Week 18 in the NFL saw some phenomenal performances from players who played collegiately in the West.
Each week in the regular season, we highlight the region’s best pro performances from the standout alumni veterans and rookies.
Here are my choices for the best of them.
1. Puka Nacua, WR, Rams/BYU
The former BYU star had 10 receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown in the team’s 37-20 victory over Arizona.This was the 35th time in his career he has caught at least five passes, becoming just the third player in NFL history with at least five receptions in 35 games in their first three career seasons.
Nacua also has 4,191 receiving yards since entering the NFL in 2023, the second-most receiving yards by a player in their first three seasons in NFL history, trailing only Justin Jefferson’s 4,825.
2. Carl Granderson, DE, Saints/Wyoming
The former Wyoming Cowboy had a very productive end to his seventh season in the league.
In the loss to the Falcons, he matched a career-high with 10 tackles and five of them solo stops.
He also added 1.5 sacks and picked up his first career interception in his 105th regular-season game.
3. Jared Goff, QB, Lions/Cal
If only Goff and the Lions could play against the Bears and their former OC every week.
The former Cal Bear threw for 331 yards and a touchdown in the win over Chicago.
In two games against the Bears this season, he has 665 yards and six touchdowns.
4. Cade Otton, TE, Buccaneers/Washington
Otton caught seven passes for a season high 94 yards and a TD in the Bucs’ win over the Panthers on Saturday.
It marked the second-highest yardage total in a single game of his four-year career.
He ends the season with 59 receptions, tying his career high mark for a season.
5. Zach Charbonnet, RB, Seahawks/UCLA
The former Bruin helped secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the Seahawks with their win over the Niners on Saturday.
The back carried the ball 17 times for 74 yards and a touchdown while adding 23 yards receiving.
Charbonnet finished his third regular season with a career-high 730 rushing yards, and his 12 rushing touchdowns also set a new personal standard.
6. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Lions/USC
The former USC standout had a huge afternoon as the Lions improved to 2-0 on the season against Chicago.
He ended the day with 11 receptions for 139 yards.
In the two games against the NFC North Champs this season, he tallied 20 receptions for 254 yards and three touchdowns.
7. Bobby Okereke, LB, Giants/Stanford
The former Stanford LB was productive in the Giants’ win over the Cowboys to finish the season.
Okereke made six tackles with an interception and a fumble recovery.
This gives him an interception in consecutive games after going 33 straight games without one. It also gives him seven interceptions for his career.
8. Nohl Williams, DB, Chiefs/Cal (R)
The rookie out of Cal collected his first NFL sack in the Chiefs’ loss to the Raiders.
Williams also collected six tackles and defended two passes.
9. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Steelers/Cal
The former Cal star brought Pittsburgh back for the win over Baltimore on Sunday Night and, in doing so, earned another playoff appearance.
In the win, Rodgers threw for 294 yards and added 20 on the ground. He connected with Calvin Austin for the game-winning TD with 55 seconds to play, giving the Steelers a 10-7 mark on the season to win the AFC North.
That gives him 10+ wins as a QB in 11 different seasons.
10. Drake London, WR, Falcons/USC
The former Trojan helped lead the Falcons to a share of the NFC South title and push the Panthers into the playoffs as Atlanta beat New Orleans.
In the win, London found the end zone for the first time in almost two months, finishing the day with four receptions for 78 yards and the score.
11. Caleb Williams, QB, Bears/USC
The former Heisman winner from USC had another productive outing as he once again nearly produced a fourth-quarter comeback.
Williams completed over 60% of his passes for 212 yards and a couple of fourth-quarter TD passes and a conversion as the Bears fell to Detroit 19-16.
12. Jahlani Tavai, LB, Patriots/Hawai’i
New England crushed the Dolphins in the season finale, and the former Rainbow Warrior was a big part of a defense that shut down the Miami offense.
Tavai finished the afternoon with a season-high eight tackles with one stop behind the line and a forced fumble.
13. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Raiders/Boise State (R)
The rookie back ran for 87 yards and tallied 94 total yards in the season finale.
The former Bronco ends his rookie season with 975 yards on the ground and another 346 yards receiving.
He found the end zone a combined 10 times in his first season as a pro.
14. Bo Nix, QB, Broncos/Oregon
Nix threw for 141 yards and had 49 rushing yards in the Broncos’ 19-3 victory over the Chargers.
This was the 24th victory of his career. That ties the former Duck with Russell Wilson for the most wins by a quarterback in their first two career seasons in NFL history.
15. Tanner McKee, QB, Commanders/Stanford
Similar to last season, the former Stanford signal caller got the start for the Eagles in the season finale.
This season, he could not lead the Birds to a win over Washington, but he still stepped in and played well.
McKee threw for 241 yards and a touchdown in the defeat.
