Former Michigan Wolverines in the NFL: Week 6

As a Lions fan, I had a nice relaxing Sunday knowing that my team couldn’t lose. I was able to bask in the contentment of a Michigan demolition of Penn State the day before without getting my heart rate up again. Around the league, several former Wolverines and Nittany Lions worked as teammates, rather than opponents, specifically on the New York Giants offense and Dallas Cowboys defense.

Here are three of the top performing former Wolverines in the NFL this week:

Ben Bredeson, LG, New York Giants

Bredeson has struggled to stay on the field in his young career, both due to injuries and performance. However, he seems to have found a home in New York as he’s started every game at left guard.

On Sunday, Bredeson led the way for Saquon Barkley against the Ravens in a revenge game of sorts, as Bredeson was drafted by Baltimore in 2020. He was involved in a skirmish with the Ravens’ Odafe Oweh which resulted in Bredeson’s helmet being ripped off and Oweh assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty because of it. Bredeson also slid over to center following Jon Feliciano leaving the game with an injury.

Bredeson and the Giants defeated Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens, 24-20. They are now 5-1 on the season.

Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Cleveland Browns

DPJ has yet to take the last step to becoming a star, but he has settled in very nicely as the WR2 in Cleveland behind Amari Cooper. On Sunday, DPJ led all Browns receivers by hauling in four passes on five targets for 74 yards. It’s only a matter of time before he finds the end zone more consistently.

Unfortunately for Peoples-Jones, Cleveland lost to the New England Patriots, 38-15.

Rashan Gary, OLB, Green Bay Packers

Gary has become a frequent participant in this list due to his stellar play this season. While the Packers struggled mightily on Sunday afternoon, it was not Gary’s fault. Rashan tallied four tackles, two tackles-for-loss, one sack, and one quarterback hit. His six sacks on the season puts him second in the NFL, behind only Alex Highsmith.

Gary and the Packers stunningly lost to the New York Jets, 27-10.

Honorable Mentions: Devin Bush, LB Pittsburgh: 4 tackles; Frank Clark, DE Kansas City: 3 tackles; Bryan Mone, DT Seattle: 2 tackles