NEW YORK -- Each move to shorten the NFL Draft from 12 rounds in 1992 to seven now has made the undrafted free agent a more valued commodity.
Late Sunday afternoon, teams' scouts are on the phone trying to work out deals with the top players remaining on their board. And many of the top free agents agree in principle to deals with their new teams within hours of the conclusion of the seventh round.
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| Nader Abdallah will likely find a number of teams who want to give him a nose job. (Getty Images) |
Several undrafted rookies in 2008 made significant impacts during their initial seasons, including wide receiver Davone Bess (Miami), defensive tackle Eric Foster (Indianapolis), linebacker Gary Guyton (New England), punter Brett Kern (Denver), running back/return man Dantrell Savage (Kansas City), fullback Mike Tolbert (San Diego), outside linebacker Wesley Woodyard (Denver) and cornerback/kick returner Brian Witherspoon (Jacksonville).
Below are the top undrafted players this year:
DT Nader Abdallah (Ohio State): Strong nose tackle prospect who works hard in the middle to eat blocks and collapse the pocket.
P Justin Brantly (Texas A&M): Displayed a big leg at the Texas vs. the Nation All-Star Challenge that, with some coaching to improve his hang time and delivery consistency, might help him land a job.
OT Gerald Cadogan (Penn State): Athletic lineman who fell down teams' boards late but still has potential as a swing tackle in the NFL.
OG Roger Allen (Missouri Western): Still raw playing inside against elite competition, the 325-pound Allen's upside intrigues scouts enough to draw immediate free-agent interest.
S Emanuel Cook (South Carolina): A poor man's Bob Sanders who punishes ball carriers in the hole and receivers over the middle.
TE Kevin Brock (Rutgers): A work in progress, but the 6-foot-5, 260-pound receiving tight end with 4.6-second speed in 40 yards could be a nice reserve tight end for several seasons.
ILB Frantz Joseph (Florida Atlantic): The stopwatch doesn't like him, but he's as intense and productive between the tackles as any inside linebacker in this draft.
WR Aaron Kelly (Clemson): Tall receiver with surprisingly good agility has a chance to move the chains and contribute on special teams.
CB Tony Carter (Florida State): Small but feisty corner who will be very tough to cut in August.
K Louie Sakoda (Utah): Does not have a huge leg, but can make 50-, 52-yarders consistently; very accurate and confident in his ability to make the winning kick.
QB Brian Hoyer (Michigan State): Alabama's John Parker Wilson could also be the pick here, but Hoyer's better size and pocket poise trumps Wilson's athleticism by a nose.
RB Kory Sheets (Purdue): Should challenge for playing time as a third-down back because he can carry and receive the ball; also can return kicks.
DE Pierre Walters (Eastern Illinois): Versatile enough to play either end spot or a 3-4 team might try to convert him to a pass-rush linebacker.
C Edwin Williams (Maryland): Solid leader and steady blocker in the middle that a team can stash as a reserve for a year or two before taking over a veteran's spot.
OLB Lee Robinson (Alcorn State): Underrated rush linebacker who could play inside or outside in a 3-4.
Chad Reuter is a Senior Analyst for NFLDraftScout.com, distributed by The Sports Xchange.
