UCF Knights Undrafted Free Agency Tracker

EDGE Malachi Lawrence might have been the only former Knights selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.

However, he is not the only one getting his chance with an NFL franchise this April. Listed below are the former UCF players who signed undrafted free-agent contracts or received invitations to a team's training camp:

Jaden Nixon, Running Back
Myles Montgomery, Running Back
Keli Lawson, Linebacker
Nyjalik Kelly, EDGE
Paul Rubelt, Offensive Lineman
Noe Ruelas, Kicker

1. Jaden Nixon, Running Back

Jaden Nixon is a Green Bay Packer!@jusynixon ➡️ @packers pic.twitter.com/kt2kkbLTxe
— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) April 25, 2026

After spending his final season of collegiate football in Orlando, running back Jaden Nixon is heading to Titletown after signing with the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night.

Nixon served as a change-of-pace back for UCF, running 71 times for 554 yards and seven touchdowns, catching 17 passes for 88 yards and averaging 23.1 yards per kick return. He earned an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honor for his efforts as a return man.

Outlook: The Packers were a mid-pack rushing team in the NFL last season, with a running back room led by starter Josh Jacobs. The only other back that had over 100 carries last season was Emanuel Wilson, who ended up signing with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency. However, Wilson also had another role on last season's Packers team: returning kicks. He might have only done it nine times, but his 25.9-yard average per return leads the team.

After Jacobs, the rest of the Packers' running back room features Chris Brooks, Marshawn Lloyd, Pierre Strong Jr. and Damien Martinez. The team is likely not going to keep this many running backs on its active roster, so outcomes for Nixon could be as high as being the change-of-pace back behind Jacobs to being cut from the team during camp.

The advantage Nixon adds to the equation is his abilities as a kick returner. Of the group of four running backs behind Jacobs listed on the Packers' Ourlads depth chart, Pierre Strong Jr. is the only one who also has experience returning kicks. He joined the Packers' practice squad last season and was only elevated to the active roster twice.

So, if Nixon can prove he can satisfactorily both return kicks and serve as an NFL-level change-of-pace back, he could slot into the role that Emanuel Wilson left behind.

2. Myles Montgomery, Running Back

Myles Montgomery is a New England Patriot!@datboymyles_ ➡️ @patriots pic.twitter.com/eafdv2W5cO
— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) April 25, 2026

Not long after UCF Athletics announced Nixon's signing, it also announced the signing of his fellow running back, Myles Montgomery, with the New England Patriots.

Montgomery spent two seasons with the Knights, finishing it off with 143 carries and 705 yards and four touchdowns and 17 receptions for 182 yards last season as one of UCF's team captains.

Outlook: The Patriots have a crowded running back room entering training camp this offseason. They have retained their dynamic running back duo of Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson, and even selected a running back in the seventh round of the draft: Alabama's Jam Miller. In addition to them, there is also Lan Larison, Terrell Jennings and Elijah Mitchell.

Montgomery is going to have to compete with the likes of Larison, Jennings and Mitchell if he wants to earn a roster spot on the Patriots this offseason. Considering three of them in the running back room are likely already spoken for, it's going to take an impressive training camp to do so.

What might help Montgomery have a chance is that Mitchell and Larison have never taken a snap with the Pats in an NFL game before, and while Jennings did stay on the active roster during the second half of last season, he is coming off a late-season injury.

3. Keli Lawson, Linebacker

Keli Lawson is a Minnesota Viking!@LawsonKeli ➡️ @vikings pic.twitter.com/ioJT9C6GPl
— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) April 26, 2026

Linebacker Keli Lawson signed his UDFA contract with the Minnesota Vikings.

Transferring in from Virginia Tech, Lawson tallied 34 tackles, two of which were for a loss, two sacks, recovered a fumble and broke up one pass in his only season as a Knight.

Outlook: The Vikings are bringing back most of their top linebackers from last season, including all of their starters like Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson. They also selected a linebacker with the 51st overall pick in this year's draft: Cincinnati's Jake Golday, and signed Jacob Roberts from the Canadian Football League to a reserve/future contract.

Lawson is going to have to compete with the likes of Roberts, Josh Ross and Chaz Chambliss for a depth role in the Vikings' linebacker room. However, he could carve out a roster spot for himself if he can prove he can contribute on the special teams unit.

After impressing scouts with his broad and vertical jumps at UCF's Pro Day, Lawson proved that his blocked field goal in this past season's opener against Jacksonville State was not a fluke. So, if he can show in training camp that he can give the Vikings a chance to block some punts or field goals next season, they could hold onto him for depth at linebacker and then bring him out on special teams.

4. Nyjalik Kelly, EDGE

Nyjalik Kelly is a Green Bay Packer!@nyjalikkelly ➡️ @packers pic.twitter.com/uitJYviC3s
— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) April 26, 2026

While his fellow UCF EDGE was selected with the 23rd overall pick of the draft, Nyjalik Kelly is joining Nixon with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent.

Kelly spent his final two collegiate seasons with the Knights after transferring in from Miami (FL). This past season, he earned an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honor after recording 46 tackles, 7.5 of them for a loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, three pass breakups and an interception.

Outlook: EDGEs like Lawrence and Kelly are listed as outside linebackers on NFL depth charts like Ourlads.

Looking at that position, the Packers already drafted such a player in the fourth round in Penn State's Dani Dennis-Sutton. Lower down on the depth chart are Packers mainstays like Arron Mosby and Brenton Cox Jr., plus Collin Oliver, who spent most of last season injured, but was activated for Week 17. This likely means there might not be many potential wide-open roster spots on this team to compete for, making Kelly's performance in camp crucial to his chances at making the team.

The Packers ranked 11th in the league last season in passing defense, but 18th in rushing defense, so Kelly's ability to break into the backfield and make tackles for loss would be the most likely way for him to earn a depth role in an outside linebacker room headed up by three-time First-team All-Pro Micah Parsons. Even if Kelly does not make the roster, learning from Parsons could prove beneficial to his career going forward.

5. Paul Rubelt, Offensive Lineman

Paul Rubelt is a Tampa Bay Buccaneer!@PRubelt ➡️ @Buccaneers pic.twitter.com/3QAseTtmsN
— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) April 26, 2026

Offensive lineman Paul Rubelt is staying in Florida thanks to signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday morning.

The native German spent all six of his college football career with the Knights, becoming a regular starter in his last two as a tackle.

Outlook: The Bucs were looking for some depth at offensive line this offseason by signing tackles Justin Skule and Marshall Foerner and drafting guard Billy Schrauth out of Notre Dame in the fifth round. Skule is now on his second stint in Tampa Bay, making him familiar with their system, while Foerner was waived by the Colts after signing as an undrafted free agent with them after the 2025 draft.

Rubelt's physical presence at 6-foot-10 and 310 pounds gives him a chance to compete for a depth role against Skule and Foerner, if he stays as a tackle.

Last season, UCF's own Amari Kight showed that even if an offensive lineman does not make a team out of camp, they can still sign on to a team's practice squad and still earn some playing time in their rookie season. Should Rubelt compete with the likes of Foerner and Skule and not earn a roster spot right out of camp, a practice squad spot with the Buccanears, or another team, is not out of the realm of possibility.

6. Noe Ruelas, Kicker

Noe Ruelas has been invited to Colts’ Minicamp! pic.twitter.com/MLZSMxf7kH
— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) April 26, 2026

Kicker Noe Ruelas received an invitation to the Indianapolis Colts' minicamp after spending his final season of college football in Orlando.

Ruelas earned All-Big 12 Third Team honors and was an honorable mention for Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year after going 15 of 17 on field goals with a 54-yard long and 32 of 33 on extra points.

Outlook: The Colts cycled through three kickers last season thanks to Spencer Shrader suffering a season-ending injury after five games. Michael Badgley took over kicking duties, but he was waived after seven games, going 18 of 21 on extra points. So, Blake Grupe finished off the season in the Colts' final five games, going a perfect 11 of 11 on field goals and 10 of 10 on extra points.

After needing to switch kickers multiple times last season, the Colts are keeping their options open by inviting another kicker like Ruelas to their mini-camp, even if both Shrader and Grupe remain on the roster.

Ruelas' career long of 54 yards beats out Shrader's NFL career long of 52 yards, but not Grupe's, who made a 60-yarder last season. Grupe is one of nine NFL kickers in 2025 to make a field goal from 60 yards or longer. If Ruelas wants to make an NFL roster spot on the Colts or some other team, he is going to need to prove he has the ability to make a kick from that far away.

Catch up on more UCF news below:

How UCF EDGE Malachi Lawrence Fits With The Dallas Cowboys

Projected UCF EDGE Depth Chart After Malachi Lawrence Drafted in First Round

Three Reasons Why Malachi Lawrence's Departure Won't Hurt UCF as Much as You Think

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