Jacks in the NFL: Preseason Week Four

Part of a weekly update, following the six active Jackrabbits in the National Football League.

Previous Weeks: Pre. Wk 1 | Pre. Wk 2 | Pre. Wk 3

Dallas Goedert (Philadelphia Eagles) SDSU: 2014-17
Weekly Notes: Goedert did not play the fourth preseason match against the New York Jets on Thursday evening, a 10-9 win.

It appears the South Dakota State alum has firmly placed himself as the second-string tight end, expecting to see action throughout the NFL regular season.

Up Next: Vs. Atlanta Falcons (Thursday, Sept. 6 at 7:20 p.m. CT)

Season Notes: Scored his first touchdown in his debut preseason game, a 31-14 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers (Aug. 9) ... his most catches (four) and receiving yards (66) came in his preseason debut against the Steelers while his longest catch (28) came against the New England Patriots (Aug. 16) ... has gathered nine catches for 149 yards and one touchdown through three preseason games (132 offensive plays).

Jacob Ohnesorge (Dallas Cowboys) SDSU: 2013-17
Weekly Notes: Ohnesorge earned the start in the fourth preseason game, a 14-6 loss to the Houston Texans last Thursday evening.

He played all 70 of the offensive snaps, gathering 253 net total offensive yards - 52 yards rushing and 201 yards through the air. The Jackrabbit alum helped the offense score three points on a four-play, 36-yard opening drive to begin the game.

The offense had an eight-play, 52-yard drive near the end of the game to add another three points, bringing the Cowboys within eight points, down 14-6.

He was waived by the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 1 and has not signed to a practice squad.

Up Next: --

Season Notes: Signed a three-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 20 ... played his first career NFL preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals (Aug. 26) in the fourth quarter, playing 21 snaps ... the offense has gained 50 total net offensive yards and scored three points (only three points in the game vs. Arizona) with Ohensorge in the line-up ... played all the offensive snaps (70) in the fourth preseason game (at Houston Texans, Aug. 30), Ohnesorge's second career NFL preseason game, as the offense totaled 253 net total offensive yards - 52 yards rushing and 201 yards through the air ... scored six points on two drives (four-play, 36-yards; eight-play, 52-yards) against the Texans.

Adam Vinatieri (Indianapolis Colts) SDSU: 1991-94
Weekly Notes: Vinatieri did not play in the 27-26 win over the Cincinnati Bengals last Thursday.

He is expected to be the Colts' place-kicker for the 2018 season.

Up Next: Vs. Cincinnati Bengals (Sunday, Sept. 9 at noon CT)

Season Notes: Vinatieri has gone 4-for-4 on field goal attempts with a season-best 57-yard field goal against the Ravens (Aug. 20) and 2-for-2 extra-point attempts through two preseason games ... has made field goals from 33, 45, 51, and 57 yards out so far.

Career Notes: Has played in 337 games (1996-05 - NE Patriots, 2006-present - IND Colts) prior to the 2018 season, making 559-of-663 field goals (84.3%) with a long of 57 yards in 2002 ... four-time Super Bowl winning place kicker ... two-time pro-bowl starter ... two-time all-pro team selection ... nominated as the NFL 2000's All-Decade team ... he has several NFL records including: most seasons with 100+ points (20 - 1996–2008, 2010, 2012–2017), most postseason field goals in a career (56), most consecutive games in a single postseason with 3-plus field goals (4), most career points in postseason (234), most points in a single postseason (49), most field goals in a single postseason (14), most field goals in Super Bowls (7), most extra points in Super Bowls (13), most field goals in overtime (12), most consecutive field goals in NFL history (44), most Super Bowl wins by a place kicker (4), most Super Bowl appearances by a place kicker (5), most playoff games by a place kicker (30), which also ranks 2nd of any position (Tom Brady has 37).

Jake Wieneke (Minnesota Vikings) SDSU: 2014-17
Weekly Notes: Wieneke earned the start in the fourth preseason game, a 13-3 win over the Tennessee Titans. He played 66 (94 percent) of the offensive snaps for the Vikings, having two catches on three targets for 20 yards and a long of 13 yards.

His first catch came on a short pass to the right on a third-and-goal on the Titans' 11-yard line with 7:51 left to play in the third quarter. Wieneke leaped up and caught the ball immediately tackled for a seven-yard gain, four yards short of the endzone. The Vikings ended up making a field goal to take the 6-3 lead.

On the last play of the third quarter, Wieneke caught his 13-yard catch on a post pattern, two yards of a first down on first-and-fifteen.

Wieneke was waived by the Minnesota Vikings on Friday, Aug. 31 and has not been signed to a practice squad.

Up Next: --

Season Notes: Wieneke has tallied seven catches for 58 yards, with a long of 16 yards, and a touchdown and two-point conversion through three preseason games (122 offensive plays) with the Minnesota Vikings ... added his first career NFL preseason touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks in week three of the preseason (Aug. 24) ... scored a two-point conversion with 47 seconds left of the same game to take the lead and eventually win ... recorded his first catch, a 16-yard grab up the middle of the field, in the fourth quarter of the first preseason game against the Denver Broncos (Aug. 11) ... recorded his most catches and yards in a preseason game (three catches, 21 yards) against the Jacksonville Jaguars (Aug. 18).

Bryan Witzmann (Kansas City Chiefs) SDSU: 2010-13
Weekly Notes: Witzmann got the start at right tackle for the Chiefs in a 33-21 win over the Green Bay Packers last Thursday. Witzmann played all 68 snaps of the game with the offense gaining 397 total net yards - 71 yards on the ground and 326 yards through the air.

The offense scored on their first offensive series, a nine-play, 51-yard drive that ended with a three-yard passing touchdown to take the lead, 7-0, with 9:13 in the first quarter.

Witzmann and the Chiefs' offense scored one more touchdown during the game in the second quarter, a four-play, 75-yard drive that scored on a seven-yard pass to bring the team within four points, down 21-17 in the second quarter.

Kansas City also kick four field goals, with each drive nine or more plays and three out of the four going for more than 50 yards.

On Monday, Sept. 3, the Kansas City Chiefs released Bryan Witzmann and he has yet to find a new team.

Up Next: --

Season Notes: The Chiefs' offense has tallied 799 offensive yards with Witzmann, including 11 scoring drives that have resulted in 60 of the 98 points scored through the four preseason games ... has competed in 152 plays as the second-string offensive guard and tackle.

Career Notes: Witzmann signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in May, 2014 ... He was placed on injured reserve in August, 2014 and in September, 2015, Witzmann was waived by the Texans ... In September, 2015, Witzmann was signed to the New Orleans Saints' practice squad ... He was released by the Saints in November, 2015 but was re-signed in December ... He signed a futures contract with the Saints in January, 2016 and was waived in May, 2016 ... In June, 2016, Witzmann signed with the Dallas Cowboys and was released by the Cowboys in September, 2016 ... He was claimed off waivers by the Kansas City Chiefs in September, 2016 ... In July, 2017, he signed a one-year contract extension with the Chiefs through 2018 ... In 2017, Witzmann played in all 16 games, starting 13 at left guard for the Chiefs ... during the 2017 season, the Chiefs had 6,007 total offensive yards (ranking fifth in yards per game) including, 1,903 rushing yards (ninth in the league) and 4,104 passing yards (seventh in the league) ... they scored 42 touchdowns - 12 rushing and 26 passing (25.9 points per game - sixth in the NFL).

Zach Zenner (Detriot Lions) SDSU: 2011-14
Weekly Notes: Zenner received the start at running back in the fourth preseason game, a 35-17 loss to the Cleveland Browns last Thursday. The Jackrabbit alum played three plays on offense and one on special teams, being listed as out with a back injury early in the game.

Zenner finished the game with one rushing attempt for negative one yard. He also had one target during the first offensive drive for the Lions.

As of Tuesday morning (Sept. 4), he was listed on the injury report (back).

Up Next: Vs. New York Jets (Monday, Sept. 10 at 6:10 p.m. CT)

Season Notes: Zenner has tallied nine rushing attempts for 16 yards with a long of seven yards and one catch for 11 yards (against the New York Giants, Aug. 17) through the preseason games ... has tallied 36 offensive plays and 31 special teams plays.

Career Notes: The Detroit Lions signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2015 ... In May, 2015, the Detroit Lions signed him to a three-year deal ... In 2015, Zenner entered training camp competing for the fourth running back on the Lions' depth chart ... He ultimately won the position, leading the NFL in rushing yards during the preseason, and went into the regular season as the fourth backup ... made his professional regular season debut in the Lions' season opener at the San Diego Chargers, finishing with two carries for six rushing yards ... On Oct. 12, 2015, Zenner earned his first career start and had a season-high ten carries for 30 rushing yards against the Arizona Cardinals ... On Oct. 16, 2016, he earned his first start of the season and finished with a career-high 14 rushing attempts for 58 rushing yards and caught two passes for 14 receiving yards during a 31-28 victory over the Los Angeles Rams ... The following week, he scored his first career touchdown on a one-yard run in the third quarter of a 20-17 win against the Washington Redskins ... On December 26, 2016, in a Monday Night Football game, Zenner had 12 carries for 67 rushing yards and a career-high two rushing touchdowns in the first half of the Lions' 21-42 loss to the Dallas Cowboys ... In a limited role in the 2017 season, Zenner had 14 carries for 26 yards and a rushing touchdown ... has 119 career attempts for 420 yards and five touchdowns in three seasons with the Lions ... he also has 207 career receiving yards.

Other Recent Jackrabbits with Pro Tryouts
• Casey Bender, offensive lineman, Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts;
• Cole Brodie, defensive back, Jacksonville Jaguars;
• Zach Carter, defensive lineman, Buffalo Bills;
• Derek Domino, linebacker, Denver Broncos;
• Mitch Erickson, offensive linebacker, Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks;
• JaRon Harris, wide receiver, Green Bay Packers;
• Chris Johnson, linebacker, Arizona Cardinals and Chicago Bears;
• Ryan McKnight, offensive lineman, Cincinnati Bengals;
• Dale Moss, wide receiver, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers;
• Doug Peete, defensive end, Houston Texas;
• Eric Schroeder, defensive lineman, Minnesota Vikings;
• Jack Sherlock, defensive end/linebacker, Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers;
• Melvin Taveras, defensive back, Minnesota Vikings;
• Chris Wagner, tight end, Oakland Raiders;
• Andrew Wagstrom, offensive lineman, Miami Dolphins;
• Bryan Witzmann, offensive lineman, Houston Texans;
• Winston Wright, cornerback, Tennessee Titans

SDSU Players Drafted By NFL Teams
1939: Bob Riddell, end, Philadelphia (17)
1951: Harry Gibbons, back, Chicago (20)
1951: Dick Peot, tackle, Detroit (28)
1953: Pete Retzlaff, back, Detroit (22)
1955: Jerry Welch, back, Baltimore (22)
1956: Dick Klawitter, center, Chicago (8)
1957: Harwood Hoeft, end, Baltimore (24)
1958: Wayne Haensel, tackle, N.Y. Giants (25)
1959: LeRoy Bergan, tackle, Baltimore (17)
1961: Leland Bondhus, tackle, Green Bay (19)
1962: Joe Thorne, back, Green Bay (12)
1962: Ron Frank, tackle, San Francisco (16)
1964: Wayne Rasmussen, back, Detroit (9)
1966: Ron Meyer, quarterback, Chicago (7)
1966: Ed Maras, end, Green Bay (20)
1970: Tim Roth, defensive end, Oakland (16)
1973: Phil Engle, tackle, Green Bay (11)
1975: Lynn Boden, tackle, Detroit (1)
1975: Jerry Lawrence, tackle, Houston (8)
1976: Todd Simonsen, tackle, Houston (6)
1976: Bob Gissler, defensive end, Miami (14)
1978: Bill Matthews, linebacker, New England (5)
1980: Chuck Loewen, offensive lineman, San Diego (7)
1986: Bruce Klostermann, linebacker, Denver (8)
1993: Doug Miller, linebacker, San Diego (7)
1995: Adam Timmerman, offensive lineman, Green Bay (7)
1999: Steve Heiden, tight end, San Diego (3)
2010: Danny Batten, defensive end, Buffalo (6)
2018: Dallas Goedert, tight end, Philadelphia (2)

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