Four Savannah-area football products got the starting call in the NFL this weekend, as Ted Hurst, Warren Brinson, Austin Blaske and Dylan McMahon all started during preseason action.
Hurst, the former Sol C. Johnson standout, started at wide receiver and was targeted six times in Tampa Bay's 24-16 win over the New York Jets. Savannah Christian's Brinson started at defensive tackle and recorded a tackle for loss in Green Bay's 28-9 loss to Pittsburgh, while South Effingham's Blaske and Savannah Christian's McMahon started together on the offensive line in the Los Angeles Rams' 20-12 win over Kansas City.
Now that got my attention. These guys weren't just getting a few late preseason snaps. All four started. Four local guys. Four NFL preseason starts.
Here's how they did.
Ted Hurst — Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ted Hurst — Tampa Bay Buccaneers
High School: Sol C. Johnson
College: Valdosta State / Georgia State
NFL Experience: Rookie
The Buccaneers didn't waste any time finding Hurst.
How about the first offensive play of the game?
Quarterback Connor Bazelak went deep looking for the former Atom Smasher. The pass fell incomplete, but it was the first of six targets for Hurst.
Hurst finished with two catches for 19 yards, and both receptions moved the chains — a 7-yard catch on second-and-6 and a 12-yarder on third-and-5.
He also received a red-zone opportunity when Tampa Bay targeted him on third-and-5 from the Jets' 5-yard line.
Here's the number that jumps out: six of Bazelak's 20 pass attempts went toward Hurst.
That's 30 percent.
Two catches for 19 yards may not jump off the stat sheet.
The start, six targets and opportunities certainly do.
Warren Brinson — Green Bay Packers
Warren Brinson — Green Bay Packers
High School: Savannah Christian / IMG Academy
College: Georgia
NFL Experience: 2nd season
Brinson also got the call with the starters.
The former Savannah Christian/IMG standout started at defensive tackle and finished with one solo tackle and one tackle for loss.
And that tackle for loss mattered.
On second-and-10, Brinson helped stop Pittsburgh running back Travis Homer for a 1-yard loss. Green Bay recorded a sack on the next play, forcing a punt.
Tackle for loss. Third-and-long. Sack. Punt.
That's how a defensive lineman can impact a possession without filling up the stat sheet.
Brinson played at Georgia and was part of the Bulldogs' back-to-back national championship teams before Green Bay selected him in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The stat line was small.
The start and the play in the backfield weren't.
Austin Blaske — Los Angeles Rams
High School: South Effingham
College: Georgia / North Carolina
NFL Experience: Rookie
Now here's a pretty good local football nugget.
Two Savannah-area guys started on the same NFL offensive line.
Former South Effingham standout Austin Blaske started at left tackle for the Rams in their 20-12 win over Kansas City.
And here's the number offensive linemen love:
Zero sacks.
Los Angeles attempted 31 passes and didn't allow a sack while finishing with 321 yards of offense.
Blaske also wasn't charged with a penalty in the official gamebook.
For an offensive lineman, we don't need to overthink this one.
Started at left tackle. Zero sacks allowed. Rams win. And later, Blaske moved inside to left guard, lining up right next to fellow Savannah-area product Dylan McMahon at center.
Two local guys. Side by side on an NFL offensive line. No sacks!
That's doing your job from the SAV!
Dylan McMahon — Los Angeles Rams
High School: Savannah Christian
College: NC State
NFL Experience: 3rd season
Move down that same Rams offensive line, and there's another familiar name.
The former Savannah Christian standout started at center, putting two Savannah-area products on the Rams' starting offensive line alter on in the game next to each other.
McMahon played 49 games with 44 starts during his college career at NC State.
Against Kansas City, he helped anchor an offensive line that didn't surrender a sack on 31 passing attempts. McMahon also wasn't charged with a penalty in the official gamebook.
A South Effingham guy at left tackle. A Savannah Christian guy at center. Both starting together in the NFL next to each other.
You gotta like that.
Four Local Guys. Four NFL Starts.
That's the story this weekend.
Hurst. Brinson. Blaske. McMahon.
Different high schools. Different college journeys—same opportunity. Four guys who once played football right here in the Savannah area were listed as NFL preseason starters. Now we'll see what comes next as NFL roster decisions get closer.
From Friday night lights in the Coastal Empire to getting the starting call in the NFL.
NOTE: Information NFL Game Books from NFL.com 08/14/26
Photos courtesy NFL team sites
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Optim Orthopedics presents Prep Sports Report’s 2026 high school football coverage.
Optim Orthopedics wants you in the game.
Keeping Savannah-area athletes healthy and ready for gameday all season long.
Team physicians include Dr. Don Aaron (Bryan County), Dr. David Sedory (Benedictine, Bradwell Institute, Liberty County), Dr. David Palmer (Calvary Day, Richmond Hill, South Effingham), and Dr. Thomas Alexander (Savannah Country Day, St. Vincent’s Academy).
