Daniel Thomas and Noah Igbinoghene reached season highs in tackles during week 17 of the NFL, while Sal Cannella made his NFL debut with two receptions for the Cleveland Browns against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Derrick Brown, defensive lineman for the Carolina Panthers, recorded six tackles and a quarterback hit in a game against the Seattle Seahawks. He achieved his highest Pro Football Focus (PFF) defensive grade since week seven and improved his overall grades among interior defensive linemen. The Panthers will face Tampa Bay in week 18 with an opportunity to secure their first NFC South title since 2015 and their first playoff appearance since 2017.
Sal Cannella played his first NFL game after several years in other football leagues. He caught two passes for 11 yards, including a six-yard reception that converted a third down on Cleveland’s opening drive of the second half. Cannella has previously earned honors in multiple alternative professional football leagues.
Noah Igbinoghene, cornerback for the Washington Commanders, matched his career high with six tackles and defended a pass against Dallas on Christmas Day. He played a season-high number of snaps and has not allowed a touchdown this season. Igbinoghene also contributed as a kickoff returner throughout the year.
Detroit Lions safety Daniel Thomas led his team in tackles for the first time this season, finishing with seven—his highest total since 2021. He also posted personal bests in PFF defensive and pass rush grades for the year and recorded his first career tackle for loss.
Colby Wooden of the Green Bay Packers matched his career high with seven tackles against Baltimore. Wooden has started every game this season and is preparing for another postseason appearance as Green Bay enters the playoffs as the seventh seed.
Other former Auburn Tigers active in the NFL include Tank Bigsby (Philadelphia Eagles), KJ Britt (Miami Dolphins), Daniel Carlson (Las Vegas Raiders), Carlton Davis III (New England Patriots), Jamel Dean (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Jack Driscoll (Pittsburgh Steelers), Derick Hall (Seattle Seahawks), Josh Harris (Los Angeles Chargers), Jarquez Hunter (Los Angeles Rams), Shedrick Jackson (Las Vegas Raiders), Jonathan Jones (Washington Commanders), Austin Keys (Minnesota Vikings), Keandre Lambert-Smith (Los Angeles Chargers), Dorian Mausi (Tennessee Titans), Bo Nix* (Denver Broncos), Owen Pappoe (Arizona Cardinals), JJ Pegues* (Las Vegas Raiders), Nehemiah Pritchett (Seattle Seahawks), Jamien Sherwood (New York Jets), Darius Slayton (New York Giants), Jarrett Stidham (Denver Broncos) and Malik Willis* (Green Bay Packers).
Players currently on injured reserve are Roger McCreary, Jalen McLeod, and Braden Smith. Several others are listed on practice squads across various teams.
