Wildcats in the NFL – Super Wild Card Weekend

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Each week throughout the 2023 season, k-statesports.com recaps the action for the 17 former Kansas State football players currently in the NFL. For a final recap of those whose team did not make the playoffs, click here.
 
Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DE – Kansas City Chiefs
Anudike-Uzomah, a rookie first-round draft pick, was inactive for Kansas City’s 26-7 home victory over Miami. During the regular season, Anudike-Uzomah played in all 17 games with 14 tackles, two TFLs, seven quarterback hits and a forced fumble. The Chiefs move on to the Divisional Round as they will play at Buffalo on Sunday night in a 5:30 p.m. (CT) contest that will be shown on CBS.
 
Ekow Boye-Doe, CB – Kansas City Chiefs
Boye-Doe, a rookie free agent, was in for 13 special teams plays during Kansas City’s 26-7 home victory over Miami. Spending time on the practice squad the first 11 games of the season, Boye-Doe was in for 84 special teams plays during the regular season in addition to 15 defensive snaps in the regular-season finale. With the victory over the Dolphins, the Chiefs will travel to face Buffalo in the Divisional Round on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. (CT), and the game will be shown on CBS.
 
Josh Hayes, DB – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Hayes, a sixth-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, was in for 21 special teams plays to help Tampa Bay pick up a 32-9 home win over Philadelphia. Hayes played in 15 regular-season games this year, coming away with 17 tackles. The Buccaneers now travel to Detroit to face the Lions in the Divisional Round on Sunday in a 2 p.m. (CT) game that will be broadcast on NBC.
 
Duke Shelley, DB – Los Angeles Rams
Shelley, a free agent signee by the Rams after the preseason, was activated off injured reserve and made a tackle on punt coverage among his 16 special teams plays during the Rams’ 24-23 loss at Detroit. Shelley, who missed the final six regular-season games due to injury, played in 11 games this year with eight tackles, two pass breakups and one fumble recovery.
 
Skylar Thompson, QB – Miami Dolphins
As he did for all 17 regular-season games, Thompson served as the emergency third quarterback during Miami’s 26-7 loss at Kansas City.
 
Deuce Vaughn, RB – Dallas Cowboys
Vaughn, a sixth-round selection in this year’s draft, was placed on injured reserve on January 3. Vaughn finished the season by playing in eight games and totaling 40 rushing yards on 23 carries, 40 receiving yards on seven catches and 19 punt-return yards on four attempts. The Cowboys lost, 48-32, at home to Green Bay.
 
Russ Yeast, S – Los Angeles Rams
A seventh-round selection in 2022, Yeast came away with five tackles among his 36 defensive snaps and three special teams plays during the Rams’ 24-23 loss at Detroit. Yeast played in all 17 regular-season games with nine starts as he finished the season with 61 tackles and five passes defended.