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Hoos in the NFL: Recapping NFL Week 3 for Former Virginia Football Players

Matt Newton

Charles Snowden/IG
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Let's check in on all the former Virginia football players who saw the field in week 3 of the 2024 NFL season.

The top-performing former Cavalier in week 3 was defensive end Charles Snowden, who is making the most of his first big opportunity for significant reps in the NFL. Snowden recorded two tackles and got into the sack column for the first time in his NFL career, registering half a sack and a quarterback hit in the Las Vegas Raiders' 36-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers. He played 26 defensive snaps (35.1% of the Raiders' defensive snaps) and 17 special teams snaps (56.7%).

Rodney McLeod Jr. is seeing an increased role in the Cleveland Browns' secondary with fellow UVA safety Juan Thornhill on the IR with a calf injury. McLeod posted three tackles, including one solo stop, in Cleveland's 21-15 loss to the New York Giants. He played 39 defensive snaps (54.2%) and 14 special teams snaps (53.8%).

Joey Blount registered one tackle for the Arizona Cardinals in their 20-13 loss to the Detroit Lions. He didn't play any defensive snaps, but played the majority of the Cards' special teams snaps, 16 or 69.6%.

The start to Dontayvion Wicks' second season in the NFL has been up and down. Wicks bounced back from a poor week 1 performance with a good showing in week 2, hauling in three catches for 26 yards, including being on the receiving end of Malik Willis' first-career NFL touchdown pass. Unfortunately, Wicks followed that up with another dud in week 3, recording zero catches on just two targets. He played 29 offensive snaps (46.0%), splitting time with Christian Watson, and the Green Bay Packers, who are still without starting quarterback Jordan Love, rolled past the Tennessee Titans 30-14.

Morgan Moses had played every snap of the season at right tackle for the New York Jets until he got rolled up on during their 24-3 win over the New England Patriots on Thursday night. The injury looked like it could be really bad at first, but the reports are indicating that Moses will only miss 2-4 weeks with an MCL sprain and a bone bruise. It certainly could have been much worse.

Olamide Zaccheaus saw limited action in the Washington Commanders' big 38-33 road win against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. He played just five offensive snaps (8.5%) and four on special teams (15.4%). Zaccheaus was WR4 for the Commanders coming in to the season, but instead of trending up to WR3, he is going the other way and losing the WR4 spot to Noah Brown. He's also not getting as much work as a returner as some expected.

Brent Urban was inactive for the Baltimore Ravens for the second time in the first three games of the season. There is no reported injury; he's just a healthy scratch. The Ravens got their first win of the season, beating the Cowboys 28-25 in Dallas.

Malik Washington is still out with a quad injury, missing a third-straight game to begin his rookie season with the Miami Dolphins, who, without starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, were routed by the Seattle Seahawks 24-3. Miami head coach Mike McDaniel said that Washington was getting close to a return this week and he's "pretty confident" that Washington will be able to make his NFL debut in week 4 against the Titans on Monday Night Football.

There are three former UVA football players on the Injured Reserve:
- Safety Juan Thornhill (Browns) - injured in week 1
- Cornerback Bryce Hall (Buccaneers) - injured in week 1
- Tight End Jelani Woods (Colts) - injured in preseason

Read last week's edition of Hoos in the NFL here: Hoos in the NFL: Recapping NFL Week 2 for Former Virginia Football Players

Published
Matt Newton

MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.