Tag: Jaleel McLaughlin

Check out these highlights of new Broncos RB Jaleel McLaughlin

Check out these highlights of new Broncos RB Jaleel McLaughlin, who holds the NCAA record for the most career rushing yards.

After the draft, the Denver Broncos signed college free agent running back Jaleel McLaughlin, who holds the NCAA record for the most career rushing yards (8,155) after two years at Notre Dame College (Division II) and three seasons at Youngstown State (FCS).

McLaughlin (5-7, 187 pounds) dominated the DII and FCS levels of college football, and he ran a 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds at his pro day. That was enough to draw the attention of the Broncos, who signed him as a UDFA.

McLaughlin’s size might make him a longshot to make the 53-man roster, but he could be a strong candidate for the practice squad. He’ll get a chance to compete during training camp and preseason this summer.

McLaughlin joins a backfield that includes Javonte Williams, Samaje Perine, Tony Jones, Damarea Crockett, Tyreik McAllister, Jacques Patrick and Tyler Badie. Denver carried three running backs on their initial 53-man roster last year.

McLaughlin’s highlights can be seen in the above video.

Broncos announce undrafted free agent signings: Meet the 15 players

Learn more about the 15 undrafted free agents the Broncos signed following the 2023 NFL draft.

After selecting five players in the 2023 NFL draft (and adding a sixth player through a draft-day trade), the Denver Broncos have filled their 90-man offseason roster by signing undrafted free agents.

The Broncos signed 15 UDFAs after the draft, including two running backs and two defensive linemen. Those are two notable positions given that Denver did not select a running back or a defensive lineman during the draft.

The Broncos also brought in tight ends, wide receivers, offensive linemen, linebackers and defensive backs. Undrafted players often face long odds to make the 53-man roster, but Denver has a strong history of uncovering UDFA gems.

Here’s a look at the 15 UDFA signings the Broncos made in 2023.

Broncos expected to sign NCAA’s all-time leading rusher as UDFA

Undrafted free agent Jaleel McLaughlin, who set an NCAA record with more than 8,000 yards in college, is expected to sign with the Broncos.

The Denver Broncos have not yet officially announced their 2023 undrafted free agent signings, but we’ve been tracking the team’s UDFA additions on Broncos Wire.

One of the biggest names on the list so far running back Jaleel McLaughlin. The speedy running back started his college career at the Division II level, rushing for more than 2,400 in each of his two years at Notre Dame College (Ohio). McLaughlin then transferred to Youngstown State (FCS).

At YSU, McLaughlin rushed for 3,418 yards in three years, finishing his college career with 8,155 rushing yards, an NCAA record at any level. He scored 79 rushing touchdowns in five seasons.

The productive running back then turned heads at YSU’s pro day by running a 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds. McLaughlin was “widely expected to be drafted,” according to Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon, so Denver might have landed a gem by signing him as a UDFA. 

Before the draft, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein predicted McLaughlin would be a sixth-round pick. He might now be an early favorite to make the Broncos’ 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent. 

We are tracking all of the team’s UDFA signings on this page.

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Broncos’ projected running back depth chart after NFL draft

Samaje Perine might serve as a fill-in starter for the Broncos early in the season if Javonte Williams is not fully recovered by Week 1.

The Denver Broncos did not select a running back in the 2023 NFL draft, leaving the team with an interesting RB depth chart going into OTAs.

Here’s a quick projection of where Denver’s running back depth chart stands at the moment.

Projected starter: Javonte Williams is recovering from a serious knee injury that might make him a candidate to begin the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, which would rule him out for the first four games of the season. Williams is the obvious starter once healthy. 

RB2/Fill-in starter: Samaje Perine proved with the Cincinnati Bengals that he’s a quality RB2 who has the ability to serve as a fill-in starter. If Williams does begin the season the PUP list, Perine will start in his place.

RB3: Tony Jones seems to be the early favorite to win the third-string running back job given his familiarity in Sean Payton’s offense. Jones started four games for the Saints in 2021, rushing 54 times for 142 yards that season. Last year, he split time between New Orleans and the Seattle Seahawks.

Competing for RB4: Damarea Crockett, Tyler Badie, Tyreik McAllister, Jaleel McLaughlin and Emanuel Wilson will likely be competing for the final active roster spot and one or two practice squad spots. Crockett has the most experience in this group. Badie made one appearance last season and McAllister has spent time on Denver’s practice squad. 

McLaughlin and Wilson are expected to be among the team’s undrafted free agent signings, which are yet to be officially announced.

Unless the Broncos are comfortable with Jones potentially serving as the default RB2 if Williams is sidelined early in the season, the team could be in the market to sign a veteran free agent running back. The list of RBs still available includes Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette, Kareem Hunt and Phillip Lindsay.

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Browns in attendance for Youngstown State pro day

Could the Browns add the Youngstown State product?

College pro days continue with the 2023 NFL Draft taking place at the end of next month and the Cleveland Browns were in attendance at Youngstown State’s recent workouts. The team could look to add some depth at running back with D’Ernest Johnson’s departure and Kareem Hunt expected to leave as well in free agency.

Youngstown State’s Jaleel McLaughlin is a very intriguing prospect who had an impressive outing at the pro day. McLaughlin is an explosive runner with the speed to hit the home run and he showed that by running a 4.44 40-yard dash to go with some impressive agility drills.

McLaughlin also showed some nice straight getting 17 reps of 225 on the bench press. He is the type of player that you bet on traits on day three of the draft with some fun tape and the potential to turn into a good depth piece in the NFL.

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