NFL UDFAs: The best of the rest

The fast, explosive GSU cornerback has everything in the toolbox that can turn him into an NFL-caliber player. Tall, physical, and adaptable, he’ll need to improve his coverage reads if he wants to see the field, but he’ll be an automatic positive on the practice squad and possibly the special teams unit.

Rosenthal was a member of the LSU national championship team in 2019 before transferring to Kentucky. Standing at 6-foot-7 but weighing in under 300, he exhibits a smooth, quick athleticism in blocking. The Falcons are in rebuild mode, so they have some time to be patient. Whether he’ll get off the practice squad depends on how coachable he can be.

The Ravens went with a defense-heavy draft class for an already defensively strong team, so any defensive UDFAs will struggle to make a name for themselves or gain a roster spot. But Moon, who has only played one year at linebacker, has a lot of untapped potential and a knack for reading the ball that has room to be developed. He’s a strong tackler, but he’s been plagued by injuries throughout his college career, which could be a future concern.

Wydermyer came out swinging with the Aggies his freshman year and never slowed down, racking up receiving yards and touchdowns as an oversized target who wasn’t afraid to fight for a contested catch. A reliable target, his weakness as a TE is in his run-blocking skills, which are lacking. He’s not quite quick enough to make the transition to WR, and the Bills are betting that he hasn’t yet reached his ceiling.

Rambo stood out at both Oklahoma and Miami, starting at both schools. An excellent route-runner and consistent starter, teams may have been turned off by his tendency to drop seemingly easy catches. He was a kickoff-returner at Oklahoma and a preferred target at Miami. With the Panthers’ QB situation up in the air right now, his spot on the roster may depend on his chemistry with the starter.

After a defense-heavy draft, OSU’s Teague is a welcome addition to the Bears’ offense, where he’ll reunite with former Buckeyes QB Justin Fields. The wide-framed RB tore through tackles during his time at Ohio State, and he’ll be a reliable option in short-yardage situations for Chicago. The team will likely stay in “rebuild” mode for at least another draft class as they build their roster around Fields.

The Bengals’ UDFA signings are…well, not exactly at the top of the rankings. Coming off a Super Bowl appearance, they’re not looking to make too many changes, and they ended up with a defensively solid draft class. Wells was a smart, consistent linebacker for the Buffaloes with excellent tackling form, and he’ll have the chance to show the NFL what he’s made of at rookie camp.

Nearly 6-foot-4, Weston is hoping to make the jump from a 6-6 FCS team to the NFL, and he really might be able to do it. He was able to create separation from the secondary in FCS ball, though the NFL will obviously be a different story, but with great ball skills and the ability to make contested catches, Weston could end up being a developing standout in Cleveland.

BC had one of the best offensive lines in the country in 2021 — Zion Johnson went in the first round — and Lindstrom, its starting center, may even see some backup playing time at center for Dallas this season after this signing. Though he’s slightly undersized, he’s not afraid to use his strength, and he can always put on some muscle mass in the preseason.

Allen got $180,000 guaranteed as an UDFA — for the most part, anyone good enough to get starting reps at Alabama is good enough to at least get a shot in the pros. Allen missed most of last season due to an injury, but showed out in 2019 and 2020, racking up six sacks in 2020 alone. His somewhat extensive injury history is the most worrying thing about him, but his pass rush is solid and, had he played in 2021, he likely would have gone to a team much earlier if he had continued to produce the way he did in his previous two seasons.

Eze is 6-foot-6 and weighs 321 lbs. He’s got the size and athleticism — Alabama offered him a scholarship spot (that he turned down) before he had even played high school football — but he’s still pretty raw skills-wise, as he didn’t start playing football until his senior year of high school. He’ll need the NFL coaching and the practice reps, but if the Lions are able to develop Eze and utilize his abnormally long arms on their offensive line, this could turn out to be one of the best UDFA signings of 2022.

Goodson has been a consistent star for Hawkeyes football throughout the past three years, with conference honors, over 600 touches, and 70 catches as a running back. He’s small — not quite 200 lbs — but he’s fast. He may end up competing for a spot on the roster with another UDFA RB, Oregon State’s BJ Baylor, who had a breakout season in 2021.

The Texans got a local guy in Harvell-Peel, and their secondary just got a huge weapon in LSU’s Stingley. Harvell-Peel brought down five interceptions in 2019. He’s broken up countless passes during his time as a Cowboy, but his lack of speed brings up concerns about how well his skills will translate to the pros.

Nebraska’s 2021 season went down in history as the best two-win college football team there ever was, and Domann helped (almost) shut down powerful offenses. He’s been in college since 2016, but he’s tallied up multiple 50+ tackle seasons and AP and all-conference honors during his time as a Husker. Slightly undersized but very aggressive, he’s forced nine fumbles during his college career, and may end up being a significant tool on the Colts’ special teams unit if he’s able to fully come back from his injuries.

Prince might be lacking in some of the skill areas, but he’s tall and fast. You can teach blocking and ball skills, but you can’t teach tall and fast. He’ll be able to create separation for Trevor Lawrence to target him downfield, and with NFL coaching and some patience and dedication, he has the potential to translate his raw athleticism into becoming a strong route-runner and blocker for the Jags’ offense.

It was a shock that Ross wasn’t drafted — the talented 6-foot-4 wide receiver was expected to drop in the draft after back surgery and Clemson’s meh 2021 season, but to have a Tigers receiving starter go undrafted? The Chiefs got a steal here — especially with Tyreek Hill gone, Ross is sure to be an offensive weapon on Patrick Mahomes’ offense.

Tagovailoa-Amosa has been an eternally consistent force for the Fighting Irish defense throughout the four seasons he played — after recovering from a foot injury that kept him out all of 2018, he started nearly every game for Notre Dame. In 2021, the team captain recorded 25 tackles and two sacks. His pass rush abilities weren’t enough to see him get drafted, but he’ll get over $200,000 guaranteed, so the Raiders clearly see some real potential in him.

Brandon Peters is never going to be a starting QB in the NFL. That’s not a bad thing or a knock against him, it’s just a fact. The Chargers are set for awhile with a young Justin Herbert at the helm, but it never hurts to have a good backup. Peters was able to make a mark with the ever-middling Illini and is the right size for the league. He’s good in the pocket, but his last couple seasons didn’t compare to his 2019 breakout year. He’s not a sure thing on the roster, but his 6-foot-5 frame definitely doesn’t hurt.

Dicker the Kicker — who doesn’t love an appropriately rhyming name? Though the Rams will keep Matt Gay through at least one more season, Dicker may find himself in the starting role in 2023. A consistent placekicker with experience in punting, he made 75% of his college kicks on a team that perennially struggles to score. He’s a good investment for the Super Bowl champs, who aren’t in the market for an immediate starter.

Diesch played in the SEC for three years before transferring to ASU as a grad student. At 6’7, he’ll need to put on some weight to anchor himself in blocks, but he’s quick off the snap. He won’t start, but he’ll stick around on that roster.

A former Michigan backup turned Wake Forest breakout star during a Wake Forest breakout season, this first-team all-namer led the Demon Deacons with nine sacks in 2021, despite only starting three games. A freaky-fast pass rusher, Villain can turn out to be a great pickup for the Vikings if they’re able to continue developing his rushing technique.

Will King be a quarterback for the Patriots? No. Absolutely not. At least not unless the Pats are up 45-0 against some poor team and Bill Belichick feels like having fun. But his skill set is so versatile, and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone with more football smarts than King. He’s a tool that is a bit of a mystery to figure out how to operate — he’s just got to be unlocked. Belichick is the right coach to try to unlock that potential.

Another first-team all-namer, Monday’s passion and fierceness on the field don’t necessarily always translate to well-executed play, but they’re a start. A vicious tackler when he can reach the ball-carrier (which isn’t a sure thing with him), he’ll need some technical work to retain speed. He’s tallied up three pick-sixes as an Auburn safety and played against some of the best in the college game in the SEC, and the guy just loves to play. He’ll give it his all.

After four years on the Auburn roster, Truesdell transferred to Florida. The Giants may be in immediate need of a defensive tackle — only two are returning from last year’s roster. A big man with a low center of gravity, the Giants are going to need some backup on their inside line, and he fills that role.

The RB better known as “Bam” has three kick returns for touchdowns and is a solid pass-catcher for his position — he’ll likely be a specialist if he makes the roster.

The Eagles signed Goodrich within minutes of the draft closing and offered him the largest bonus they’ve ever given to an undrafted free agent. Quick to recognize and react to offensive routes, the agile cornerback tallied up five interceptions during his Clemson career, including two in 2021. Goodrich will join several elite drafted Georgia defensive players in his rookie class.

The Steelers’ UDFA list is very meh. They got their guy in Kenny Pickett, added on George Pickens and Calvin Austin III, and they’re feeling pretty good. USC’s Chris Steele, highly sought after coming out of high school, never quite lived up to his expected college potential, but that doesn’t mean he’s necessarily hit his ceiling yet. The cornerback has good ball-reading instincts and the chance to prove himself at camp.

West received first-team and second-team all-conference honors in the past two seasons. While he’s undersized as a center at 6’3 and under 300 lbs, he was projected by ESPN’s final mock draft to go in the third round. With Alex Mack considering retirement, West might be able to quickly fill a gap in the 49ers line — the only question is which QB he’ll be protecting.

Talented but inconsistent, Bolden has the speed and build to become an NFL safety but is prone to missing tackles. He blocked two field goals against Clemson in 2020, but he hasn’t quite developed the field awareness demanded of a safety. If he makes the roster, he’ll be a great special teams addition, but perhaps not more.

Opting not to draft any receivers, the Bucs are taking the undrafted free agent signing period to amass several options for a returning Tom Brady to possibly target. Sterns is tiny for a receiver, standing at a roster 5’7 (which likely is a slight exaggeration), but he led the nation in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns in 2021, a feat that has only been achieved twice before. As Bailey Zappe’s favorite target, Sterns proved himself on the Western Kentucky field, breaking tackles as a shockingly tough runner for his size. He’s small, and he has the detriments that come with being small, but he’s insanely talented and a great signing choice.

During his two starting seasons with the Aggies, Peevy used his size and length to impose his will on opposing offensive lines. He’ll need to improve on footwork and maintaining balance, but Peevy has the size and ability to take on double teams and stop the rush as a DT. This is one of the better post-draft pickups of this cycle.

The 6-foot-5 Ohio tight end is not your regular tight end. Rogers started his college career at UNLV as a quarterback. In his transfer year at Ohio, he split his time between QB and receiver. He’s a baby tight end — not in size, but in experience. If he doesn’t have a skill, it’s because he hasn’t been taught it yet. Coachability has never been more important than it is for Rogers — if he’s a fast and dedicated learner, he could pick up this new position in no time, and have a better understanding of the QB’s field of vision and decision-making process because of his experience. It’s too soon to judge, but the Commanders definitely have an interesting experiment on their hands with Rogers.