Published Feb 11, 2024
Looking back on how former Trojans performed this NFL season
Ryan Young  •  TrojanSports
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The NFL season concludes Sunday with Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs.

There likely won't be any Trojans active in the game unless 49ers backup quarterback Sam Darnold is called upon.

Former Trojans defensive stars Talanoa Hufanga and Drake Jackson are on the 49ers roster as well but both ended the season on injured reserve, while running back Keaontay Ingram is on the Chiefs' practice squad.

But there were plenty of highlights from former USC stars this NFL season. Here's a look back on how the former Trojans fared ...

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WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions)

Amon-Ra St. Brown is now an established star in the NFL after his second sraight season with over 100 catches, finishing the regular season with 119 receptions for 1,515 yards and 10 touchdowns. He tied for second in the league in catches and finished third in yards.

St. Brown then continued to shine in the playoffs as the Lions reached the NFL Championship Game. St. Brown had 22 catches for 274 yards and a touchdown across three playoff games.

He earned his second Pro Bowl selection as well as first-team All-Pro honors for the first time.

WR Drake London (Atlanta Falcons)

In his second season in the NFL, Drake London put up big stats again despite playing in a limited passing offense. He finished with 69 catches for 905 yards and 2 touchdowns in 16 games with the Falcons.

WR Michael Pittman (Indianapolis Colts)

In his fourth NFL season, Michael Pittman turned in a career-best performance with 109 catches for 1,152 yards and 4 touchdowns in 16 games for the Colts.

He ranked sixth in the NFL in receptions and became just the fourth Colts player in franchise history with at least 100 receptions and over 1,000 yards in a season.

WR Jordan Addison (Minnesota Vikings)

Jordan Addison was one of the top rookies in the NFL while hauling in 70 receptions for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns and playing in all 17 games for the Vikings.

The fourth WR taken in the last NFL draft, Addison finished with more yards and touchdowns than the other three taken ahead of him and was named to the Pro Football Writers of America's All-Rookie team.

His two best games of the season came against the 49ers in October (7 catches for 123 yards and 2 touchdowns) and against the Bengals in December (6-111-2). Addison did all of that despite playing most of the season with a rotating cast of backup quarterbacks.

DE Tuli Tuipulotu (Los Angeles Chargers)

Another successful rookie, Tuli Tuipulotu had 53 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles for the Chargers. He was also named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.

More Trojans in the NFL ...

OL Tyron Smith (Dallas Cowboys)

-In his 13th NFL season, Smith made 13 starts for the Cowboys and was named second-team All-Pro.

OL Austin Jackson (Miami Dolphins)

-Jackson started 16 games at right tackle for the Dolphins in his fourth NFL season.

CB Adoree' Jackson (New York Giants)

-Jackson had 63 tackles, 8 pass breakups and his fourth career interception this season in his seventh year in the NFL.

WR Nelson Agholor (Baltimore Ravens)

-In his ninth NFL season and playing for his fourth team, Agholor had 35 catches for 381 yards and 4 TDs for the Baltimore Ravens. He also hauled in a touchdown in the Ravens' playoff win over the Houston Texans in the divisional round.

WR Robert Woods (Houston Texans)

-Woods had 40 catches for 426 yards and 1 TD over 14 games for the Texans.

CB Mekhi Blackmon (Minnesota Vikings)

-Blackmon played in 15 games with 3 starts for the Vikings as a rookie, totaling 41 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 8 pass breakups and an interception.

DT Leonard Williams (New York Giants/Seattle Seahawks)

-Williams started all 17 games, playing half the season with the Giants before being traded to the Seahawks. Overall, he had 62 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss.

S Talanoa Hufanga (San Francisco 49ers)

-In his third NFL season, Hufanga started 10 games before a season-ending knee injury. He had 52 tackles and 3 INTs (giving him 7 for his career).

QB Sam Darnold (San Francisco 49ers)

-In his sixth NFL season and onto his third team, Darnold appeared in 10 games and made one start with the 49ers, passing for 297 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT.

WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (New England Patriots)

-Smith-Schuster went from the Super Bowl-winning Chiefs to one of the worst offenses in the NFL with the Patriots, catching 29 passes for 260 yards and 1 TD.

DE Rasheem Green (Chicago Bears)

-Playing his sixth NFL season with his third team, Green had 15 tackles and 2 sacks in 17 games with the Bears.

DT Jay Tufele (Cincinnati Bengals)

-In his third NFL season, Tufele had 11 tackles in 10 games for the Cincinnati Bengals.

OL Chuma Edoga (Dallas Cowboys)

-Playing for his third team in five seasons, Edoga made 6 starts and played in all 17 games for the Cowboys, logging 420 offensive snaps between left guard and left tackle.

OL Alijah Vera-Tucker (New York Jets)

-Vera-Tucker started five games before tearing his Achilles tendon.

OLB Uchenna Nwosu (Seattle Seahawks)

-Nwosu had 16 tackles, 2 sacks and 2 forced fumbles in 6 games before sustaining a pectoral injury.

DT Marlon Tuipulotu (Philadelphia Eagles)

-In his third season with the Eagles, Tuipulotu appeared in a career-high 14 games and had 22 tackles and 2 sacks.

S Isaiah Pola-Mao (Las Vegas Raiders)

-In his second season with the Raiders, Pola-Mao had his first career interception (vs. the Miami Dolphins in November) and finished with 20 tackles and a sack in 16 games.

OLB Drake Jackson (San Francisco 49ers)

-In his second NFL season, Jackson appeared in 8 games, making 7 tackles.

CB Kevon Seymour (Baltimore Ravens)

-Seymour appeared in 8 games for the Baltimore Ravens, mostly on special teams.

RB Keaontay Ingram (Arizona Cardinals/Kansas City Chiefs)

-Ingram rushed 35 times for 74 yards over 8 games with the Cardinals before being released and picked up by the Chiefs, where he was active for one game and otherwise on the practice squad.

LB Kana'i Mauga (Las Vegas Raiders)

-Mauga totaled 3 tackles in 5 games with the Raiders in his first NFL

-Bynum appeared in one game with no stats for the Chargers.

DT Brandon Pili (Miami Dolphins)

-Pili totaled 2 tackles in 4 games for the Dolphins.

QB Matt Barkley (Jacksonville Jaguars)

-Barkley appeared in one game and did not attempt a pass for the Jaguars.

OL Andrew Vorhees (Baltimore Ravens)

-Vorhees spent the season on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list after tearing his ACL at the NFL Scouting Combine last winter.

OL Jalen McKenzie (Las Vegas Raiders)

-McKenzie spent the second half of the season on the Raiders practice squad after being released by the Seattle Seahawks in August.