Former Virginia players were busy around the NFL in Week 2, and the school’s receiver pipeline kept showing up on box scores.
The biggest name in the group right now is Dontayvion Wicks, who has settled into a complementary role with the Philadelphia Eagles after spending his first three pro seasons in Green Bay. He helped Philadelphia stay unbeaten by catching five passes from Jalen Hurts for 74 yards in Sunday’s 24-20 win over the Tennessee Titans. The broadcast from Nissan Stadium said the heat was brutal, with on-field temperatures reportedly reaching 157 degrees and several players’ cleats melting.
Wicks has already made an early impact in Philly. Through two games, he has six catches for 147 yards and a touchdown grab in the season opener against Washington. In three seasons with the Packers, he totaled 108 receptions for 1,328 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Olamide Zacchaeus also got work in Atlanta, even though the Falcons were overwhelmed in a 34-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers. He handled four kickoff returns for 79 yards, including a long of 25, and added a 3-yard catch. For the season, he has two receptions for 8 yards in his eighth NFL year, after previous stops in Chicago, Washington and Philadelphia.
On the other side of the ball, Washington was everywhere for Miami in the Dolphins’ 35-13 loss to San Francisco. The school record-holder for receptions in a season with 110 and receiving yards in a season with 1,426 in 2023 caught four passes for 43 yards, ran once for 4 yards, and returned three kickoffs for 69 yards plus one punt for 17 yards.
Morgan Moses kept doing what he has done for more than a decade: start and hold down the edge. In his 13th NFL season, he made his 19th straight start at right tackle for New England in a 20-3 win over Pittsburgh, helping the Patriots pile up 191 passing yards and 136 rushing yards. It was the 177th career start for Moses, whose pro journey has taken him through Washington, Baltimore, the New York Jets and now New England.
In New Orleans’ 24-17 comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium, Sanker was credited with three tackles as the Saints picked up their first victory of the season. He now has 13 tackles through two games after opening with 10 in a loss to the Detroit Lions. As a rookie in 2025, he finished with 80 tackles and two interceptions.
In Other News...
Virginia Basketball Is Back And Both Programs Are Taking Shape
The first real signs of basketball season are back in Charlottesville, with both Virginia programs officially into practice mode and the calendar now starting to tighten around meaningful games. The mens team is set to work through three preseason exhibitions, while the womens side is building toward an opener on Nov. 2 against Maryland Eastern Shore, giving the program plenty of time to sort out roles and rhythm before the games count.
There has also been some movement around the womens staff, with Aaron Roussell adding Damin Altizer as director of player development, another indication that the roster-building and development work is happening well before tipoff. And around the broader Virginia basketball scene, former mens coach Tony Bennett has been making recent public speaking appearances, a reminder that even as the next chapter begins, the programs recent past is still very much part of the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Gets An Early Stress Test For Ryan Odom's New Core
Virginias next version will get an unusual early-stage gauge in Charleston, where the Cavaliers are set for an outdoor exhibition against Vanderbilt at Credit One Stadium. It is the kind of game that can reveal a lot before the calendar even turns, especially for a program beginning to take shape under Ryan Odom after last seasons 30-6 run.
For Virginia, the spotlight will fall on a mix of returning pieces and newcomers trying to settle into roles, with Chance Mallory among the players to watch as the backcourt starts to sort itself out. The matchup should also give Odom and his staff a first real read on how this new core handles a power-conference opponent in a setting that is anything but routine. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Has Two Big Problems To Fix Before ACC Play
Virginia comes home to Scott Stadium this week at 2-1, and the timing of the Delaware game makes it more than a routine nonconference stop. After a loss that exposed some of the teams issues, the Cavaliers are looking for cleaner play on both sides of the ball before ACC action begins, with next weekends trip to Florida State looming as the real marker for where they stand.
Delaware offers a useful tune-up, but it also brings a challenge that should stress Virginias secondary and force some answers in the back end. With this matchup landing between the setback against West Virginia and the start of conference play, the Cavaliers have a narrow window to settle the offense, tighten the defense and make sure the trip to Tallahassee does not arrive with more questions than confidence. [Read more 🡒]