Former SMU standouts opened the 2026 NFL season across nine teams, with Matthew Hibner, Evan Brown and Brandon Stephens among the notable contributors.
SMU football was well represented across the NFL in Week 1, with former Mustangs contributing on offense, defense and special teams as the 2026 season got underway.
One of the strongest debuts came from Baltimore Ravens tight end Matthew Hibner, who caught his lone target for 13 yards in Baltimore’s 41-23 win over Indianapolis.
Hibner also earned an 81.1 offensive grade, giving the rookie an efficient start to his NFL career. The Ravens list him with one reception for 13 yards through the opening week.
Rashee Rice recorded two catches for 19 yards and one touchdown in the Chief's win over Denver.
Evan Brown also turned in a solid performance in the trenches for Houston. The veteran center played all 79 offensive snaps and posted a 74.5 pass-blocking grade while allowing no pressures, hits or sacks.
Denver wide receiver Courtland Sutton had a quieter opener, finishing with two catches for 11 yards in the Broncos’ 31-10 loss to Kansas City. Denver’s offense struggled throughout the night, and Sutton was among several established weapons who never found much room.
“Mentally, you can tell that he’s like, ‘I’m ready to go do this,’” Sutton said of quarterback Bo Nix before the opener. Week 1, however, showed Denver still has plenty to clean up offensively.
Several other former Mustangs made their impact away from the box score.
Brashard Smith logged three special-teams snaps for Kansas City, while Charles Woods played 17 special-teams snaps and one defensive snap for New England, recording one tackle.
On defense, Brandon Stephens saw 50 snaps for the New York Jets and was involved in eight key plays as New York opened with a 23-10 victory over Tennessee.
Elijah Roberts played 16 defensive snaps for Tampa Bay and registered one quarterback hurry.
Former SMU tight end Kylen Granson contributed on 19 special-teams snaps for Tennessee, while longtime NFL long snapper Zach Wood handled 10 special-teams snaps for New Orleans.
The numbers varied, but the broader takeaway was clear: SMU’s NFL footprint continues to grow.
From Hibner making his first professional catch to veterans such as Brown, Sutton and Wood continuing established careers, former Mustangs were scattered across the league in meaningful roles during opening weekend.
