After three weeks in the NFL, a trio of recently drafted Terrapins have been making an impact.
For the Minnesota Vikings, second-year wide receiver Stefon Diggs has been averaging 108.3 receiving yards per game this season heading into tonight’s game with the New York Giants. His 108.3 yards per game is a better average than both Odell Beckham Jr. and Antonio Brown.
While Diggs has garnered all the attention with his pass-catching, two members of Maryland’s defense from 2015 have also been off to strong starts as rookies.
Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue has recorded three sacks, eight tackles and one interception for the Jacksonville Jaguars, while safety Sean Davis has had 10 tackles for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The trio’s early success in the NFL has caught the attention of two of their former teammates: wide receiver DeAndre Lane and linebacker Jermaine Carter Jr.
“I’m really happy for him,” Lane said about Diggs. “It’s just nice seeing somebody that you were a teammate with, somebody that you learned from doing well at the next level. I hope he continues to have a lot of success.”
With the addition of Ngakoue, the Jaguars have become a popular team to watch, according to Carter.
“When we’re not practicing, we’re watching Yannick. Everyone was tuned in the first game against the Packers, and he was so close to sacking Aaron Rodgers. It was just a great thing to see,” Carter said last Wednesday. “And the last two weeks, he’s come out with strip-sacks. So, I just want him to keep doing what he’s doing and continue to get better.”
Carter also had praise for Pittsburgh’s Davis. “I’m a Redskins fan, so I was kind of hurt that [the Steelers] came away with the win the first week. But he did a great job and he made some plays in those games. He also got some TV time, so it was good to see.”
In addition to succeeding in the NFL, the trio of former Terps have still found time to chat with their old teammates. Lane said he recently spoke to Diggs over FaceTime, while Carter noted that he regularly touches base with Davis and Ngakoue in a group chat.
“They’re not one of those guys who got too big for us,” Carter said of his former teammates.