Former Bulldogs Shine in Final NFL Preseason Games

Three former Allan Hancock College football players made their final push to earn spots on their teams' 53-man rosters on Thursday. After playing their final preseason games on Thursday, NFL teams are required to set their 53-man rosters by September 1. Each team will cut more than 20 players between now and Saturday afternoon.

Rookie running back Malik Williams, an undrafted free agent with the Atlanta Falcons, scored his first professional touchdown, an 8-yard scoring run late in the first half. The Falcons fell 34-7 to the Miami Dolphins. Williams provided an eye-opening highlight for Atlanta late in the first quarter when quarterback Kurt Benkert completed a short pass to Williams who hurdled over Jordan Lucas to turn a short gain into a 16-yard gain. To view the play, click here. Williams finished the game with 20 rushing yards on seven carries, as well as two receptions for 35 yards.

"That's the big back we were hoping to see when we saw him coming out of Louisville," said Atlanta Head Coach Dan Quinn of Williams, who was an all-state and all-conference kick returner and running back for Hancock in 2015 before transferring to Louisville.

Fourth-year running back Cameron Artis-Payne led the Carolina Panthers with 35 rushing yards on five carries, including a 13-yard gain. He also caught two passes for seven yards. Carolina fell 39-24 to Pittsburgh in its final regular season tune-up. Artis-Payne, an All-American running back for Hancock from 2011-12, has 422 rushing yards and four touchdowns in his NFL career.

Second-year defensive lineman Brian Price registered one quarterback hit during the Dallas Cowboys' 14-6 loss to the Houston Texans. Price played for Hancock in 2012 before transferring to University of Texas at San Antonio.

Defensive back Josh Thornton did not suit up for the Texans after Houston placed the former Bulldog on injured reserve last week. A late season addition to Houston's practice squad last season, Thornton will remain on IR through the end of the season, barring an injury settlement. Thornton played for Hancock from 2012-13 before transferring to Southern Utah.