We’re five weeks into the 2025 NFL season, and the seven Tech alumni in the league have already begun making some noise.
Starting with the Jackets picked in the most recent NFL draft, Bills TE Jackson Hawes, ‘23–24, has been the standout. He’s currently the highest graded rookie in the 2025 draft class by Pro Football Focus (PFF), primarily due to his stellar run and pass blocking: areas where he’s ranked in the top 10 among tight ends in the league. He’s not just a blocker though, Hawes has also caught all four of his targets, including a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins. Just a few weeks into the season, he already looks to be one of the best tight ends in his class.
Zeek Biggers, BA ‘24, was the other Tech alum drafted in 2025. A late seventh-round pick, Biggers battled through training camp and earned himself a full-time roster spot with the Dolphins. Opportunities have been limited for the defensive tackle, only seeing a handful of snaps to date, but Tech fans hope that when he gets his shot, he’ll make the most of it, just as he did on the Flats.
Sticking with the Dolphins, Darren Waller, BA ‘14, made his season debut on Sept. 29, catching three of four targets for 27 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a Monday Night Football win over the New York Jets. Waller’s triumphant return came in his first NFL game in 631 days, following the veteran’s retirement in the 2023 offseason. Back on the field with a new team, Waller looks to make his mark on an injury-riddled Dolphins’ squad.
Veteran kicker Harrison Butker, ISyE ‘17, is also off to a solid start. In his ninth NFL season, Butker has gone 10 for 13 on field goals thus far, including a perfect 6 for 6 from inside 40 yards. Butker hopes to stay consistent this season, aiding the Kansas City Chiefs as they vie for their fourth Super Bowl in the past six years.
With starting running back Aaron Jones injured, Vikings RB Jordan Mason, BA ‘21, was thrust into Minnesota’s starting role. He has thrived so far, tallying over 300 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. His best performance came in week three, when he averaged 7.25 yards per carry on 16 runs as the Vikings trounced the Cincinnati Bengals, 48-10.
On the defensive side, DB Juanyeh Thomas, LMC ‘21 and DE Keion White, ‘21–22, have also been contributing as solid depth pieces in the Cowboys’ and Patriots’ defenses, respectively. Thomas has yet to give up a reception through 61 snaps played, while White, albeit quieter on the stat sheet due to an illness that sidelined him in week two, bounced back in week four, leading all Patriots’ tackles in snaps.
That’s it for the Pro Jackets, but there are a couple of NFL players who spent time at Tech before transferring elsewhere during their college career. The most notable is third-year RB Jahmyr Gibbs, who, after putting together his second consecutive Pro Bowl season, is on pace for a third, with 350 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns. He headlines both Detroit’s powerful “Sonic and Knuckles” running back tandem alongside David Montgomery, and nearly every top-seeded fantasy football roster.
Finally, rookie linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr., a Jacket from 2019 to 2022, has impressed for the Bengals, tallying 31 combined tackles, an interception and a couple of pass deflections on the year. Knight Jr. has been one of the few bright spots on a Cincinnati defensive unit that has disappointed across the early weeks of the season.
The Pro Jackets are off to a strong start, and Tech faithful are eager to see how they grow as the season progresses.
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