Aggies in the Pros: Five former Utah State players appear in 2025 NFL
As the 2025-26 NFL season nears its close, Aggie fans look back at the production from former Utah State players across the league. Seven Aggies found spots on NFL rosters or practice squads, including three rookies. All stats are according to the National Football League and Pro Football Reference.
The first former Aggie is Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love, who most recently appeared in the Jan. 10 wild-card game versus the Chicago Bears. In the game, Love completed 24 of 46 pass attempts for 323 yards and four passing touchdowns in the Packers’ loss to the Bears. Love, in his fifth season in the NFL and third as the Packers’ starting quarterback, started 15 games in the regular season but was sidelined for the final two games after suffering a concussion in week 16 versus the Bears. Over the course of the season, Love threw for 3,381 yards with 66.3% completion percentage. Love had a 9-5-1 record as the starter for the Packers.
Quarterback Jordan Love throws the ball down the field to an open teammate during their game against Air Force.
The next Aggie on the list is the Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner. In his 14th season, the 10-time pro-bowler started all 17 games for the Commanders, accumulating 162 total tackles, 79 of which were solo tackles, as well as 4.5 sacks. In the Commanders’ week 18 win over the Eagles, Wagner passed 2,000 career tackles, becoming only the third player in NFL history to pass the 2,000-tackle mark. Wagner currently sits only 59 tackles away from Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis’ NFL tackle record, which is 2,059.
SENIOR LINEBACKER BOBBY WAGNER and junior running back Robert Turbin celebrate the Aggies’ win over Nevada Saturday. This pushed the Aggies to a 6-5 record, the best the school has seen since 1997. This record qualifies the team to play in a bowl game, and the team hopes to have an invitation after the bowl committee meets Tuesday. TODD JONES photo
A 4th round pick in the 2025 NFL draft, Jalen Royals had a quiet season to begin his career with the Kansas City Chiefs. Royals appeared in only seven games during the season, bringing in his first reception in Week 18. In fact, Royals’ first target of the season came in week 18, when he was targeted three times and brought in two receptions for four yards.
Jalen Royals, 1, out runs a Boise State defender at Albertsons Stadium on Oct. 5.
Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Jalen Davis appeared in seven games for the Bengals in 2025. Activated from the practice squad midway through the season, the eight-year veteran accumulated seven solo tackles, one sack and one interception, which came in the Bengals’ week 16 win over the Miami Dolphins.
Jalen Davis getting hand shakes from his teammates after his first interception on the BYU game. (Kyle Todecheene)
Deven Thompkins appeared in seven games this season for the Atlanta Falcons. While his role mostly consisted of kickoff and punt returns, Thompkins did bring in three receptions for 27 yards on the season. As a returner, Thompkins returned 12 kickoffs, averaging 23.4 yards per return. He also returned six punts, averaging nine yards per return. A four-year veteran, Thompkins was elevated from the practice squad three times during the season.
Devin Thompkins proudly presents his Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl belt.
Other Aggies in the NFL include rookie offensive lineman Wyatt Bowles, who spent time with both the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals practice squads over the course of the season. Bowles played seven seasons with Utah State, appearing in 52 games for the Aggies.
Wyatt Bowles looks towards one of the coaches giving feedback to another player.
The final Aggie in the NFL is Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Kyrese Rowan, who was signed to their practice squad at the beginning of the season.