Northwestern Professional Athletes

Northwestern Alumni NFL Roundup | Week of Sept. 13–19, 2026

New York's cornerback situation is quickly becoming one of the more alarming injury stories in the NFL heading into Week 2 — and a pair of Northwestern alumni are right at the heart of it.

Greg Newsome II is listed as banged up on the Giants' injury report, adding another layer of concern to a cornerback room already buckling under the weight of attrition. Fellow corner Paulson Adebo — a former LSU product, not a Wildcat, but a key piece of New York's secondary — has already been placed on injured reserve, effectively wiping him from the Week 2 equation. Deonte Banks is nursing his own ailment. Even offensive tackle Andrew Thomas surfaced on the report with a new issue. For a Giants team that dropped its Week 1 home game to Dallas, 28–20, the timing couldn't be worse.

New York faces the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night in Week 2, and the cornerback depth chart heading into that matchup is alarmingly thin. With Adebo shelved for an extended stretch and Newsome's availability in question, the Giants could be forced to patch together their secondary with reserves and rotational pieces against a Rams passing attack that will not hesitate to exploit the situation.

Newsome, the former Northwestern standout and first-round pick, was on the field for the Week 1 loss to the Cowboys but did not register notable stat line contributions in the box score. His ability to suit up and play through whatever is ailing him Monday night could define New York's defensive game plan — or lack thereof — against Los Angeles.

---

Slater Shines in LA

On the other side of the country, Rashawn Slater had a strong Week 1 outing for the Los Angeles Chargers, earning recognition in PFF's post-week grading as one of the team's top offensive performers. The Northwestern offensive tackle — a perennial stalwart on LA's line — anchored protection alongside a Chargers offense that rolled in its season opener. Slater continues to cement his status as one of the better blind-side blockers in the AFC.

---

The contrast between Newsome's turbulent situation and Slater's steady excellence captures the range of the Wildcat experience across the league right now. Northwestern has no shortage of NFL contributors — the active alumni list spans nearly every position group and a dozen-plus franchises — but this week, all eyes are on what's happening in East Rutherford, where a cornerback depth crisis has put Newsome's week, and possibly his health, under the microscope.

The Giants need answers at cornerback before Monday night. Whether Newsome is one of them remains to be seen.

Rashawn Slater Is Back — and the Chargers Are Breathing Easy

The most important Northwestern alumnus in the NFL right now isn't throwing touchdowns or making splash plays in the secondary. He's an offensive lineman, and his return to the practice field this week may be the most significant development for any Wildcat on an NFL roster.

Rashawn Slater was back at Chargers practice on Saturday, Aug. 23, a development that sent a quiet but unmistakable signal through Los Angeles: the Pro Bowl left tackle is healthy, available, and ready to go. The news came as a relief for a Chargers team that has built its offensive identity around protecting quarterback Justin Herbert — a task that falls apart quickly without Slater anchoring the blindside.

The follow-through arrived just as quickly. Slater was confirmed among the starters set to play in Los Angeles's preseason finale against the Rams, giving the starting offensive line a chance to operate as a cohesive unit before the regular season begins. For a Northwestern alum who has established himself as one of the premier tackles in the league, the preseason cameo is less about proving himself and more about re-establishing timing, chemistry, and rhythm with the group around him.

It's a meaningful window. Offensive line cohesion isn't built in a vacuum — it's forged in reps, and the Chargers' coaching staff clearly decided that getting their first-team line on the field together, even in a preseason setting, was worth the exposure. Slater's presence makes the entire unit function differently. His absence, even briefly, is the kind of thing that ripples across a game plan.

Other Wildcats Worth Watching

Slater isn't the only Northwestern product suiting up in the NFL this preseason. The Chargers also have TeRah Edwards and Cam Johnson — both linebackers — fighting for roster spots as the final cuts approach. For undrafted or depth players at this stage of camp, every preseason snap carries outsized weight, and the Aug. 23–29 window is as high-stakes as it gets.

Elsewhere around the league, Greg Newsome II (Giants, CB), Peter Skoronski (Titans, LB), Adetomiwa Adebawore (Colts, DT), and Cameron Mitchell (Colts, CB) are among the Northwestern alumni navigating the final stretch of preseason. Roster cuts to 53 men loom, and for players on the roster bubble, this week's finale is effectively a job interview broadcast nationally.

The broader Northwestern contingent across the NFL — more than 20 alumni active across the league — reflects the program's quiet but consistent pipeline to the pros. The Wildcats don't always dominate recruiting rankings, but they produce NFL contributors at a rate that surprises casual observers.

For now, though, the story belongs to Slater. His return to practice and his confirmed spot in the preseason finale isn't just good news for the Chargers — it's a reminder that one of Northwestern's finest is healthy, motivated, and back where he belongs.