Week 1 of the NFL season has had comebacks, close calls and a combination of former Florida players making highlight plays, but Florida’s defensive alumni have stood out. Here’s how they fared during Week 1 of the NFL season.
Rookies debut:
Three Florida defenders got their first taste of regular-season NFL action over the weekend.
Tampa Bay first-round pick Vernon Hargreaves started against Atlanta in a win on Sunday and recorded his first two tackles.
But the cornerback’s youth showed when Hargreaves got beat by Falcons receiver Mohamed Sanu for a 59-yard gain early in the game.
“There’s no substitute for game play and getting on the field, and for me, there was a lot of messing up,” Hargreaves told the Tampa Bay Times. “But I learned from it. I needed this game to get my feet wet and get started.”
Defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. also made his NFL debut Sunday after missing the entire 2015 with a torn ACL sustained on his first day of minicamp.
On Green Bay’s first play, Fowler stuffed running back Eddie Lacy for a 2-yard loss.
He finished with two solo tackles and three tackles total.
Rookie linebacker Antonio Morrison recorded his first career tackle on Detroit tight end Eric Ebron.
The Lions went on to upset Morrison and the Colts in Indianapolis, though, 39-35.
Old heads:
A pair of defensive veterans helped their teams edge out victories in Week 1.
Reggie Nelson’s teammates voted him one of four team captains despite him signing with Oakland in April.
In his first game for the Raiders, Nelson led the defense with seven solo tackles on what was a long day for the Oakland secondary.
New Orleans threw for 423 yards, including a franchise-record 98-yard touchdown toss to receiver Brandin Cooks after beating his defender and outracing the safety, Nelson, down the left sideline.
The Raiders would still walk away with the win thanks to a gutsy, do-or-die two-point-conversion call by Jack Del Rio, head coach and father of Gators’ quarterback Luke Del Rio.
Like Nelson, Cincinnati’s Carlos Dunlap helped seal a one-point win.
The former Florida defensive lineman totaled five tackles with a pair of pass deflections against the Jets on Sunday.
Special teams:
Two former Gators played a big part on special teams Sunday.
BCS champion and Bears receiver Deonte Thompson returned five kickoffs for 103 yards, the longest being a 26-yarder.
Philadelphia kicker Caleb Sturgis missed his first kick from 46 yards on Sunday but bounced back with a 22-yard field goal on the next drive and a 38-yarder to close the half.
Contact Matt Brannon at mbrannon@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @MattB_727.
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Mohamed Sanu (12) moves past Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Vernon Hargreaves (28) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
