​(WJHL) — It was a tough Sunday for a pair of local standout athletes as NFL roster cuts began to take effect. Both players, who honed their skills on regional high school fields before advancing to Virginia Tech, were waived by their respective teams.Former Tennessee High Viking Jaden Keller was released by the New York Jets. The 23-year-old linebacker, standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 235 pounds, capped off a five-year college career where he made 17 starts for the Hokies.Meanwhile, former Union Bear James Mitchell was waived by the Carolina Panthers. The tight end put together a strong training camp and delivered a solid preseason, hauling in eight passes for 42 yards across four exhibition games with Carolina. Although he did not make the initial roster, his productive preseason performance gives him a strong chance of being signed to the Panthers’ practice squad if he clears waivers unclaimed.The East Tennessee State football team may have stumbled in its season opener on Saturday, falling 49-37 to Campbell, but some bright spots arrived for former Buccaneers on NFL roster cutdown day.Former Buccaneer Nate Adkins successfully made the cut for the Denver Broncos. The Knoxville native and tight end, who played for ETSU from 2018 to 2021, continues to carve out a role in Denver after racking up six catches and a touchdown last season.Joining him with good news, former running back Jacob Saylors earned a spot on the Detroit Lions’ initial lineup. Saylors logged valuable carries across all three of Detroit’s preseason games and looks poised to see regular-season action amidst injuries in the backfield.Unfortunately, not all former local standouts received favorable news. Both Alijah Huzzie and Chandler Martin were waived by their respective teams as final roster cuts were finalized.Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.