Kedon Slovis Shines In NFL’s Preseason Kickoff

Former BYU Cougars were all over the box score Thursday night as the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers met in the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, a contest Carolina won 33-30. Three ex-BYU standouts in particular — Kedon Slovis, Miles Davis and Brady Christensen — played prominent roles in the outcome.

Slovis, now with Arizona, took over at quarterback for the majority of the second half and turned in the most efficient performance on the field. He completed 9 of 10 passes for 106 yards and a touchdown, finishing with a game-high 144.2 passer rating. His signature moment came with under two minutes remaining, when he connected with Bryson Green on a 1-yard touchdown pass that appeared to give the Cardinals the lead.

Carolina answered immediately, though, putting together a game-winning scoring drive of its own to steal the result away from Arizona in the closing seconds.

On the other side, Davis made the most of a limited workload for the Panthers. The running back, who spent five seasons at BYU before transferring to Utah State and breaking out for nearly 1,000 total yards last season, led Carolina in rushing with just four carries for 53 yards. He also caught three passes for eight yards, showing the versatility that made him a name to watch heading into the preseason.

Christensen, meanwhile, anchored Carolina’s offensive line from his starting spot at center. His unit helped pave the way for a strong night on the ground for the Panthers, who rushed for 141 yards as a team at an efficient 6.4 yards per carry — production that played a direct role in setting up Carolina’s late heroics.

Beyond the three BYU alums, the game carried an additional Utah connection: Simi Fehoko, a Utah native and former Brighton High School standout, hauled in a 5-yard touchdown catch for the Cardinals from rookie quarterback Carson Beck, marking Beck’s first NFL touchdown pass.