Two former Georgia Tech football standouts made the NFL world take notice in the Week 1 slate of games.
Starting in place of All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey, former Tech RB Jordan Mason ran wild on Monday Night Football, going for a career-high 147 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries in the San Francisco 49ers’ 32-19 win over the New York Jets. Mason’s 147 rushing yards were the most by a Georgia Tech alumnus in the NFL since Dorsey Levens ran for 190 yards in the Green Bay Packers’ 45-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 23, 1997. Mason’s 147 yards were also the second-most ever for an undrafted player on Monday Night Football, behind only Arian Foster, who was undrafted out of Tennessee and ran for 152 yards in an MNF game against the Jets on Oct. 8, 2012.
Former Tech DE Keion White also had a monster game in Week 1 with 2.5 sacks, two additional tackles for loss, three quarterback hits and a forced fumble in the New England Patriots’ 16-10 upset win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
In another Georgia Tech highlight from Week 1 of the NFL season, former Yellow Jackets WR and current Philadelphia Eagles TE E.J. Jenkins made his NFL debut in the Eagles’ 34-29 win over the Green Bay Packers in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
This week’s full Pro Jackets roundup:
HARRISON BUTKER (PK – KANSAS CITY CHIEFS)
Eighth NFL season
Week One vs. Baltimore Ravens: 2-2 FG, 3-3 PAT in 27-20 Chiefs win
Week Two: vs. Cincinnati Bengals (Sunday at 4:25 p.m. – TV: CBS)
E.J. JENKINS (TE – PHILADELPHIA EAGLES)
First NFL season
Week One vs. Green Bay Packers: Played three snaps in his NFL debut, a 34-29 Eagles win
Week Two: at Minnesota Vikings (Sunday at 1 p.m. – TV: CBS)
JORDAN MASON (RB – SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS)
Third NFL season
Week One vs. New York Jets: 28 carries, 147 yards, 1 TD, 5.3 avg., 1 rec., 5 yds. in 32-19 49ers win
Week Two: at Minnesota Vikings (Sunday at 1 p.m. – TV: CBS)
SHAQ MASON (G – HOUSTON TEXANS)
10th NFL season
Week One at Indianapolis Colts: Started at RG and played 84 snaps in 29-27 Texans win
Week Two: vs. Chicago Bears (Sunday at 8:20 p.m. – TV: NBC)
JUANYEH THOMAS (S – DALLAS COWBOYS)
Second NFL season
Week One at Cleveland Browns:
1 tackle in 33-17 Cowboys win
Week Two: vs. New Orleans Saints (Sunday at 1 p.m. – TV: FOX)
KEION WHITE (DE – NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS)
Second NFL season
Week One at Cincinnati Bengals: 4 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 tackles for loss, 3 QB hits, 1 forced fumble in 16-10 Patriots win
Week Two: vs. Seattle Seahawks (Sunday at 1 p.m. – TV: FOX)
Three former Jackets are on practice squads:
TE Luke Benson (Los Angeles Chargers)
OT Devin Cochran (Cincinnati Bengals)
S Tre Swilling (New York Jets)
Finally, former Tech TE Tyler Davis remains on the Green Bay Packers’ injured reserve list following a season-ending knee injury sustained in 2023.
