Trojan alumni make their mark in NFL’s first weeks

The 2020 NFL season kicked off in early September, with players and coaches alike adjusting to unique safety protocols and mostly empty stadiums.

For USC, the beginning of another season offers an opportunity to watch former Trojan stars perform and solidify themselves on the professional stage. Here’s an update on how some USC alumni in the NFL have performed as a new season gets underway.

Porter Gustin

After struggling to find a home on an NFL roster in his first season as a pro, former Trojan defensive star Porter Gustin seems to have asserted himself as a force on the Cleveland Browns’ defensive line. 

Gustin has been active and played in both of Cleveland’s first two games this season, including a memorable performance on Thursday Night Football where Gustin consistently pressured the Cincinnati Bengals’ offensive line throughout the contest. Gustin finished the evening with four total tackles including one tackle for loss and an immense impact not seen on the stat sheet, with his presence threatening last year’s Heisman winner, quarterback Joe Burrow, all night.  

JuJu Smith-Schuster

After what Smith-Schuster might consider a down year by his standards, the former USC wideout will be looking to get back on track with the Pittsburgh Steelers this season following the return of starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. 

In Smith-Schuster’s first two seasons as a pro with Roethlisberger as signal-caller, he caught a combined 14 touchdown passes, compared to just three last season while battling injuries and inconsistent quarterback play from Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges.

Smith-Schuster’s 2020 season looks to be on the right track so far as he’s caught 13 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns across the first two games thus far.

Austin Jackson

In just his rookie season, former USC offensive tackle and first round draft pick Austin Jackson has already been named a starter for the Miami Dolphins. Jackson has started and played most offensive snaps for Miami at the ever-important left tackle position in both of their games so far this season. 

Jackson and Miami are still in search of their first win of the 2020 season.  

Robert Woods

After signing a four-year extension with the Los Angeles Rams worth potentially up to $65 million, Woods will be looking to assert himself once again as one of Los Angeles’ top offensive weapons. 

After leading the team in targets in 2019, Woods is looking to maintain his steady production as a pass-catcher and occasional rusher for head coach Sean McVay and the Rams’ offense this season. Over his first two games, Woods has been in familiar form, posting strong outings in back-to-back wins to open up the 2020 campaign. In Week 1, Woods eclipsed the century mark in receiving yards, hauling in six passes on eight targets for 105 yards. In Week 2, Woods collected two passes and three rushing attempts along with his first touchdown of the season on the ground. 

Leonard Williams

Despite a lack of team success, former first round draft pick defensive lineman Leonard Williams is settling into his role under new head coach Joe Judge. In two frustrating losses for the New York Giants, Williams has racked up a total of six tackles and two tackles for loss, including one sack. 

Williams is in the final year of his rookie contract and will be looking to earn himself a hefty payday this offseason. 

Sam Darnold

Across town, Darnold and the New York Jets are undergoing a similarly frustrating start to their season as the Giants. 

The Jets have lost their first two games convincingly while Darnold and the offense have struggled mightily. Darnold has a 62.7% completion percentage with just two touchdowns in two games, while also being sacked four times and intercepted once. 

Nelson Agholor 

The former Super Bowl champion left Philadelphia after five seasons this offseason, making the move to Las Vegas to join John Gruden and the Raiders in their first season after relocating.

Agholor agreed to a one-year veteran minimum contract worth just more than $1 million. The former first-round draft pick will be hoping to regain his past form in the Silver and Black. Agholor has caught just two passes in his first two games, but one of them was for a 23-yard touchdown in the Raiders’ Week 1 win against the Carolina Panthers. 

Ronald Jones II

Despite a host of talent in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers skill positions and backfield, head coach Bruce Arians recently gave the former second-round draft pick Jones a vote of confidence. After announcing Jones as the starter but signing former first-round running back Leonard Fournette just a few days later, speculation swirled surrounding Jones’ status as the starter. Arians doubled down on his statement and reiterated that Jones was the lead back just days before the start of the season. 

Arians has followed up on his statement, as Jones has received more touches than any other member of the Tampa Bay backfield through two games, recording 24 carries and four receptions along with a touchdown in two games so far.