Four FCS Rookies Make Strong First Impressions during NFL Preseason Week 1

After the first week of the NFL preseason, find out who were the best small-school FCS players and how they performed.

They competed in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision last fall.

Now, they're auditioning for roster spots in the National Football League.

The first week of the 2022 NFL preseason schedule provided plenty of opportunities for hopeful rookies and a number of FCS products took advantage.

In particular, I've identified four former FCS players who made positive first impressions during their preseason debuts. Three of the four highlighted players come from college programs (Villanova, Sacred Heart, Montana State) that participated in the FCS Playoffs last season.

FCS Products with good first impressions

CB Christian Benford, Buffalo Bills (Villanova)

There's been a noticeable buzz about Benford throughout training camp and the sixth-round pick's in-game performance seemed to justify any hype.

With Bills All-Pro Tre’Davious White still recovering from ACL surgery and former four-year starter Levi Wallace now in Pittsburgh, Buffalo will have two new starting cornerbacks come Week 1 and Benford is in the mix to be one of them.

In Buffalo's preseason opener against Indianapolis, Benford earned the start opposite first-round rookie cornerback Kaiir Elam. Benford, who was taken with the No. 185 overall selection in the 2022 draft, looked like a Day 1 draft pick at times during his preseason debut. Going up against the Colts’ first-team offense, which was led by former NFL MVP quarterback Matt Ryan, Benford logged 38 snaps during the 27-24 victory.

Helping the Bills keep Ryan and the Colts’ offensive starters out of the end zone, Benford made a fourth-down pass breakup while matched up with Indianapolis WR1 Michal Pittman late in the first quarter.

Christian Benford on starting tonight: "The feeling is more joyful that I'm in that opportunity, that I got the opportunity to do that. It's obviously a life changing experience because we pray for stuff like this every day. I pray for it every day since I was a kid." pic.twitter.com/93aVh0Svwb

— Heather Prusak (@haprusak) August 14, 2022

RB Julius Chestnut, Tennessee Titans (Sacred Heart)

The former Stats Perform Walter Payton Award finalist earned the start at running back in the Titans' preseason opener. He finished with 56 yards from scrimmage, but most important, the rookie ball-carrier showed resilience.

Chestnut fumbled early, but bounced back by ripping off an impressive 29-yard run. The Sacred Heart alumnus carried the rock seven times for a team-high 44 yards. He also made one reception for 12 yards.

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel specifically mentioned Chestnut during his postgame press conference.

“I felt like Julius had really earned it, earned the right to be the starter tonight,” Vrabel said. “He fumbled early in training camp and he came back and competed. I thought he ran hard. I thought he did some nice things.”

Vrabel said he rewarded @JuliusChestnut with a start because of his work in @Titans camp. pic.twitter.com/IwtuzfylNh

— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) August 12, 2022

WR Lance McCutcheon, Los Angeles Rams (Montana State)

It's only one preseason game, but the undrafted free agent made a strong case for a roster spot with the reigning Super Bowl champions.

McCutcheon, who recorded five 100-yard receiving performances for Montana State last fall, logged a game-high 87 receiving yards on five receptions (six targets) in the Rams' 29-22 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. He scored two touchdowns and was also on the receiving end of a successful two-point conversion pass.

The Montana State record holder in yards per catch average (19.1) broke a 7-7 tie by making a 60-yard touchdown reception on a third-down play in the second quarter and he looked very good doing it, too. McCutcheon hauled in a contested deep ball along the far sideline, subsequently broke free of the defender, and ran the rest of the way to paydirt.

He out-muscled the Chargers’ defender in the back corner of the end zone for his second touchdown – an 11-yard reception that gave the Rams a 29-22 lead with 6:11 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Bozeman still hasn’t stopped buzzing (rightfully so) about Lance McCutcheon’s NFL debut last night with the LA Rams, so of course we had to keep the excitement going in this evening’s sports block. 🕺

Welcome to the NFL, @mccutcheonlance! pic.twitter.com/oeeaKWgkT3

— Ashley Washburn (@ashleyjwashburn) August 15, 2022

G Cole Strange, New England Patriots (Chattanooga)

A number of draftniks scolded New England for using a first-round pick on Strange this past April, but the UTC product looked sturdy and fundamentally sound in the trenches against the New York Giants during preseason Week 1.

Strange, who can play any interior line position, lined up at left guard for the Patriots’ first two offensive possessions. The gritty guard was sporting his patented no-gloves look, which is a rarity among modern-day offensive linemen.

As for Strange’s on-field performance, Patriots.com writer Evan Lazar tweeted, "Seemed like he held up well."

Strange's debut caught the attention of NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger, who highlighted the former FCS All-American's strengths in a Baldy Breakdown social media segment.

Cole Strange said he’s improved “in every way possible” since the start of camp. Said he feels comfortable in the Patriots offense and wasn’t surprised by the speed of the game tonight. pic.twitter.com/2cmGaFIga6

— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) August 12, 2022

FOUR MORE FCS NAMES TO KNOW FOR NFL PRESEASON

• WR Dai’Jean Dixon, New Orleans Saints (Nicholls State)
• DT Prince Emili, Buffalo Bills (Pennsylvania)
• TE Andrew Ogletree, Indianapolis Colts (Youngstown State)
• G/C Josh Sokol, Minnesota Vikings (Sacred Heart)