Former Auburn defenders deliver big NFL Week 9

Former Auburn defenders Derick Hall and Jalen McLeod produced career firsts during NFL Week 9, leading a productive group of Tigers across the league. Hall set a career high with three tackles for loss, while McLeod forced and recovered his first career fumble.

Hall finished Seattle’s 17-3 divisional win over Arizona with four total tackles and three quarterback hurries in 29 snaps. The 2023 second-round pick has a career-best seven tackles for loss through nine games this season and earned a 71.5 grade from PFF, his second-highest mark of the season.

McLeod made his impact on special teams in Jacksonville’s 33-10 Thursday night victory over Baltimore. With 11:52 left in the fourth quarter, he forced and recovered a fumble on a kickoff return. The recovery set up another Jaguars touchdown. He played 20 special-teams snaps and earned a 90.6 PFF grade in that phase, second-highest among NFL players in Week 9.

Roger McCreary recorded six tackles and his eighth pass breakup of the season as Detroit defeated Miami 19-9. PFF credited him with a 74.8 run-defense grade. Among 104 NFL cornerbacks, his five pressures rank fourth, while he ranks sixth in pass breakups. His 74.9 pass-rush grade ranks 17th.

Jamien Sherwood added nine tackles for the New York Jets against Kansas City. His 57 solo tackles rank fifth among 79 NFL linebackers, and his 389 total tackles since the start of the 2024 season rank second in the league. Sherwood now has 466 career tackles, 10th among Auburn alumni in NFL history.

Colby Wooden contributed three tackles, two quarterback hurries and his third tackle for loss of the season in New Orleans’ 23-22 overtime win over Cleveland. His season-high 82.7 overall PFF grade ranked eighth among 146 interior defenders in Week 9.

On offense, Keandre Lambert-Smith caught a career-long 50-yard pass from Justin Herbert on fourth down against Houston. The reception helped him set a career high for receiving yards in a game, and he now has career-best season totals of six catches for 82 yards.

Why it matters

Auburn alumni influenced winning performances on defense and special teams across Week 9. Hall, McCreary, Sherwood and Wooden supplied production at multiple defensive levels, while McLeod created a possession that led to a Jacksonville touchdown.