling as they visit a winless Jets team on Sunday afternoon. In the all-time series between the two teams, Carolina has a slight edge, winning five of eight contests since the two teams faced off for the first time in 1995. While it’s unclear if Jets quarterback Tyrod Taylor will be seeing action on Sunday, Panthers tight end James Mitchell is expected to dress.
Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys: Sunday, Oct. 19 at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX
The Commanders will travel to AT&T Stadium in an NFC East matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday afternoon. Both teams enter the game coming off narrow losses with game-winning field goals being sent through the uprights against both squads this past week. Commanders wide receiver Jaylin Lane and Cowboys center Brock Hoffman are both expected to dress.