KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Alvin Kamara totaled the most receptions by an running back in nearly 37 years to lead Tennessee football alumni in the NFL this weekend.
Kamara, who proved to be one of the SEC’s most versatile offensive players at Tennessee from 2015-16, led the New Orleans Saints to a 43-37 victory over the Atlanta Falcons by totaling a career-best 15 receptions for 124 yards to go along with 66 yards on 16 carries on the ground.
Kamara’s 15 catches in his hometown of Atlanta are the most by an NFL running back since William Andrews caught 15 passes for the Falcons in 1981. According to ESPN Stats & Info, he is only the second running back with 15 receptions and 15 carries in a game in the Super Bowl era and first since 1979.
None of this should come as a surprise for fans who have been watching Kamara since his Vol days.
He led UT with 1,188 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns as a redshirt junior in 2016, including a school-record 312 all-purpose yards versus Texas A&M on Oct. 8, 2016.
Kamara totaled 728 rushing yards (6.1 ypc), 826 receiving yards on 81 catches and 13 touchdowns in 2017 en route to NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
He leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage (430) and is one of several VFLs off to an outstanding start three weeks into the 2018 NFL season. It’s a list that includes a tight end who scored his first career touchdown on Sunday, a reigning Super Bowl champion who had a big day and an offensive lineman who made his 118th career start while leading his team to its first victory of 2018 on Monday night.
Catch up with all of Tennessee’s former players below. Updates will be posted each week on UTSports.com.
Derek Barnett – DE, Philadelphia Eagles
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/3, Tackles: 7 UA, 3 A, 10 Total, Other: 1.5 Sacks
Barnett had one of the best games of his young career with the reigning Super Bowl champions, totaling 1.5 sacks, 2 TFLs overall, two QB hurries and five total tackles in a 20-16 win for the Eagles over the Colts. Barnett has started all three games for the Eagles, who moved to 2-1.
Eric Berry – DB, Kansas City Chiefs
2018 Regular Season: No Stats Recorded
Berry continues to rehab an Achilles injury he suffered last season for the 3-0 Chiefs. The five-time Pro Bowl safety is expected to return to the field in the next few weeks, and could be back in the lineup when the Chiefs face the Broncos on Monday Night Football in Denver next week.
Tyler Bray – QB, Chicago Bears (Practice Squad)
Preseason: Games/Starts: 4/1, Comp-Att-Int: 60-97-1, 652 Yds, 1 TD
Bray played in four preseason games for the Chicago Bears in 2018, completing 60-of-97 passes for 652 yards and one touchdown. The California native was named to the Bears’ practice squad to the 2018 season.
Justin Coleman – DB, Seattle Seahawks
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/0, Tackles: 5 UA, 1 A, 6 Total, Other: 1 PD
Coleman helped the Seahawks pick up their first win of the season, 24-13, over the Cowboys by contributing two tackles as a reserve defensive back.
Britton Colquitt – P, Cleveland Browns
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/0, 23 Punts, 913 Yds, 57 Lg, 39.7 Avg., 12 I-20, 1 TB, 5 FC
Colquitt was a key weapon for the Browns in their first victory in over a year, placing five of his eight punts inside the 20 in the 21-17 Thursday night win over the Jets. Colquitt finished with a 34.1 average on eight punts (273 yards). No punter has been used more than Colquitt this season. His 23 punts lead the NFL.
Dustin Colquitt – P, Kansas City Chiefs
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/0, 9 Punts, 87 Yds, 67 Lg, 49.0 Avg., 5 I-20, 0 TB, 2 FC
The high-scoring Chiefs haven’t had to use Colquitt much this season, but the 14-year veteran has been outstanding when called upon. His 49.2 average would be a career high. He averaged 43.5 on two punts in the Chiefs’ 38-27 win over the 49ers on Sunday.
Morgan Cox – LS, Baltimore Ravens
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/0
Cox serves as Baltimore’s primary long snapper and has played in all three games for the 2-1 Ravens.
Jason Croom – TE, Buffalo Bills
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/0, Rec-Yds: 5-51, 10.2 Avg., 26 Lg, 1 TD
Croom had his first-career touchdown catch for 26 yards in Bills’ 27-6 upset victory over the Vikings in Minnesota.
Trevor Daniel – P, Houston Texans
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/0, 13 Punts, 549 Yds, 57 Lg, 42.2 Avg., 6 I-20, 1 TB, 5 FC
Daniel punted three times for 155 yards in the Texans’ 27-22 loss to the Giants on Sunday. The rookie averaged a season-best 51.7 yards per punt and had a season-long punt of 57 yards.
Joshua Dobbs – QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Preseason: Games/Starts: 3/1, Passing Comp-Att-Int: 29-43-2, 434 Yds, 4 TD Rushing Att-Yds: 10-64, 1 TD
Dobbs won the backup job behind future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger following a standout preseason where he completed 29-of-43 passes for 434 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for an additional 64 yards and a score. He hasn’t seen any action in the regular season yet for the Steelers, who moved to 1-1-1 with a 30-27 victory over the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay on Monday night.
Alex Ellis – TE, Kansas City Chiefs
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 2/0, Rec-Yds: 0-0, 0.0 Avg., 0 TD
Ellis did not play in the Chiefs’ 38-27 win over the 49ers on Sunday.
Ramon Foster – G, Pittsburgh Steelers
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/3
Foster made his 118th career start on the offensive line for the Steelers on Monday night, helping pave the way for 413 yards of total offense and 30 points as Pittsburgh picked up its first win of the season.
Zach Fulton – G, Houston Texans
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/3
Fulton has started all three games at guard in his first season with the Texans after four seasons with the Chiefs. He has 49 starts in his career.
Rashaan Gaulden – DB, Carolina Panthers
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/0, Tackles: 3 UA, 0 A, 3 Total
Gaulden did not record any stats in the Panthers’ 31-21 win over the Bengals.
Justin Hunter – WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 1/0, Rec-Yds: 1-6, 6.0 Avg., 6 Lg, 0 TD
Hunter did not play in the Steelers’ 30-27 win over the Buccaneers on Monday night.
Malik Jackson – DT, Jacksonville Jaguars
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/3, Tackles: 5 UA, 3 A, 8 Total
Jackson made three tackles, including a TFL, in a 9-6 loss versus the Titans.
Ja’Wuan James – T, Miami Dolphins
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/3
James has started all three games at tackle this season for the 3-0 Dolphins. He helped Miami pass for 341 yards in a 28-20 win over Oakland on Sunday.
Alexander Johnson – LB, Denver Broncos
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 0/0, Tackles: 0 UA, 0 A, 0 Total, Other: 0 Sacks, 0 Int., 0 FF, 0 FR
Johnson played in three preseason games for the Denver Broncos, recording a tackle in each outing. He has not seen action in the regular season.
Alvin Kamara – RB, New Orleans Saints
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/3, Rushing Att-Yds: 37-141, 3.8 Avg., 18 Lg, 2 TD
Rec-Yds: 30-289, 9.6 Avg., 40 Lg, 1 TD
Kamara had a career-high 15 receptions and finished with 190 all-purpose yards as the Saints defeated the Falcons, 43-37. Kamara’s receptions total was the most by an NFL running back in nearly 37 years. He added 66 yards on 16 carries on the ground. He ranks first in the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 430 and third in receptions with 30.
John Kelly – RB, Los Angeles Rams
Preseason: Games/Starts: 3/0, Rushing Att-Yds: 46-197, 4.3 Avg., 40 Lg, 3 TD
Rec-Yds: 6-18, 3.0 Avg., 12 Lg, 0 TD
Kelly rushed 46 times for 197 yards and three touchdowns through three preseason games for the Rams. The rookie running back has not seen action in the regular season.
Josh Malone – WR, Cincinnati Bengals
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/0, Rec-Yds: 1-1, 12.0 Avg., 0 TD
Malone made his first catch of the season, but the Bengals fell to the Panthers, 31-21, on Sunday.
Daniel McCullers – DT, Pittsburgh Steelers
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/0, Tackles: 1 UA, 0 A, 1 Total, Other: 1 Sack
McCullers played, but did not record any stats, in the Steelers’ 30-27 victory over the Buccaneers on Monday night.
Kahlil McKenzie – G, Kansas City Chiefs
Preseason: Games/Starts: 4/0
McKenzie made four appearances in the preseason for the Chiefs and helped pave the way for 397 yards of total offense in the final preseason game against the Packers. McKenzie has not played in the regular season.
Emmanuel Moseley – DB, San Francisco 49ers (Practice Squad)
Preseason: Games/Starts: 4/1, Tackles: 6 UA, 0 A, 6 Total, Other: 0 Sacks, 1 PD, 1-6 Int-Yds, 0 FF, 0 FR
Moseley played in four games for the 49ers in the preseason, making six solo tackles and one interception. The rookie was signed to San Francisco’s practice squad prior to Week 1 of the regular season.
Michael Palardy – P, Carolina Panthers
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/0, 14 Punts, 643 Yds, 59 Lg, 45.9 Avg., 8 I-20, 1 TB, 8 FC
Palardy had another strong performance in the Panters’ 31-21 win versus the Bengals on Sunday, punting four times for 165 yards with a season-high punt of 59 yards. He averaged 41.3 yards per punt and pinned the Bengals inside their own 20 three times.
Cordarrelle Patterson – WR, New England Patriots
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 2/1, Rec-Yds: 5-36, 7.2 Avg., 18 Lg, 0 TD
Rushing Att-Yds: 4-18, 4.5 Avg., 10 Lg
KR-Yds: 6-157, 26.2 Avg., 45 Lg
Patterson had one catch for 12 yards and returned four kicks for a 28.3 averaged in a 26-10 loss to the Lions.
Jalen Reeves-Maybin – LB, Detroit Lions
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/0, Tackles: 3 UA, 0 A, 3 Total
Reeves-Maybin tallied two tackles as the Lions defeated the Patriots, 26-10, on Sunday night.
Luke Stocker – TE, Tennessee Titans
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/2, Rec-Yds: 5-63, 12.6 Avg., 31 Lg, 0 TD
Stocker made his second straight start for Tennessee, helping the Titans to their second straight victory, a 9-6 win over the Jaguars, with one catch for 11 yards.
James Stone – C, Chicago Bears (Practice Squad)
Preseason: Games/Starts: 4/1
Stone made four appearances, including one start, in the preseason for the Oakland Raiders before being signed to the Chicago Bears’ practice squad.
Cameron Sutton – DB, Pittsburgh Steelers
2018 Regular Season: Games/Starts: 3/1, Tackles: 5 UA, 0 A, 5 Total, Other: 0 Sacks, 2 PD, 1-0 Int-Yds, 1 FF, 0 FR
Sutton played in the Steelers’ 30-27 victory over the Buccaneers on Monday night, but did not record any stats.
Jordan Williams – LB, New York Giants
Preseason: Games/Starts: 4/0, Tackles: 3 UA, 0 A, 3 Total, Other: 0 Sacks, 0 PD, 0-0 Int., 0 FF, 0 FR
Williams played in all four preseason games for the Giants, making three tackles. He is currently on injured reserve for New York.
UT Athletics
