One Position Stands Out on Cincinnati Bengals' All-Time All-Undrafted Team

Pro Football Focus recently published its All-Undrafted Team for the 2026 NFL season, and a former Cincinnati Bengals player made the list at the most important position.

But Jake Browning’s inclusion is more an indictment on the number of undrafted quarterbacks than an endorsement of his performance, as good as his seven-game run in 2024 might have been.

There are no other Bengals, current or former, on the list.

But what about an All-Undrafted Team encompassing a history of the franchise? Sure, we can do that.

Quarterback: Jake Browning

Though his time with the team ended with a disastrous three-game stretch last year, Browning led the NFL with a 70.4 completion percentage in 2024, accumulating enough attempts during a seven-game stretch to qualify.

Browning played in 17 games with 10 starts, completing 68.5 percent of his passes while throwing for 2,707 yards with 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

He edges out Sam Wyche, who went undrafted in 1968 when there were 17 rounds and 462 players selected.

Wyche appeared in 24 games for the Bengals with nine starts, completing 52.3 percent of his passes for 1,743 yards with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

The only other quarterback to appear in double-digit games for the Bengals after entering the league undrafted was Jon Stofa, who entered the league before Cincinnati even had a franchise. He joined the Bengals for one season in 1968, starting seven games.

Running Back: BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Brandon Bennett

This is another position thin on undrafted players.

Green-Ellis arrived in Cincinnati in 2012 after four seasons with the New England Patriots. He started 31 games in his two season with the Bengals, and he rushed for a career-high 1,094 yards in 2012.

In two seasons, Green-Ellis rushed for 1,850 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Bennett signed with the Bengals after going undrafted in 1998. He played five seasons with the team but only carried 306 times for 1,127 yards and five touchdowns.

He also caught 90 passes for 756 yards and a touchdown.

But where Bennett really made his mark was a kick returner, averaging 22.9 yards per attempt during his career, including a 94-yard touchdown against the Ravens in 2002.

Wide Receiver: Andrew Hawkins and Alex Erickson

Even after the Bengals refused to match the Browns’ offer and let Hawkins walk away in 2014, he still ranks second to Erickson in most catches by an undrafted player in Cincinnati history.

Hawkins had 86 receptions for 885 yards and four touchdowns in his three seasons with the Bengals.

Erickson had 93 catches for 1,086 yards, but he played more than twice as many Bengals games as Hawkins (80 to 35).

Erickson also returned punts and kickoffs, leading the league in punt returns in 2017 (39) and kick returns (40) in 2018. He averaged 24.7 yards per kick return during his time with the Bengals and 8.0 per punt return.

Tight End: M.L. Harris

The Columbus native signed with the Bengals after the 1980 draft and went on to play six seasons with the team.

Harris appeared in 74 games with 17 starts, 16 of which came in 1984, when he set career highs with 48 catches for 759 yards and two touchdowns for first-year head coach Sam Wyche.

During his six seasons, Harris had 99 receptions for 1,369 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Current Bengals tight end Tanner Hudson is just 22 catches shy of Harris but only has less than half as many yards (674) and touchdowns (four).

Offensive Tackle: Kevin Sargent and Dennis Roland

Undrafted in 1992, Sargent signed with the Bengals and went on to play 73 games with 63 starts during a six-year career that was interrupted by a neck injury that cost him the entire 1996 season.

He started all 16 games at left tackle in his final year with the team in 1998, and he started 15 games in back-to-back seasons in 1994 and 1995.

While Sargent toiled during a dark period in Bengals history, Roland was part of four playoff teams, and he started at right tackle for the 2009 wild-card loss to the Jets.

Roland appeared in 70 games with 30 starts, including 12 during that 2009 season when the Bengals swept the AFC North to win the division title.

Offensive Guard: Pat Matson and Darrick Brilz

Matson is another player whose entrance to the league as an undrafted player predates Bengals history.

After two seasons with the Broncos, he joined the expansion Bengals in 1968 and went to play seven seasons with the team.

Matson appeared in 90 games with 78 starts. He also started two playoff games – a loss to the Colts in 1970 and a loss to Dolphins in 1973.

Brilz got his start as a replacement player during the 1987 strike season. He had seven NFL seasons under his belt before joining the Bengals in 1994.

He started 76 of a possible 80 games for the Bengals from 1994-1998 and finished his career with an impressive 175 games and 124 starts for Washington, Seattle, San Diego and Cincinnati.

Center: Trey Hopkins

From UDFA to starting center in the Super Bowl, Hopkins had an impressive run with the Bengals, but he never played another game the 23-20 loss to the Rams in Super Bowl 56.

He played all six of his seasons in Cincinnati, appearing in 76 games with 67 starts. He began his career as a guard but switched to center when 2018 first-round pick Billy Price struggled with injuries and performance.

Defensive End: Coy Bacon and Wallace Gilberry

Neither player began their career with the Bengals, and Bacon only played two seasons in Cincinnati. But what a show he put on.

Bacon was voted to the Pro Bowl both seasons, and his 22 sacks in 1976 still stand as the recognized team record (stats didn’t become official stats until 1982).

He already had eight seasons in the league before being traded to the Bengals. He finished his career with 180 games and 164 starts in 14 seasons.

Gilberry entered the league in 2008 with the Chiefs and signed with the Bengals in 2012, making him a part of four consecutive playoff teams.

He appeared in 67 games for the Bengals with 19 starts while recording 20 sacks. He started the team’s playoff losses to the Colts in 2014 and Steelers in 2015.

Defensive Tackle: Josh Tupou and Keith Rucker

Tupou spent his first six seasons in Cincinnati – three before and three after 2020, when he opted out due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

He appeared in 65 games with 23 starts.

Tupou was still in the league in 2025, playing for the Ravens.

Rucker entered the league with the Cardinals in 1992 and joined the Bengals in 1994.

He appeared in 31 games with 28 starts during his two seasons in Cincinnati.

Linebacker: Vontaze Burfict, Vinny Rey and Adrian Ross

Burfict has the most starts in franchise history for an undrafted linebacker (73), while Rey has the most games played (128) for a UDFA at any position.

And their careers overlapped as they were teammates from 2012-18.

Burfict made the Pro Bowl in 2013.

Ross signed with the Bengals in 1998 and appeared in 90 games with 34 starts during his six-year career.

Cornerback: Mike Hilton and Rodney Heath

Hilton joined the Bengals in 2021 just in time for the Super Bowl run after four seasons in Pittsburgh.

During his four seasons in Cincinnati, Hilton appeared in 36 games with six starts while recording six interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown against his former team.

Heath signed with the Bengals in 1999 and spent three seasons with the team. He appeared in 34 games with 23 starts. He recorded all three of his career interceptions during his rookie season.

Safety: Kevin Kaesviharn and Jeromy Miles

Kaesviharn signed with the Bengals after the 2001 draft and went on to play six seasons for the team.

He appeared in 87 games with 44 starts while recording multiple interceptions in four of his six seasons. Kaesviharn’s 15 interceptions rank tied for 11 in Cincinnati history.

Miles signed with the Bengals in 2010 and played four seasons with the team, though he was claimed by the Ravens after just one game in 2013 when Cincinnati tried to put him on the practice squad.

During his three-plus seasons with the Bengals, Miles appeared in 39 games with one start.

Kicker: Shayne Graham

He played 110 games over seven seasons with the Bengals, making 177 of 204 field goals. He remains the franchise record holder for field goal percentage (86.8) and ranks second to Jim Breech in total field goals made.

Punter: Kyle Larson

Current punter Ryan Rehkow is on pace to win this spot, but for now, Larson holds it down.

He played five seasons for the Bengals and led the NFL with 100 punts in his final year of 2008.

Larson averaged 42 yards per punt with a 35.7 net. He’s on the list due to longevity.

Rehkow, in just two seasons, is averaging 49.9 yards per punt with a 43.1 net.

Give Rehkow one more season, and he’ll supplant Larson.

Long snapper: William Wagner

After a solid rookie season, Wagner already is the franchise leader in games played by UDFA long snappers.

In fact, he’s one of only two on the list. Tyler Ott appeared in three games in 2016.

The most successful and recognizable long snappers in team history, such as Clark Harris and Brad St. Louis, were late-round draft picks.

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