Jalon Walker, the rookie edge rusher for the Atlanta Falcons, recorded his fifth sack of the season during the team”s 24-10 victory against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. This impressive performance positions Walker at the top of the NFL rookie sack leaderboard, as he has accumulated a total of 30 tackles over the course of nine games.
In another game on Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings faced off against the Green Bay Packers, suffering a loss with a score of 23-6. Despite the team”s struggles, veteran defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, originally from North Rowan, South Carolina, had a notable outing, making six tackles. Hargrave, now 32 years old, has tallied 40 tackles this season, bringing his career total to 420, which includes 231 solo tackles and 189 assists, over his decade-long career in the NFL.
The Vikings mark Hargrave”s fourth team in the league, and he has recorded three sacks this season, while his career sack total stands at 48.5. He has participated in 141 games, the highest number of games played by any player from Rowan County. For context, running back Billy Ray Barnes from Landis, who played for the Eagles, Redskins, and Vikings during his nine-year NFL career, appeared in 98 games between 1957 and 1966, when seasons were only 12 games long. Barnes scored 38 touchdowns and was selected to play in three Pro Bowls, accumulating 3,421 rushing yards and 1,786 receiving yards. He was a standout player for the 1960 Eagles, who claimed the NFL championship.
Meanwhile, the Miami Dolphins enjoyed a bye week after their recent trip to Spain. Rookie Zeek Biggers from West Rowan, who played at Georgia Tech, has participated in three games for the Dolphins and has recorded nine tackles so far this season.
