Tag: rookie minicamp

Chiefs rookie minicamp tryouts selected in 2023 XFL rookie draft

Several players who attended #Chiefs rookie minicamp on a tryout basis were selected in the XFL rookie draft.

The Kansas City Chiefs hosted 51 players on a tryout basis at their rookie minicamp back in May.

Only a handful of those players earned an opportunity to join the 90-man offseason roster in Kansas City. Some have since gone on to try out and join other NFL teams. Others will try to take a non-traditional route to the NFL, joining a spring football league to prove themselves.

The XFL hosted their 2023 rookie draft on Friday, June 16 and several of the players selected were at the Chiefs’ rookie minicamp just a month ago. One player was even recently released from their 90-man roster.

Here’s a quick look at those players and which XFL teams draft them:

Chargers’ Ryan Ficken points to athleticism as Daiyan Henley’s biggest strength

Ryan Ficken made it clear that Daiyan Henley’s athleticism could factor into a role on his special teams unit.

Chargers special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken will rely on rookies to fill several holes on his unit in 2023. First-year linebacker Daiyan Henley, a former collegiate receiver, looks particularly poised to play a key role for the team in punt coverage as a gunner next season.

Asked about Henley’s most dominant qualities this week, Ficken pointed to the linebacker’s raw vigor as a trait that could benefit his special teams unit next season.

“I would say his athleticism and then his strength,” he said. “He’s a very good football player. If you’re talking about the specific punt and all of that stuff — punt he’s going to have to learn a little bit more in terms of punt because it’s a little bit of a different system than what he’s coming from in college. This guy is a football player.

“That’s what I try and instill in these guys coming from college. They’re running backs, receivers or whatever position they are — they’re not a running back when they get into the NFL. You’re a football player. That’s what we have to make sure that they understand. How can I increase my value to be able to get onto the field and help this football team win a lot of football games?”

Clearly, Ficken won’t be satisfied if Henley’s only core competency lies in his physical traits. Instead, he needs the rookie to soak up knowledge like a sponge and develop into an all-around special teamer to win a role as one of their go-to players in punt coverage.

Watch for Henley to continue improving his game to that end through rookie minicamp, OTAs, and training camp this summer to hone his skillset ahead of the regular season kickoff in September.

Undrafted rookies Shaquan Davis, Mark Evans II hope to do their schools proud with the Saints

South Carolina State WR Shaquan Davis and Arkansas-Pine Bluff OL Mark Evans II are two must-watch Saints undrafted rookies from HBCU programs, via @southexclusives:

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The New Orleans Saints have never been afraid to dip their toe into the undrafted free agent pool. Sometimes, they’ll even dive head first into it. As of recent, their fondness of undrafted free agents can most easily be seen, but not limited, to defensive tackle. The most prominent undrafted free agents from last year were wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, offensive lineman Lewis Kidd, and defensive back Smoke Monday.

Two undrafted players to watch this year come from the HBCU ranks: South Carolina State wide receiver Shaquan Davis and Arkansas-Pine Bluff offensive lineman Mark Evans. They both stand a chance to make the roster like Shaheed. Let’s look at what they bring to the table.

Both players bring heavy contract guarantees to the table. Davis comes in tied with Vanderbilt linebacker Anfernee Orji for the second-most guaranteed money given out to Saints undrafted free agents. This just shows the level of investment put into these players early. Davis was the lead receiver for the Bulldogs for the past two seasons. Everybody knew where the ball was going in important moments and still couldn’t stop him.

Davis was a dominant force in the MEAC, leading the conference in yards. Standing at 6-foot-5, you’d be surprised at how well he stretches the field vertically. He averaged 20 yards per catch in each of the last two seasons. He has also showcased the ability to rise to the occasion. In the 2021 Celebration Bowl, Davis had his national breakout game against Jackson State while scoring 3 touchdowns and winning MVP recognition in the bowl game.

Evans is the highest-paid undrafted free agent in this year’s class. He was arguably the most dominant offensive lineman in the SWAC for the last two seasons. He went undrafted likely because of poor size (by NFL standards) and athletic testing. Don’t worry, his film with pads on was more impressive than his drills in just shorts.

He spent his collegiate career as a left tackle but will likely move inside to left guard because of size limitations. He played guard at the East-West Shrine Bowl and looked like he possessed good mobility and an ability to get to the second level of the defense. He might need a year to develop into his new position. That’s expected and not an issue because he likely wouldn’t play until next year anyway. With Doug Marrone’s coaching, Evans could turn into one of the players vying to replace Andrus Peat in 2024 or a valuable utility lineman at another spot.

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Totally Asim: Cowboys’ Day 3 draft pick could blossom under OL coaching in Dallas

From @ToddBrock24f7: Asim Richards saw a quantum leap after a coaching change at North Carolina. He’s primed to do it again in the Cowboys’ vaunted OL system.

Yes, it’s pronounced awesome, at least if your accent is from the right part of the country.

Now Asim (AH-sim) Richards hopes to live up to that billing after being selected by the Cowboys in the fifth round of this year’s draft. And while his numbers as a North Carolina senior were impressive enough on their own, it may have been something else that really caught the eye of the Dallas staff.

Richards came to offensive line play late, transitioning away from defensive end and tight end for his senior year of high school. As a freshman in Chapel Hill, he was mostly a backup. From 2020 to 2022, though, he started his final 34 games, and he went from the line’s weak link as a sophomore to the unit’s leader as a senior.

Richards played over 1,000 offensive snaps in 2022 at left tackle and allowed just three sacks against stiff conference competition. He was named to the All-ACC’s third team as a result.

Something had changed dramatically along the way- namely, the coaching Richards was getting at his position. Jack Bicknell took over OL duties for the Tar Heels’ 2022 season, and it unlocked a whole new level for the Philadelphia native.

“He came in, told us that we can be more physical, get down lower, and that we don’t have to be so passive,” Richards explained last November. “And it really changed the culture of the O-line room.

“It’s about being more aggressive,” he added. “Like with pass blocking, not waiting for them to get there; you can go out and attack… And with run blocking, just getting your hands in the right spot. Keep driving your feet, being more physical.”

That one-year quantum leap hints at even more untapped potential still hidden beneath the surface, just waiting to be drawn out of the 22-year-old by the right coaches.

Mike Solari, in his first year as OL coach for the Cowboys, started the lessons right out of the gate, putting Richards at guard during rookie minicamp. After playing all but one college game at left tackle (and the other at left guard), it will be yet another series of adjustments for the 6-foot-4-inch Richards.

But he’s ready to make an impression on his coaches no matter the assignment.

“I can play wherever,” Richards said shortly after being drafted 169th overall.

The Cowboys may take him up on that. Mike McCarthy’s first comments about Richards referenced his versatility.

“He definitely has position flex, so I think the biggest thing,” the coach explained on draft weekend, “is the ability to play tackle and move down to guard. Position flex is so important.”

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Bulking up may also help the rookie. At 307 pounds, Richards is on the light end of the Cowboys’ preferred range for offensive linemen. UNC coach Mack Brown said improving his strength is Richards’s biggest need; the elite strength and conditioning staff in Dallas can certainly help with that.

But to start, Richards simply wants to show his new coaches he’s ready, willing, and able to take their tutoring.

“You really just have to go out there and give effort, effort, effort,” he said after his first minicamp sessions. “Go out there and run and fly around. I know they try and keep us fresh, but really go out there and fly around, give effort, and if you show that, then you’re gonna be just fine. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

Richards may be coming in as low man on the totem pole, behind Cowboys OL stalwarts Tyron Smith, Zack Martin, Terence Steele, and Tyler Smith. And he’ll have to battle alongside veterans like Josh Ball, Matt Farniok, Matt Waletzko, and Chuma Edoga just to make the roster. But Richards has already shown a knack for learning and then translating that coaching to exponential power on the field. If he can do it in the pros, too, he could quickly prove to be a steal of a fifth-round draft pick and maybe even a long-term answer for the Cowboys up front.

And that would be awesome indeed.

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Broncos coach Sean Payton shielding rookies from media hype

Sean Payton didn’t have draft picks do podium pressers, and he has encouraged players to give boring, cliché answers when they do speak.

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Things are different in Broncos Country these days.

Last year, following the arrival of enthusiastic head coach Nathaniel Hackett and always-motivational quarterback Russell Wilson, the Denver Broncos fueled the flames of hype leading up the 2022 season.

Denver then failed to live up to the offseason hype with a dismal 5-12 record last fall. When new coach Sean Payton arrived this offseason, he vowed that things would be different in 2023.

“[We’ll be] a little bit more anonymous donors this season,” Payton said in February. “Just know that we’re working, but with a little bit less visibility on social media and all those other things. We’re going to get to work, and ultimately, it’s how we do in the fall [that matters].”

Payton was serious.

The coach did not make any players available to the media during the initial stages of the offseason program. No press conferences for the free agent signings or new coaches. No pressers for the draft class.

The NFL will require players to be made available when organized team activities begin later this month, but Payton hasn’t made any players or coaches available for non-mandatory press conferences so far.

Payton did allow media access to an open locker room during rookie minicamp to prepare players for that kind of setting during the season.

“Part of orientation is prepping them,” Payton said of the team’s rookies on May 13. “For a lot of them, they aren’t used to an open locker room. I like all you guys, but I was not trying to throw anyone a bone [with media access].

“This is to get them prepared for the media coming into the locker room. It’s all of it — getting them prepared and also understanding that they are currently behind the group that has been here.”

Payton also said (jokingly?) that he would give a $50 gift card to the rookie who gave the most “bland, cliched, on-brand answers” during the open locker room session. Clearly, the coach doesn’t want the team’s young players feeding into the hype or causing any kind of controversies in the media.

It makes for a more boring offseason, but it’s a smart decision.

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Chargers WR Quentin Johnston talks about giving his mother the gift of retirement

Quentin Johnston set aside a portion of his rookie contract to help his mother retire, making good on a draft night promise.

When Quentin Johnston was selected by the Chargers in the first round of April’s draft, his first thought wasn’t about a new car or house that he might be able to buy with his rookie contract, but rather the prospect that his mother might be able to retire with his help.

He told his mother on draft night that she could stop working and retire, and after officially inking his rookie deal last Friday, he seems set to follow through on that commitment.

In speaking to the media after practice at rookie minicamp, he talked about what it means to him to be able to make such a monumental change in the lives of his family.

It means the world to me. I’m a big family person. Obviously, growing up, I wouldn’t be in this position I am today if it wasn’t for both of my parents and the sacrifices that they made, getting me to and from different games, different practices, different events when they had stuff planned already. I would’ve done the same thing for my dad, but my dad was already retired, so I just gave him a pat on the back right there. To give back to them and see the look on their faces, it’s everything.

Clearly, Johnston is motivated by far more than money in his first year with the Chargers, and if his comments are any indication, he is well on his way to paying back all of the help that got him into the NFL.

Brandon Staley’s message to Chargers rookies: ‘There’s a lot of learning to do’

Brandon Staley is focused on getting his first-year players acclimated to life in the NFL.

The Chargers will rely on their veterans to help lift the team to a playoff victory next season. But they are also banking on the contributions from their 2023 draft class too.

Head coach Brandon Staley had a clear message for the team’s first-year players at rookie minicamp last week.

In speaking to reporters, Staley made clear that the development of knowledge and familiarization with the team’s schemes would be a top priority during this phase of the offseason program.

“There’s a lot of learning to do, so everything you’re doing this weekend, you’re doing something for the first time,” He explained. “Just learn as much as you can, work as hard as you can. We’re just going to try and make this a big-time teaching camp for them so that when they get started with the veterans on Monday, they feel like, ‘Hey, I’m one of us.'”

As the Chargers’ rookies continue picking up what the coaches put in front of them this week, fans can expect that the team will get a clearer idea of who might be ready to contribute right away and who might need some time to get comfortable.

Staley and his staff are getting their first look at their newest crop of talent firsthand, and incremental progress is their goal at this juncture.

Panthers sign rookie minicamp invitee Antwuan Jackson

The Panthers have signed DT Antwuan Jackson, who played nine games for the XFL’s Seattle Sea Dragons this past season.

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On Saturday, Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich told reporters to expect a couple of this weekend’s tryout players to find their way onto the roster. Well, one has found his way.

Defensive tackle Antwuan Jackson, per defensive tackle Antwuan Jackson, signed with the team on Monday evening. Jackson was one of 17 players invited to attend this year’s rookie minicamp.

An Ellenwood, Ga. native, Jackson took the reverse Cam Newton route in college—going from Auburn University in 2016 to Blinn Junior College in 2017. After being named the Southwest Junior College Football Conference Most Valuable Player, he moved on to Ohio State University in January of 2018.

The 6-foot-2, 300-pounder was a Buckeye for four years—amassing 48 total tackles (9.0 for a loss) and 3.5 sacks between 2018 and 2021.

Jackson’s most recent stop prior to Carolina landed him in the XFL for the 2023 campaign. He racked up 20 tackles over nine games for the Seattle Sea Dragons.

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First look at top draft pick Christian Gonzalez in Patriots gear

Get your first look at rookie first-round draft pick Christian Gonzalez on the Patriots’ practice field.

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The New England Patriots opened their rookie minicamp over the weekend, and pictures are beginning to emerge of first-round draft pick Christian Gonzalez on the field in Patriots gear for the first time.

Many had Gonzalez as the top cornerback in the entire 2023 NFL draft. Yet, he still somehow fell to the Patriots at No. 17 overall, after the team traded down from No. 14 with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Not only did they get a future franchise player for their defensive backfield, but they also came away with an extra fourth-round pick in the deal.

Gonzalez is already hard at work with the expectations that he’ll factor heavily into the team’s 2023 plans.

The Patriots selected 12 players off the draft board. So they will have plenty of talent to sift through when cutting down their roster over the summer.

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Watch: Falcons rookie minicamp highlights

WATCH: Highlights from the #Falcons’ 2023 rookie minicamp

The Atlanta Falcons wrapped up their rookie minicamp over the weekend as the team’s 2023 draft class got its first taste of practice in the National Football League.

First-round pick Bijan Robinson and the rest of the rookies took the field for the first time in a Falcons uniform. Atlanta has since signed wide receiver Slade Bolden and linebacker Andre Smith to the roster.

Since there won’t be much football to watch in the near future, check out the best highlights from Falcons rookie minicamp below.