South Dakota State Professional Athletes

South Dakota State's NFL alumni had a week that cut across the full spectrum of the league — touchdowns, trade rumors, and a five-figure fine handed down from the league office.

Tucker Kraft: Flagged, Fined, and Still Producing

Tucker Kraft had arguably the most eventful week of any tight end in the NFL, and that's saying something.

The Green Bay Packers tight end absorbed a helmet-to-helmet shot from Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch in the first quarter of Detroit's 20-17 victory on Sunday, Oct. 25 — a hit the NFL took seriously enough to fine Branch $23,882 for unnecessary roughness. Despite absorbing that blow, Kraft still finished with 4 catches for 48 yards and a touchdown against the Lions.

Four days later, he was back at it. In a Thursday night rematch of sorts — this time against the Carolina Panthers — Kraft caught 6 passes for 53 yards and added another score as Green Bay pulled away 27-19. Two touchdowns in one week, one dirty hit, and a league ruling in between: Kraft is becoming one of the more prominent SDSU products in the league, not just statistically but in terms of the conversation around him.

The Branch fine confirms what Packers fans suspected in real time: the hit was dirty, and the league agreed.

Dallas Goedert: Deadline Darling

Over in Philadelphia, Dallas Goedert's future with the Eagles is suddenly anything but certain. With the NFL trade deadline looming, Goedert's name has surfaced repeatedly as a potential trade chip — and the market for him appears to be real.

Sports Illustrated identified three realistic trade destinations as "deadline buzz picks up" around the Eagles. Heavy Sports separately called Goedert an "ideal" fit to replace a $50 million tight end on an NFC contender. Multiple reports have framed Philadelphia as potential sellers, with Goedert among the most coveted names on that list.

On the field, Goedert turned in a solid if unremarkable line in Philly's 38-21 loss to Dallas on Monday, Oct. 26 — 5 catches for 48 yards — but it's the front-office chatter, not the stat line, that has SDSU fans watching closely. If he's dealt before the deadline, Goedert would land on his third NFL team and remain one of the premier tight ends in the game.

The Rest of the Jackrabbit Contingent

Isaiah Davis (Jets) chipped in 5 rushing yards and 3 catches for 49 yards in New York's 28-25 loss to Miami on Oct. 25, providing some receiving juice out of the backfield.

Pierre Strong Jr., Kraft's Packers teammate, carried for 2 yards in the win over Carolina — a quiet night for the running back, who was largely a peripheral contributor.

The bigger SDSU story this week, without question, belongs to Kraft and Goedert. One is making himself impossible to ignore with back-to-back touchdown performances and a league-validated dirty-hit controversy. The other may be suiting up for a new team before the calendar flips to November. Not a bad week for Brookings, SD.

Dallas Goedert: The Most Talked-About Tight End at the Deadline

No SDSU alum — maybe no player in the NFL — is generating more trade deadline chatter than Dallas Goedert. The Eagles tight end is simultaneously managing a knee injury and sitting squarely in the crosshairs of a Philadelphia fire sale, with Philadelphia sitting at 2-4 and Jalen Hurts now lost for the rest of the season.

Goedert missed practice Thursday with his knee issue before returning Friday, leaving his status murky heading into the Eagles' Monday night game against the Cowboys. But the bigger question isn't whether he plays Week 7 — it's whether he's still an Eagle by the time the deadline passes.

Multiple analysts have pitched Goedert to multiple suitors. The Cincinnati Bengals have been urged to pursue him as an offensive weapon to push a playoff run. The Seattle Seahawks surfaced as a potential landing spot, with Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame identifying them as a natural fit for a passing game upgrade. An AFC contender was also floated as a destination in separate reporting. The volume of trade rumors alone signals how valued Goedert remains despite the Eagles' struggles — and how real the possibility of a move has become.

When he's been healthy and on the field, Goedert has delivered. In Week 6 against Carolina, he caught 6 passes for 61 yards, drawing a pass interference flag when a Panthers cornerback literally grabbed his pants downfield. Even in a 14-25 loss, the former Jackrabbit was a bright spot. The knee situation, though, complicates any trade calculus for potential buyers.

Tucker Kraft Fights Through, Pierre Strong Jr. Contributes in Packers Win

In Green Bay, two SDSU alumni helped the Packers pull away from Dallas 23-13 on Sunday Night Football — though not without a scare. Tucker Kraft exited the game with an apparent injury before returning to finish, catching 5 passes for 37 yards. His toughness in gutting through the moment didn't go unnoticed.

Pierre Strong Jr. continued to carve out a backfield role, contributing 28 rushing yards and hauling in 5 receptions for 39 yards out of the backfield. With Josh Jacobs set to return, analysts have urged Green Bay to keep Strong in the rotation over MarShawn Lloyd — a nod to the trust Strong has earned.

Isaiah Stalbird Steps Up for Saints

LB Isaiah Stalbird earned a featured mention in Saints post-game coverage after New Orleans held off the Giants 34-27 in Week 6. Stalbird was singled out as one of three players who boosted their stock in the victory, a meaningful recognition for a player working to cement his role on a Saints defense that needed answers.

Isaiah Davis Faces Uncertain Future in New York

Jets RB Isaiah Davis had a quiet Week 6 — 16 rushing yards and 10 receiving yards in a 19-26 loss to New England — but the bigger concern is his roster standing. With Breece Hall listed as questionable against the Dolphins, Sports Illustrated flagged Davis's future in New York as increasingly uncertain, noting that his window to make a lasting impression is narrowing fast.

Christian Rozeboom, Buccaneers LB

Rozeboom was listed on Tampa Bay's initial Week 7 injury report as a non-participant in Wednesday's practice, though his availability for Sunday's NFC South matchup against Carolina remained to be determined.

Two Jackrabbits, One Dominant Sunday in Chicago

South Dakota State sent two alumni to Soldier Field on Sunday, and both left with a win. Tucker Kraft and Pierre Strong Jr. suited up together for the Green Bay Packers in a 31-7 dismantling of the Chicago Bears — a rivalry game that doubled as a showcase for what Brookings produces.

Kraft was the headliner, and not just in the box score. Green Bay opened its very first possession with a flea-flicker screen — a "brand new" trick play, as Kraft described it afterward — that set the tone for a long afternoon for Chicago's defense. The Packers drew inspiration from a look the Los Angeles Rams had run, and Kraft was central to the design. He finished the game with five receptions for 64 yards and added a two-yard carry, making him the most productive pass-catcher on the field from his side of the Jackrabbit alumni ledger.

Strong Jr. played a complementary role out of the backfield, picking up seven rushing yards and hauling in three receptions for 11 more. The numbers are modest, but Strong's presence alongside Kraft gives Green Bay a rare two-SDSU punch — and a reminder that the Jackrabbit pipeline into the NFL is no fluke.

Elsewhere Around the League

Not every Jackrabbit had a highlight-reel week. In Philadelphia, tight end Dallas Goedert and the Eagles dropped a 17-19 decision to Jacksonville — a tough loss made tougher by Goedert's solid individual effort going unrewarded. He caught six passes for 38 yards, doing his part in a game the Eagles couldn't close out.

In New York, running back Isaiah Davis chipped in eight rushing yards and a nine-yard reception as the Jets held on for a 17-12 win over Cleveland. Davis's role remains situational, but with the Jets looking for answers in the backfield heading into a key Week 6 matchup against the Patriots, there's a real argument for expanding his usage — one that analysts have already started making publicly.

The Bigger Picture

The Kraft-Strong pairing in Green Bay is the most compelling SDSU storyline of the week, and not just because of the win. Having two alumni from the same FCS program on the same NFL roster — contributing and winning in a divisional rivalry — reflects the sustained quality of SDSU's program under the spotlight of the country's most watched league. Kraft's flea-flicker moment, in particular, is the kind of play that ends up in a highlight package long after Week 6 is forgotten. For Jackrabbit fans watching from Brookings, it was a very good Sunday.

Tucker Kraft Is Finding His Stinger Again

It wasn't a flashy stat line, but it was the right kind of performance at the right time. South Dakota State tight end Tucker Kraft hauled in six of seven targets for 42 yards and a touchdown in Green Bay's 17-14 Week 4 win over Tampa Bay — a game the Packers needed badly after a sputtering start to the season.

The score, which pushed Green Bay to a 17-7 lead in the third quarter, was part of back-to-back Packers scores in just over five minutes of clock time. For Kraft, who is working his way back from a torn ACL suffered last season, the outing signaled a step forward — even if he wasn't entirely satisfied.

After the win, Kraft was characteristically blunt. He acknowledged he's been pressing too hard in his recovery, telling reporters he's been "trying to do too much" on the field, leading to drops and uncharacteristic mistakes earlier in the season. His plan heading into the Week 5 matchup against Chicago: get back to basics. "Get back to my roots," as he put it.

Those roots are exactly what Green Bay needs. With wide receiver Jayden Reed sidelined by injury, the Packers are leaning into heavier personnel groupings — more two- and three-tight-end sets — and Kraft is the centerpiece of that adjustment. The offense has been a concern all season: Green Bay ranks last in the NFL in rushing yards and 28th in points per game at 18.3. Kraft himself pointed to focus and execution issues within the unit, not just the offensive line, as a root cause of the struggles.

The Bears game Sunday looms as a proving ground for whether this offensive reconfiguration can hold.

Pierre Strong Jr. Gets His Shot

Kraft isn't the only Jackrabbit in Green Bay's plans for Chicago. Running back Pierre Strong Jr. was promoted from the practice squad to the active 53-man roster on October 8, with starter Chris Brooks' availability for Week 5 in doubt.

Head coach Matt LaFleur spoke glowingly of Strong ahead of the game, calling him a "natural runner" and expressing confidence in his ability to contribute. Strong, a 5-foot-11, 207-pound back who ran a 4.37 40-yard dash, gives the Packers a legitimate speed option in the backfield — something a last-place rushing offense desperately needs.

Two SDSU products on the same active NFL roster heading into a divisional game is a notable moment for the Jackrabbit program.

Dallas Goedert Working Toward Return in Philadelphia

Across the league, Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert is fighting his way back from a knee injury that has kept him out of the lineup since Week 2. Goedert was a limited participant in practice Wednesday ahead of Philadelphia's Week 5 matchup with Jacksonville — an encouraging sign after missing two straight games.

His absence has been felt. The Eagles lost their Week 4 game to the Rams while already dealing with a depleted roster, and their tight end depth has been paper-thin without their two-time Pro Bowler. A return, even a limited one, would be a significant boost for a Philly offense trying to stay afloat amid a string of injuries.

Three SDSU alumni made news in the NFL this week — two pushing Green Bay's offense forward, one racing back to health in Philadelphia. The Jackrabbit footprint in the league is real, and it's growing.