One undrafted free agent rookie to watch for each team in minicamp, training camp and during the preseason

These undrafted first-year pros have the potential to make a roster in 2025

It's time we start taking undrafted free agents more seriously. About a third of NFL rosters are made up of players who didn't hear their names called on draft weekend. Now, many of them ultimately make a roster in their second or third seasons. Other times, it's even later into their careers. 

But once in a while, a rookie undrafted free agent makes a splash right away and finds himself in a key reserve role in Year 1. Even if they aren't making crucial tackles in December of their rookie seasons, any positive contribution whatsoever for a first-year player who wasn't drafted is a huge return-on-investment win for the team that signed that player immediately after the draft. 

So I've handpicked one rookie undrafted free agent to keep fresh in your mind throughout training camp and the preseason this summer. 

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals

At 6-foot-1 and 334 pounds, Elijah Simmons exemplifies the stocky descriptor for nose tackles. And Simmons plays exactly how you'd expect -- minimal pass-rush capabilities but an immovable force against the run. He only missed three tackles in his long, six-year career at Tennessee on 840 snaps. For a Cardinals team that was 25th against the opposition's ground game in EPA per run in 2024, Simmons could be a very niche but very welcomed addition as a UDFA. 

Los Angeles Rams

Shaun Dolac is so awesomely positioned to eat behind the Rams' perpetually ferocious defensive line. The first-team All-American from 2024 at the University at Buffalo doesn't have elite-level range; imight just reach NFL average. But everything else about his game is spectacular. He's a tremendous block-defeater -- that is, if a guard or center is ever able to get to the second level -- and was one of the most reliable tacklers at the position in the 2025 class. 

OK, Chris, cool, but coverage matters most for linebackers. You write that yourself ALL THE TIME. 

I do. Good news with Dolac -- he's a master at reading route combinations and reacting in a flash to where the quarterback attempts to throw the football. The cherry on top is that he has spectacular ball skills for the position. He had a pass breakup or interception on 10.6% of targets in his coverage area for the Bulls over the past three seasons, and housed two picks for touchdowns in 2024. On a team without a true star at linebacker, Dolac can make this Los Angeles team and contribute instantly.

San Francisco 49ers 

Could've gone with OG Drew Moss here, but I had an early fourth-round grade on Corey Kiner so he gets the nod as the 49ers UDFA selection. A former LSU recruit, he averaged 4.1 yards per rush with the Tigers in 2021 before transferring to Cincinnati where he flourished for three seasons. 

Kiner isn't flashy. He's not uber-explosive, nor super-speedy. He doesn't truck linebackers. He's just a free-flowing, plus-vision back who gets more than what's blocked for him on a routine basis. All the No. 26 running back recruit in the high school class of 2021 did was force a ridiculous 82 missed tackles on a mere 204 carries for the Bearcats in 2024. 

Now, there is a logjam of runners in San Francisco. All will start ahead of Kiner on the depth chart. But is there a coach in the NFL who cares less about draft position and/or has more of a propensity to deploy an onslaught of backs than Kyle Shanahan? No one. Remember the name if the 49ers have a need to work deep into their running back room in 2024 and beyond. Kiner can ball. 

Seattle Seahawks 

If Zy Alexander tested better, he would've been one of my favorite cornerbacks in the 2025 class. No joke. He was always around the football at the catch point in the SEC and tackled like every opportunity was with the game on the line. The 4.56 speed will be tested by opposing offensive coordinators, even in the preseason. 

And he's not twitchy enough to lockdown in press man. But if Mike Macdonald wants to give his young defensive back chances to make plays on the football in zone or off-man, Alexander will do so. Regularly. 

AFC South 

Tennessee Titans

Cam Horsley was a candidate for hardest-working, highest-energy interior lineman in the 2025 class. The motor hummed loudly on every play at Boston College. At just under 6-foot-3 and 312 pounds, the nose tackle went over 30 tackles in each of his final four seasons with the Golden Eagles and hit double digits in the pressure department in all five seasons he spent in college despite predominantly playing 0T and 1T and never seeing the field for more than 554 snaps in one campaign. 

The Titans have Jeffery Simmons and T'Vondre Sweat as their starting defensive tackles. Serious mass and talent there. After that, there are plenty of depth jobs up for grabs, and I will not be surprised whatsoever if Horsley's energy is infectious in training camp and the preseason, enough for him to earn a spot on the 53-man roster in September. 

Jacksonville Jaguars

Keeping it real -- I didn't love the Jaguars undrafted free agent class. I did, however, like the flashes I witnessed while evaluating BJ Green II at Colorado in 2024. At a hair over 6-foot and 252 pounds, he's reasonably small for the EDGE position in the NFL. The 32-inch arms help mitigate some of the size concerns, and there's some serious juice when he fires off the ball, as evidenced by his 1.61-second 10-yard split. 

At Arizona State in 2023, Green made it work despite his size deficiency with 56 pressures on 393 pass-rushing snaps (14.2%) pressure rate. You'll see him beat some preseason offensive tackles with bend around the corner and the ability to flatten to the quarterback. Vitally, Green understands how to deploy his hands at the point of attack, and he has the speed-to-power conversion we all should expect for a rusher with his stocky build. 

Indianapolis Colts

A four-year star at Jackson State, Devonta Davis transferred to Florida Atlantic for his final collegiate season and continued to play at a high level. On 480 snaps, he had two sacks, six tackles for loss and 29 total takedowns as a rotational nose tackle for the Owls. 

Davis thrives dispatching blockers and sticking running backs close to the line of scrimmage. At over 6-foot-2 and 300 pounds with arms nearly 33 inches, he has the measurables to stand out in camp and in the preseason as an active run-plugger. Davis ran a blistering 4.89-second 40-yard dash at his pro day. While the relative lack of productivity as a pass rusher in 2024 is likely what led to him going undrafted, Davis is a quality athlete with first- and second-down speciality now on a team in need of reinforcements behind DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart in Indianapolis. 

Houston Texans

The only blocker who escaped the Texans' offseason overhaul of the offensive line was center Jarrett Patterson, although he was hardly a dominant player at the pivot in 2024. Everyone else was either replaced or stiff competition was acquired via trade, in free agency and/or the draft. 

While not selected, the athletic and well-balanced Eli Cox played more than 2,900 snaps in the SEC over the past five seasons at Kentucky. He's an angles/leverage master on the inside, and while he does need to add strength to his game, he certainly saw his fair share of powerful interior rushers while facing Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, LSU, and Tennessee in the last half decade. He can push Patterson, or at the very least, provide quality depth at a key position along Houston's front as C.J. Stroud enters Year 3. 

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NFC North

Detroit Lions

You know who Jackson Meeks is a lot like? journeyman receiver Tim Patrick, who was inexplicably cut by the Broncos in 2024, subsequently signed by the Lions, and had himself a respectable 33-catch, 394-yard, three-touchdown regular season as one of the club's background options. 

At nearly 6-foot-2 and 217 pounds, Meeks is a sizable specimen on the outside, and what he lacks in speed (4.65-second 40-yard dash), he counters with tenacious ball skills. The former Georgia receiver came down with 60% of his contested-catch opportunities (despite the 50-50 ball cliche, a 60% win rate in that scenario is fantastic for any wideout) during his lone season at Syracuse. He's not sudden but loves shielding defenders with his body. While there aren't loads of new targets "available" on this Lions team from the squad a season ago, Meeks could serve as direct depth behind Patrick in the receiver room with a strong summer. 

Minnesota Vikings

Tyler Batty didn't do it for me on film as a sudden mover. But at nearly 6-foot-6 and 271 pounds with an 81-inch wingspan -- in the 62nd percentile at the EDGE position -- his size is impossible to miss. 

The Vikings deploy their defensive front seven players in more positions than any other team in football, and the thought of Batty lined up over a center on third down is so tantalizing for me. I can't imagine how Brian Flores potentially feels about it. Batty is stiff and doesn't have an array of pass-rush moves, but is a powerful bull rusher and sets a sturdy edge against the run. 

Green Bay Packers

I don't care what conference or football subdivision you're playing in -- if your missed-tackle forced rate in five seasons is 26.9%, you're an elusive cat. And that's precisely Jalen White's rate across five years at Georgia Southern. After bellcow Josh Jacobs, who is now more than 1,600 carries into his NFL career, do you feel confident about Green Bay's reserves at running back? Yeah, me neither. The nifty runner from Georgia Southern could sneak his way onto this Packers team and make noise as a rookie. 

Chicago Bears

At 5-foot-11 and 237 pounds, Power Echols is a bit small even by today's shrunk standards at the linebacker position. He's a decently reliable tackler and demonstrated a keen sense of making plays on the football in coverage while at North Carolina. Echols had four interceptions and nine pass breakups on 120 targets in his coverage across four seasons with the Tar Heels. 

With T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds, the Bears' starting off-ball linebackers are set in stone. There are bodies behind them, none of which should feel have a stranglehold on a backup position. Echols has the instincts and coverage chops to provide valuable deep depth. 

AFC West 

Las Vegas Raiders

I cannot, for the life of me, comprehend how Jah Joyner went undrafted. Maybe it was the bad agility-drill times at the combine. No wonder so many prospects opt out. Because on the field, the former Gophers captain played at NFL-caliber and has the size needed to live on the edge as a professional. 

At over 6-foot-4 and 262 pounds with a wingspan in the 82nd percentile among edge rushers, Joyner consistently won on the outside with length, overwhelming power and an ascending collection of pass-rush moves in his final three seasons in Minneapolis. He played as the consummate, run-halting stud on early downs, and despite long, lumbering strides, was productive as a pass-rusher too, with a pressure rate of 14.7% in those three campaigns. 

The Raiders have a formidable edge-rushing pairing in Maxx Crosby on injury returnee Malcolm Koonce. And despite Crosby's general disdain for leaving the field, Las Vegas will need backups to contribute at that position. I have minimal doubts about Joyner outplaying his undrafted status and asserting himself as a three-down asset for the Raiders during his rookie contract. 

Denver Broncos

Utah stays sending quality, well-coached defenders to the NFL. While Karene Reid doesn't have the drafted label of many of his Utah contemporaries, he had a fantastic four-year career there with 238 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, three interceptions and 10 pass breakups. 

He proved to be capable from his freshman season onward. I love that he's built more like a safety than a throwback linebacker at 6-foot and 231 pounds. Reid is coming off some final season injuries, but if healthy, he has the smarts and tenacity to make a name for himself on this loaded Broncos defense, particularly with Dre Greenlaw still not 100% from his Achilles tear in the Super Bowl two years ago. 

Los Angeles Chargers

Marlowe Wax is another safety/linebacker hybrid with a long track record of stability as a tackler and a flair of coverage skill during his five-year stint at Syracuse. At just over 6-foot and 222 pounds with plus agility -- as evidenced by his 6.96-second time in the three-cone drill -- Wax can be a movable second-level defender on a Chargers defense devoid of a true star at the linebacker spot. 

In his two fully healthy seasons with the Orange, Wax eclipsed 90 tackles and had 23 total tackles for loss. He's a magnet to the football near the line of scrimmage. 

Kansas City Chiefs 

I had an early second-round grade on Elijhah Badger. Yep. I wrote about what, at early indications, was a seismic miss, right here immediately after the draft. While fully owning up to the evaluation blunder, I haven't lost all hope on Badger. His film and analytics still speak to me. After all, he hasn't taken a snap in the NFL yet. 

He was the most efficient YAC receiver in the country in 2022 and 2023 at Arizona State, and while the volume decreased last season at Florida, he still averaged nearly 21 yards per snag, only dropped eight passes on more than 270 targets in college, demonstrated clear-cut press-beating capabilities and ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine. 

The Chiefs aren't loaded at receiver, and the short-term future is uncertain with Rashee Rice. If anyone can make it work with a talented receiver, it's Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City's offense. Honorable mention designation here goes to linebacker Brandon George, who tested spectacularly at the Pittsburgh Pro Day after a fine career with the Panthers patrolling the second level. 

NFC South 

New Orleans Saints 

The Saints need all the help they can get in a lot of places, and the offensive line is certainly one of them. Torricelli Simpkins III surrendered just 13 pressures on 441 pass-blocking snaps at South Carolina in 2024 after transferring there from a stellar career at North Carolina Central. 

At over 6-foot-4 and 312 pounds with arms just under 33 inches, he has starter-level size on the interior and could play any of those three spots inside given his movement skill. Center Erik McCoy is no stranger to the injury list, and although the Saints re-signed familiar face Will Clapp this offseason, it wouldn't hurt to have more depth on the inside of the offensive front given the youthful nature of New Orleans' quarterback room. 

Carolina Panthers 

Jared Harrison-Hunte is one of those six-year collegiate players -- which likely didn't help his cause on draft weekend -- who enjoyed a steady and at times very productive career on Saturdays. He reached that magical 10.0% pressure-rate threshold in those six seasons, which is quite the feat on more than 1,100 pass-rushing opportunities. 

At nearly 6-4 and 290 pounds, Harrison-Hunte is a uniquely built interior player. And frankly, I want my defensive tackles more sleek in today's NFL because it increases the likelihood of affecting the quarterback faster on a given play. Harrison-Hunte can absolutely do that, with a fun blend of powerful, heavy hands and deceptive first-step quicks. The Panthers made an emphasis to build the defense in 2025, but there are still jobs open on Carolina's front for this former Miami and SMU star. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

J.J. Roberts was one of my favorite late watches during the pre-draft process because of his exuberance on the field and magnetism to the football. Then I saw his pro-day workout and figured he'd get drafted. At 5-foot-11 and 192 pounds, the Marshall stud ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash with a 40.5-inch vertical jump, 10-6 broad jump and had a three-cone of 6.76 seconds. 

On film, he wore a variety of hats -- as many top-flight athletes at safety do today -- and was always around the ball. After transferring from Wake Forest, Roberts made 167 tackles, with six tackles for loss, two picks and 14 pass breakups in two seasons with the Thundering Herd. 

Atlanta Falcons 

Very quietly, Simeon Barrow Jr. was one of the most disruptive interior rushers in the 2025 class. He had a 9.04 Relative Athletic Score (out of 10). So don't ask me how he went undrafted. Makes essentially no sense. And all Barrow did at Miami was collapse pockets. A 9.8% pressure rate across four seasons in the ACC is darn good. And, quick, now that Grady Jarrett is gone -- name a defensive tackle on the Falcons. Barrow has a real shot to establish himself as a useful piece along Atlanta's defensive line. 

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AFC North 

Cleveland Browns

One of the most unique frames in the entire 2025 class, Adin Huntington isn't quite 6-foot-1 but weighed in at 281 pounds at the Tulane Pro Day. His arms meet most team's requirements at 32 inches. He tested explosive at said pro day, with a 4.64 time in the 40-yard dash along with a 38-inch vertical jump. 

And the past two seasons with the Green Wave were wildly productive for the stocky edge presence -- he generated 79 quarterback pressures on 549 pass-rushing opportunities. Yes, the Browns have Myles Garrett, Obo Okoronkwo, and Alex Wright at defensive end. There could be a heated battle for one of the last defensive end positions on the roster this summer, and Huntington has the game to make a name for himself there. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

Given their uncertain quarterback position, the Steelers absolutely could use a nimble, possession slot receiver. And Ke'Shawn Williams has the goods to be that specialist as early as his rookie season. At 5-foot-9 and 188 pounds with a 40-inch vertical jump, this Indiana product is explosive in short areas and forced 23 missed tackles on just under 150 catches in his final three collegiate seasons. With George Pickens gone, there are no bad ideas at the receiver position in Pittsburgh. 

Cincinnati Bengals

Seth McLaughlin going undrafted was pretty surprising. He played just under 2,400 career snaps at Ohio State and surrendered a mere seven pressures on 290 pass-blocking snaps on the 2024 national-title winning team. He needs to get significantly stronger at the point of attack, and that could hold him back as a rookie. 

But the Bengals offensive line has been a weak element of the team for a few years now, and Ted Karras turned 32 in March. It would be prudent for the Bengals to get McLaughlin a long look this summer as a reserve option on the inside. 

Baltimore Ravens 

Kaimon Rucker is a throwback, stand-up rusher on the outside with a 6-foot-1, 254-pound frame. There are length deficiencies to his game, yet he plays with unsurprising leverage given his frame and will stun offensive tackles with his speed-to-power conversion at times. In his final two seasons at North Carolina, the relentless outside rusher generated 91 pressures on 604 pass-rush snaps. 

Baltimore's defense was fantastic a season ago, but its pass rush was lackluster. If Rucker proves to be an annoyance for the opposition this summer, he could sneak his way onto the 53-man roster or be first in line for a practice-squad elevation during the season. He plays with a lot of fire. 

NFC East 

New York Giants

The Giants have built a solid receiver room, headlined by the electric Malik Nabers. If New York is trying to diversify the position with size, Da'Quan Felton can be of use early in his NFL career. At nearly 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds with 4.50-second speed in the 40-yard dash, the former Virginia Tech star is a specimen on the outside. 

In two seasons with the Hokies, he averaged a hefty 14.7 yards per snag on 70 catches. As a true boundary weapon who can win at all three levels -- but mostly underneath and across the middle of the field -- Felton can carve out a niche in camp and the preseason to make the necessary waves to make this team. 

Washington Commanders 

Fentrell Cypress II is a man-coverage specialist with the athletic attributes to play that role in the NFL. While not ridiculously long, the former Florida State star is 6-foot-1 and 181 pounds with 4.43-second speed in the 40-yard dash, a 38-inch vertical jump and tremendous agility illustrated by his 6.84-second time in the three-cone drill at the Seminole pro day. 

Sometimes that natural talent is all a cornerback needs to impress coaches enough to go from undrafted to on the roster in Year 1. 

Dallas Cowboys 

I'll admit -- I don't love the prospects of a six-year collegiate player making a team as an undrafted rookie, but Josh Kelly's productivity at three schools hints he can be an outlier. At Fresno State, Washington State and Texas Tech, he caught 236 passes for 3,261 yards in his final five seasons. While slow by NFL standards -- he ran a 4.70-second 40-yard dash at his pro day -- in his 90-catch season with the Red Raiders in 2024, he forced a seismic 26 missed tackles. He's a nifty asset in space. 

Yes, the Cowboys helped fortify their receiver room by trading for George Pickens. But there are still jobs open behind him and CeeDee Lamb. 

Philadelphia Eagles 

I could've selected offensive tackle Hollin Pierce or safety Maxen Hook -- the latter feels like Reed Blankenship 2.0 -- but Taylor Morin's profile was too enticing to omit. 

His play was so clean at Wake Forest. Morin dropped just 12 passes on 336 targets across four seasons for the Demon Deacons, had a career 51.5% win rate in contested-catch situations, and demonstrated a keen sense of beating press coverage with uber-quicks and hand work. He exudes the word "overachiever," and the Eagles offense would get even more efficient if it had a reliable underneath, chain-mover from the slot. 

AFC East 

Miami Dolphins 

In watching eventual third-rounder Isaac TeSlaa, I was drawn to Andrew Armstrong, his Arkansas teammate, who far and away led the team in catches (78) and receiving yards (1,140) in 2024. He's a lanky but deceptively fast downfield weapon, who at nearly 6-4 and 202 pounds ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash with a 6.96-second three-cone at the combine. 

Also, Armstrong hauled in 62% of his targets in traffic last season for the Razorbacks. He's a different type of receiver than what Mike McDaniel has typically utilized in his era as the Miami head coach. But Armstrong does everything well. 

I'm also giving an honorable mention nod to tight end Jalin Conyers. 

New York Jets

Injuries were the main reason Dean Clark stayed in college for six seasons. When healthy, he was heat-seeking missile to the football. In 2022 at Kent State, he mad 117 tackles. In 2023 at Fresno State, 83 tackles. And Clark snagged five interceptions along with 14 pass breakups at safety in his career. 

And he's not some slow defender who can only win with his instincts. At a strapping 6-foot and 205 pounds, he had a 41-inch vertical jump and ran 4.49 seconds in the 40-yard dash at his pro day. He's an ideal moldable ball of clay for new head coach and former defensive back Aaron Glenn. 

New England Patriots 

Plenty of options here for the Patriots, most namely tight end CJ Dippre and edge rusher Elijah Ponder. I'll go the nostalgic, Wes Welker/Julian Edelman route with an incredibly shifty slot receiver. 

Efton Chism III played his ball at Eastern Washington, which at first glance seems like a totally obscure school relative to the NFL. It did provide the league with Cooper Kupp and Kendrick Bourne, however, so there is recent precedent for the college producing legitimate professional talent. 

And Chism was the heart and sole of the offense over the last four seasons, with a combined 326 grabs for 3,585 yards and 36 touchdowns. Behind his sharp, sudden routes underneath to free himself, I love how aggressive Chism was on a routine basis after the catch. He forced 84 missed tackles in college, too. 

Buffalo Bills

Wande Owens has the complete makeup to sneak onto this Bills team. He was a do-everything safety at two different schools -- Yale and New Hampshire -- and he's a freaky athlete. At a chiseled 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds, Owens ran a 4.58-second 40-yard dash and had a ridiculous 43-inch vertical jump and 11-3 broad jump. 

He rarely missed at tackle in college as an insert into the box, and was credited with two interceptions along with 15 pass breakups in his four-year career. The Bills have former All-Pro Taron Johnson as their nickel corner, but don't be shocked when Owens puts up a valiant and ultimately successful fight to be a key defensive backfield reserve as early as his rookie season.