Tag: undrafted free agent

Draft Wire says Chiefs fans should keep an eye on this undrafted free agent

Our friend @JeffRisdon at @TheDraftWire thinks #Chiefs fans should keep an eye on this UDFA offensive lineman.

The Kansas City Chiefs haven’t officially announced their undrafted free agent signings yet, but there are quite a few that have been reported.

Our friend Jeff Risdon of Draft Wire recently chose one undrafted free agent to watch for each NFL team. Chiefs fans would probably point to Tulsa RB Deneric Prince out of sheer need, but Risdon went the unexpected route and mentioned an intriguing player in the trenches.

His choice: Grand Valley State LT Quinton Barrow.

Barrow has the measurables at 6-5/335 with long arms and big hands, and he plays with a style that suggests more of a streetfight than a football game. He needs some technical polish and won’t ever be agile, but Barrow should make it as a reserve tackle/guard with some upside.

Barrow started 36 games for the Lakers since 2019. He earned First-Team All-GLIAC honors in 2021 and 2022. During the 2022 season, he was a consensus All-American and the GLIAC Offensive Lineman of the Year. With 34-inch arms, he can play both tackle and guard at the next level, but anchoring in pass protection will be a problem against some more powerful rushers.

The Chiefs do have some needs for reserve linemen on both the interior and outside. Barrow could prove to be a strong developmental candidate given his length, quickness and strength in the run game.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=217674209]

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.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]

Vikings give large guarantees to UDFA EDGE Andre Carter II

The Minnesota Vikings gave UDFA EDGE Andre Carter II a massive amount of guarantees, which signals that they believe he makes the team.

When you call a UDFA to bring them into the fold, you sometimes need to entice them with a large signing bonus and guaranteed money. The Minnesota Vikings did so with one from their undrafted free agent class.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Vikings guaranteed $300k in salary and a $40k signing bonus to Army edge rusher Andre Carter II, which is one of the biggest commitments ever to an undrafted free agent.

The massive commitment to Carter II says a couple of things. He was both in massive demand after the draft and the Vikings believe he will make the active roster.

There is a long way to go for Carter II, mainly due to his frame. Playing football at Westpoint is tough because you are training for both football and military service. Not a great thing when it comes to strength at the point of attack, something that is necessary when setting the edge.

What Carter II does have is elite movement skills for someone his size. His 10-yard split is good, but elite scores in the three-cone and short shuttle is even better. If they can get his body right and improve his core strength, maybe the Vikings have something down the line.

Packers announce signings of 12 undrafted free agents following 2023 draft

The Packers signed 12 undrafted free agents after taking 13 players in the 2023 NFL draft.

After selecting 13 players in the 2023 NFL draft, the Green Bay Packers signed 12 undrafted free agents in college free agency.

The Packers signed the following players:

1. FB Henry Pearson, Appalachian State (6-2, 249)
2. WR Malik Heath, Ole Miss (6-2, 213)
3. WR Duece Watts, Tulane (6-1, 196)
4. TE Camren McDonald, Florida State (6-4, 237)
5. OT Kadeem Telfort, UAB (6-7, 322)
6. G Chuck Filiaga, Minnesota (6-6, 321)
7. DL Jason Lewan, Illinois State (6-6, 293)
8. LB Brenton Cox Jr., Florida (6-4, 250)
9. LB Keshawn Banks, San Diego State (6-3, 251)
10. LB Jimmy Phillips Jr., SMU (6-1, 232)
11. S Benny Sapp, Northern Iowa (5-11, 200)
12. S Christian Morgan, Baylor (6-0, 200)

The Packers held pre-draft visits with McDonald and Telfort.

Including the draft, the Packers added one quarterback, one running back, one fullback, five wide receivers, three tight ends, two offensive linemen, three defensive linemen, three edge rushers, one linebacker, one cornerback, three safeties and one kicker to the roster, for a total of 25 new players.

[lawrence-related id=93423,93340,93252]

Packers sign undrafted free agent OLB Brenton Cox Jr.

The Green Bay Packers signed undrafted free agent Brenton Cox Jr., an edge rusher out of Florida. 

The Green Bay Packers signed undrafted free agent Brenton Cox Jr., an edge rusher out of Florida.

Over one season at Georgia and three more at Florida, Cox produced 137 tackles, 34 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, one forced fumble and 10 pass breakups. He played in 46 games and made 34 starts.

During a breakout 2021 season, Cox delivered 14.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks over 13 games. He had 4.0 sacks in a game against Florida State.

Cox, a five-star recruit who played as a true freshman at Georgia, was dismissed for off-the-field reasons at both Georgia and Florida.

At the combine, Cox (6-4, 250) ran the 40-yard dash in 4.82 seconds, hit 33″ in the vertical leap, covered 9-7 in the broad jump and completed 24 reps on the bench press. He added the short shuttle (4.57) and three-cone (7.57) at Florida’s pro day. His Relative Athletic Score is 6.33 out of 10.0.

Cox was Dane Brugler’s No. 39 overall edge rusher in the class with an undrafted grade. Lance Zierlein also gave Cox an undrafted grade.

Brugler’s scouting report: “A three-year starter at Florida, Cox played the ‘Jack’ edge rusher position in former defensive coordinator Patrick Toney’s scheme (Toney joined the Arizona Cardinals’ staff after the 2022 season). After a quick exit at Georgia, he grew into a key cog in the Gators’ defensive attack (32.0 tackles for loss in 33 games in Gainesville) before he was dismissed from the program midway through his senior season. Cox doesn’t rush with consistent power or a fully-planned out attack, but his hands and feet are quick and make it tough for blockers to counter. Though he isn’t an assignment-sound run defender, he has terrific pursuit from the backside
and the gas tank is never empty. Overall, Cox has draftable and rosterable talent, but based on his history, it will take an NFL team with a large appetite for risk to invest a draft pick in the player. His energy as a pass rusher gives him a fighting chance.”

Lance Zierlein’s scouting report: “Former five-star recruit whose dismissals from both Georgia and Florida could hurt his draft stock. On the field, Cox is a linear attacker with heavy hands and the ability to effectively stack and shed blocks. While he has some bend-and-dip athleticism as a rusher, he’s primarily a brute-force attacker currently lacking the game plan or counters to beat offensive tackles possessing a quality anchor. He needs more technique work across the board but has the traits to create advantages for himself on the field. He has the potential to slot in as a rotational 3-4 outside ‘backer, but he needs to convince teams the issues that led to his dismissals from Georgia and Florida won’t resurface in the NFL.”

[lawrence-related id=93423,93340,93330]

Broncos WR Jalen Virgil, LB Alex Singleton tweet encouragement to UDFAs

“All you need is an opportunity. Get into a building and keep that chip on your shoulder. It’s not where you start it’s where you finish.”

More than 250 college football players were picked in the 2023 NFL draft over the weekend. Thousands more went undrafted. Some of those undrafted players will get opportunities as college free agents.

The Denver Broncos have begun filling out their 90-man offseason roster by signing undrafted free agents, and two of their current players took to Twitter on Saturday night to share encouragement for this year’s UDFA class.

“For all the guys who didn’t get picked up during the draft, I know how you feel,” wide receiver Jalen Virgil tweeted. “Being passed up after all the work you put in is tough, but all you need is an opportunity. Get into a building & keep that chip on your shoulder. It’s not where you start its where you finish 🙏🏽💯”

After going undrafted out of Appalachian State last year, Virgil signed with the Broncos as a UDFA and made the 53-man roster. He later scored a 66-yard touchdown on the first catch of his career.

Denver linebacker Alex Singleton tweeted this message on Saturday: “Being undrafted doesn’t mean anything! Everyone with their head down today just go to work! Just your beginning!”

After going undrafted out of Montana State in 2016, Singleton spent two seasons playing in Canada before breaking into the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019. He joined the Broncos last spring and went on to lead the team with 163 tackles in 2022. Singleton was then rewarded with a three-year, $18 million contract extension this spring.

Going undrafted doesn’t have to be the end of a football player’s journey — just ask Virgil and Singleton.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Broncos missed out on 2 undrafted free agents

Jack Colletto signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent. David Durden picked the Cowboys over the Broncos.

The Denver Broncos seem to be done (or nearly done) with their undrafted free agent signings, and there are two notable omissions.

The first is West Florida (Division II) wide receiver David Durden, who had a top-30 visit with the Broncos ahead of the draft. Denver attempted to sign Durden after he went undrafted, but the receiver chose to sign with the Dallas Cowboys instead.

The second UDFA that some Broncos fans might be disappointed to miss out on is Oregon State do-everything prospect Jack Colletto. The QB/FB/TE/LB also had a top-30 visit to Denver’s facility before the draft and he’s drawn comparisons to Taysom Hill, which led many to believe he would draw interest from coach Sean Payton.

Colletto ultimately decided to sign with the San Francisco 49ers.

Perhaps also of note — running backs Sean Tucker and Keaton Mitchell, who both met with the Broncos before the draft, signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baltimore Ravens, respectively.

With those running backs off the UDFA board, Denver signed Fort Valley State’s Emmanuel Wilson. He becomes the sixth RB on the depth chart, joining Javonte Williams, Samaje Perine, Tony Jones, Damarea Crockett and Tyler Badie.

We are tracking all of the team’s UDFA signings on Broncos Wire.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]

Texas DB D’Shawn Jamison signs with San Francisco as UDFA

D’Shawn Jamison has signed an undrafted free agency deal with the San Francisco 49ers.

Texas defensive back D’Shawn Jamison has signed an undrafted free agency deal with the San Francisco 49ers. He is the first former Longhorn to sign with an NFL team following the conclusion of the draft.

Jamison is an uber-versatile player who has played all over the Texas secondary before settling in a cornerback his last couple of seasons. He played five years for the Longhorns, appearing in 60 games and making 39 total starts during his college career.

Jamison has great ball skills and change-in-direction ability for a defensive back. He snagged six interceptions and deflected 23 passes for the Texas defense.

One of the more accomplished kick returners in Texas history, Jamison returned two kickoffs and a punt for a touchdown. He has a high upside to continue as a specialist at the NFL level.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz52bnpekkafqb player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=]

Contact/Follow us @LonghornsWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas news, notes and opinions.

Broncos undrafted free agent tracker: View the team’s UDFA signings

We are tracking all of the Broncos’ undrafted free agent signings on this page.

After making five selections in the 2023 NFL draft and trading for a tight end, the Denver Broncos now have room to sign 12 undrafted free agents to fill out their 90-man offseason roster.

We will be tracking all of the team’s UDFA signings on this page. Fans should note that none of these signings are official until confirmed by the team. Sometimes players are invited to rookie minicamp on a tryout basis and mistakenly reported as UDFA signings. The official list from the team will arrive in the coming days.

Last year, Denver’s UDFA signings included wide receivers Jalen Virgil and Brandon Johnson, who both spent time on the active roster in 2022.

Denver Broncos 2023 UDFA signings

1. RB Jaleel McLaughlin, Youngstown State (via)
2. RB Emanuel Wilson, Fort Valley State (via)
3. WR Taylor Grimes, Incarnate Word (via)
4. WR Dallas Daniels, Jackson State (via)
5. TE Kris Leach, Kent State (via)
6. TE Nate Adkins, South Carolina (via)
7. OL Henry Byrd, Princeton (via)
8. OL Alex Palczewski, Illinois (via)
9. OL Demontrey Jacobs, USF (via)
10. DL PJ Mustipher, Penn State (via)
11. DL Sione Asi, Oklahoma State (via)
12. OLB Thomas Incoom, Central Michigan (via)
13. OLB Marcus Haynes, Old Dominion (via)
14. LB Seth Benson, Iowa (via)
15. CB Art Green, Houston (via)
16. CB Darrious Gaines, Western Colorado (via)
17. DB Devon Matthews, Indiana (via)

Broncos rookie minicamp tryout invites

1. QB Ben DiNucci, XFL [via]
2. QB Judd Erickson, San Diego [via]
3. QB Hunter Raquet, CSU-Pueblo [via]
4. RB Jacques Patrick, XFL [via]
5. WR Nick Williams, UNLV [via]
6. WR Josh Johnston, Mines [via]
7. TE Tommy Hudson, ex-Titan [via]
8. TE Dangan Rienks, Mesa State [via]
9. OL Warren Ericson, Georgia [via]
10. OL Gray Davis, Colorado State [via]
11. OL Isaac Cochran, Air Force [via]
12. DL Christian Mejia, Washington State [via]
13. DL Demetrius Taylor, ex-Lion [via]
14. DL Momar Fall, CSU-Pueblo [via]
15. DL Haggai Chisom Ndubuisi, IPP [via]
16. OLB Chris Whittaker, Incarnate Word [via]
17. OLB Trent Harris, XFL [via]
18. LB Bo Calvert, UCLA [via]
19. DB Stephan Blaylock, UCLA [via]
20. DB Marquel Broughton, Army [via]
21. DB Nick Ciccio, Northern Colorado [via]
22. LS Jack Landherr, UCLA [via]
23. K Jared Sackett, UTSA [via]

The Broncos have a great history of finding undrafted free agent gems, including wide receiver Rod Smith and cornerback Chris Harris. When the team won Super Bowl 50 in 2015, 16 players on the roster that season entered the league as UDFAs.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Colts sign Alabama G Emil Ekiyor as UDFA

Emil Ekiyor was a projected mid-round pick.

The Indianapolis Colts had plenty of value with their 12 selections in the 2023 NFL draft, but one of the biggest steals may have come in the form of undrafted guard Emil Ekiyor.

The Alabama product, who was a three-year starter at right guard, is expected to sign with the Colts as an undrafted free agent after surprisingly passing through all seven rounds without being selected. He was named a First-Team All-SEC player in 2022.

The Colts didn’t draft a guard prospect despite having 12 selections, which was a record high during Chris Ballard’s tenure. They did draft two offensive tackle prospects in BYU’s Blake Freeland and Northern Michigan’s Jake Witt, but neither is ready to start right away.

[lawrence-related id=83909,83900]

Ekiyor was projected to be a mid-round pick by several analysts. Here’s what Dane Brugler of The Athletic said about the Alabama product in his draft guide:

A three-year starter at Alabama, Ekiyor was a staple at right guard in former offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien’s balanced offense. After an uneven junior season, he put above-average play on his 2022 tape (zero penalties) and separated himself as one of the best offensive linemen in the SEC. As both a run blocker and pass protector, Ekiyor quickly establishes leverage with his low pads and upward blows, driving his feet through engagement with his stubborn hands. Though he plays with outstanding awareness and finish, he will get himself in trouble when he overextends, and savvy NFL defensive tackles will use his impatience against him. Overall, Ekiyor finds himself in compromised positions when his punch hands get off-schedule, but he moves well with the processing and core strength to be effective in multiple schemes. He has NFL starter talent with guard-center versatility. 

As it currently stands, Will Fries and Danny Pinter will be competing for the starting right guard role. The Colts could still add a veteran in free agency, but Ekiyor should find himself right in the thick of that competition.

Like Colts Wire on Facebook
Follow Colts Wire on Twitter
Follow Kevin on Twitter (@KevinHickey11)