Former Boise State stars toss a TD pass, rush for 100 yards, create key turnover in NFL
Cedrick Wilson Jr. joined an elite group of former Boise State football players on Sunday.
Wilson, a wide receiver, became the fourth former Bronco to throw a touchdown pass in an NFL game during the Cowboys’ 37-34 win over the Giants. He joins former Boise State quarterbacks Kellen Moore (Lions/Cowboys), Brett Rypien (Broncos) and Ryan Finley (Bengals).
Trailing 20-17 in the final seconds of the first half, Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott took a shotgun snap from the Giants’ 11 and handed the ball off to running back Ezekiel Elliott, who then flicked it to Wilson on what looked like a reverse.
Instead of sprinting around the right side of the offensive line, though, Wilson delivered a perfect pass to Prescott, who snuck behind the defense as the play unfolded on the other side of the field and caught the pass in stride to send the Cowboys into halftime with the lead.
Wilson also finished the game with four catches for 22 yards.
The Memphis, Tennessee, native was a quarterback at White Station High where, as a senior, he led the Spartans to the 6A state semifinals.
Wilson transitioned to wide receiver at Coffeyville Community College before spending the 2016 and 2017 seasons at Boise State, where he racked up 2,640 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns.
The Cowboys selected him in the sixth round of the 2018 draft, but his rookie season was cut short by a shoulder injury, and knee and concussion issues cost him much of last season.
Former Boise State defensive lineman DeMarcus Lawrence also had a hand in the Cowboys’ win.
With the Giants in their own territory in the second quarter, Lawrence sacked quarterback Daniel Jones, forcing a fumble, which cornerback Anthony Brown scooped and returned 29 yards for a touchdown, tying the game 17-17.
It was Lawrence’s first sack of the season. He tallied 20 sacks in two seasons at Boise State.
Mattison cracks 100 yards
Former Boise State running back Alexander Mattison posted his first 100-yard rushing performance of the season Sunday in the Vikings’ 27-26 loss to the Seahawks.
Mattison finished the game with 112 yards on 20 carries, but he was stopped short on fourth-and-1 with less than 2:00 to play, setting up the Seahawks’ game-winning drive.
Mattison — playing behind former Florida State running back Dalvin Cook — has 219 yards and a touchdown on 44 carries through five games. Cook was injured during the Seahawks game and his status for the Vikings’ next game hasn’t been determined.
The San Bernardino, California, native played at Boise State from 2016 to 2018 and finished his college career with 2,829 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns. The Cowboys picked him in the third round of the 2018 draft.
Hightower finds end zone
Former Boise State wide receiver John Hightower came up with a catch on a two-point conversion Sunday to help keep the Eagles in a game they ultimately lost 38-29 to the Steelers.
The catch followed a nine-play scoring drive, which culminated in an 8-yard touchdown pass from Carson Wentz to Greg Ward.
Hightower finished the game with two grabs for 18 yards. Through five games, he has seven catches for 57 yards.
The Landover, Maryland, native led Boise State last season with 943 receiving yards and eight touchdown receptions. The Eagles selected him in the fifth round of this year’s draft.
This story was originally published October 12, 2020 at 12:19 PM.
