2023 NFL Draft: All-Undrafted Team
In 1990, two players entered their rookie seasons in the National Football League.
Emmitt Smith was taken 17th overall selection out of Florida in 1990. He would eventually become the league’s all-time leading rusher (18,355) and three-time Super Bowl winner and league MVP.
Another young man entered the league that same year undrafted.
After 331 selections via the 12 rounds of the 1990 NFL Draft, John Randle, out of tiny Texas A&I, found himself searching for a team to give him a shot.
Probably not much was expected of John Randle when he arrived in Minnesota to play for the Vikings. Seven Pro Bowls later and a member of the 1990s All-Decade Team and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team left Randle amongst the immortals of the game.
Ironically both were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
I share that story year after year to help emphasize the importance of paying attention to every player in camp, regardless of their draft selection or lack thereof
Long after the glitz and glamour of the first round concluded and the final rounds are conducted, there remains value and talent in the existing pool of undrafted players.
Besides family and friends and a tiny collection of oddballs, no one cares too much about those left behind once the NFL Draft closes its doors.
This year, like so many, provides a plethora of prospects to feel excited about and their chances of making it in the National Football League. Too many to name, and it was frustrating leaving some talented undrafted players off this list.
Nonetheless, there will be undrafted players emerging in the dog days of summer to make the final 53-man roster.
OFFEENSE
QUARTERBACK
New England Patriots | Malik Cunningham, Louisville – Currently, New England has three quarterbacks listed on their roster. Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe, Trace McSorley, and Cunningham. A dual-threat quarterback, Cunningham shined at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, which prompted Jim Nagy, the Reese’s Senior Bowl Director, to invite him to Mobile, Alabama, for their all-star game. Cunningham should be a steady practice squad member and, if he develops, becomes the third-string option for New England in the summer of 2024. Contractually, the Patriots have McSorley for one season.
RUNNING BACK
Kansas City Chiefs | Deneric Prince – Andy Reid is an offensive guru with arguably the best player in the league in quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs hit paydirt last year in the seventh round of the NFL
Draft after selecting Isiah Pacheco, who won the starting job midway through the season last year. Prince adds another element to the Kansas City offense. Prince is 6-feet tall at 220 pounds with a thick frame. A battering ram-type option for Reid to implement into his offensive scheme. Peeling back another layer of his offensive prowess on opponents, Prince is more than capable of carving out a role once training camp begins late this summer.
RECEIVERS
Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Rakim Jarrett, Maryland – A slot receiver who benefits from his ability to excel with yards after catch (YAC). The duo of Chris Godwin and Mike Evans garner all the national attention, but Jarrett has the potential to be a sneaky option for either Baker Mayfield or Kyle Trask. The Terrapins’ offensive passing attack wasn’t much of an extravaganza of production, leaving Jarret’s career numbers of 119 receptions for 1,552 yards and 10 touchdowns a little misleading. He led Maryland in all those categories in 2021 and was second in receptions, and tied for third in yards in 11 games in 2022.
Houston Texans | Jared Wayne, Pittsburgh - Wayne emerged as the Panthers' No. 1 receiving threat after Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison transferred to USC after a stellar two-year career at Pittsburgh. Addison’s departure left Wayne with the opportunity to work his way into the consciousness of NFL teams. He caught 60 passes for 1,063 yards and five touchdowns over 12 games last season for Pitt. Wayne earned second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors. Possessing a chiseled-up long frame, Wayne was on a level with the elite numbers posted at his position during the NFL Combine. His 41.5 vertical jump topped all receivers invited to Indianapolis. Wayne’s 3-cone time of 6.85 and 4.06 20-yard shuttle ranked second to only Ohio State receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The Texans' roster allows him more than an ample opportunity to avoid the final cuts.
Indianapolis Colts | Braxton Westfield, Carson-Newman – Westfield has all the makings to be that long-shot, small-school, undrafted free agent that makes good in the National Football League. A 6-foot-3 and 215-pound frame with burst and change of direction helped get him noticed at the College Gridiron Showcase, where he got bumped up to the Small School Showcase. Playing in a run-first attack at Carson-Newman, his 55 catches for 888 receiving yards and eight touchdowns highlight his skill set.
TIGHT END
New York Jets | E.J. Jenkins, Georgia Tech – Jenkins began his collegiate career at tiny St. Francis University in Pennsylvania prior to South Carolina and Georgia Tech. A receiver through and through, his hybrid size (6’6 245) and an impressive willingness to block have advanced his game very well. A tremendous wingspan and catch radius make him a very promising undrafted prospect to keep close tabs on. New York also selected Zack Kuntz in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Old Dominion, but the overall situation in New York is ripe for someone to step up.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Washington Commanders | Mason Brooks, Mississippi – A textbook player that lacks elite weight (309) on his 6-foot-5 is one of the reasons Brooks went undrafted. Brooks played right tackle at Western Kentucky before transferring to Ole Miss, where he went inside to play guard. He’ll be viewed to play tackle in Washington, but his versatility and fundamentally sound techniques should solidify his status to remain on the roster when Week 1 is upon us.
Las Vegas Raiders | Curtis McClendon, Tennessee-Chattanooga – A massive-sized guard at 6-foot-6 and 324-pounds, his arrival in camp will be a welcomed addition since the Raiders did not draft a single lineman in the draft. The unit held its own last year despite not having a laundry list of high-caliber players, and keeping that momentum intact could fall on the broad shoulders of this undrafted rookie.
Miami Dolphins | Alama Uluave, San Diego State - Less than an hour from Waikiki on the other side of the Koolau Mountains, along with the use of your Waze app, you would come across something unique. The home of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame is in Laie, near the north shore of Oahu. That is where Uluave grew up. The first-team All-Mountain center began playing special teams as a true freshman for San Diego State before starting the last 34 straight games over the last three seasons for the Aztecs. Uluave lacks the prerequisite measurements standing at 6-foot-2, 305 pounds. However, he allowed only one sack last season over the course of 367 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. He graded out at 78.5 in pass blocking.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Silas Dzansi, Virginia Tech – One could make the point that the Buccaneers' o-line was so lousy last season it forced Tom Brady out of football. That is why a player like Dzansi could seize the moment in Tampa Bay with a solid summer in camp. A massive man at 6-foot-5 and 325 pounds, he spent significant time at left and right tackle as well as a guard—a very coachable prospect with versatility.
Detroit Lions | Connor Galvin, Baylor – The Lions have another undrafted lineman I like a lot in former South Florida stud Brad Cecil. Had to include him because both he and Galvin appear to have the qualities to make it in the NFL. Galvin was named Associated Press All-American third team and Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year winner. Started six games as a true freshman at Baylor and hasn’t looked back. At 6-foot-7 and hovering near the 300-pound mark, Galvin is a fleet-footed lineman able to pull quickly and get to the second level.
DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE
Arizona Cardinals | Jacob Slade, Michigan State – A four-year letter-winner at Michigan State with 26 starts, Slade is a high-motored pocket penetrator. The Cardinals lost Zach Allen to the Denver Broncos and J.J. Watt to retirement. A young capable player like Slade has ample opportunity to make his impact felt in the coming months as OTA’s (Organized Team Activities) and training camp draw near.
Los Angeles Chargers | Jerrod Clark, Coastal Carolina – A fine senior season at Coastal Carolina got him invited to the Reese’s Senior Bowl and NFL Combine. A huge man at 6-foot-5 and 334 pounds with an 82-inch wingspan make him a hard-to-find commodity. The vision of Clark collapsing the pocket as Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack wreak havoc off the edges seems very plausible. His conditioning and ability to repeat positive reps in practice can go a long way in convincing the Chargers coaching staff he is worthy of a place on their 53-man roster.
Las Vegas Raiders | George Tarlas, Boise State – Everyone is familiar with current Raiders’ star edge rusher Maxx Crosby. He possesses talent and personality. Tarlas could be the poor man’s version of the Raiders' two-time Pro Bowl defensive end. Growing up in Greece, it seemed more likely he might follow in the footsteps of Giannis Antetokounmpo or Peja Stojakovic, but you can’t hit people in the NBA like he likes to hit people in football. Tarlas is a relentless high-motor prospect with a contagious personality exuberating positive vibes. Al Davis would love to have his guy on the roster.
EDGE/LINEBACKERS
Minnesota Vikings | Andre Carter, Army – Hard to imagine, after his college career and the way he excelled at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, that Carter would find himself not getting drafted. However, the Vikings immediately saw to it that acquiring him was a top priority. Possessing an 82-inch wingspan, Carter plays with an intensity that should help carry him through to the 53-man roster. That’s essentially the key for undrafted free agents. Making those hustle plays consistently without mistakes. While Carter quietly carves out a niche in camp and translates over to establishing a career. Carter has those traits to succeed.
Cincinnati Bengals | Shaka Heyward, Duke – Heyward has NFL DNA due to being cousins with both Steelers Cam and Connor Heyward and nephew of Craig “Ironhead” Heyward, who passed away in 2006. Shaka has the size of 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds with an intimidating demeanor on the field to get noticed in camp. His relentless ballhawk with 4.5 speed makes him a real bargain for Cincinnati. Becoming more disciplined in his read and reaction ability is key to him earning a paycheck in the NFL.
Cleveland Browns | Mohamoud Diabate, Utah – Athletically, Diabate can go toe-to-toe with almost anyone. The Browns have secured a talented undrafted free agent in this former Utes linebacker. Diabate is the type of player who can flash from anywhere on the field at the linebacker position. Capable of making plays both behind the line of scrimmage and in the secondary. His limitations in making better decisions with the ball hampered his draft value. Something that is coachable to current.
Kansas City Chiefs | Truman Jones, Harvard – A team captain at Harvard, Jones finished his final season with 13 tackles for loss and six quarterback sacks, helping him get invited to the East-West Shrine Bowl. One intriguing statistic to keep tabs on was his three blocked kicks with the Crimson. In terms of value, the defending Super Bowl Champions got a real player in Jones. His football IQ can absorb what he needs to learn over the next few months to retain his status with the Chiefs during the regular season.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Tennessee Titans | Steven Jones, Appalachian State – Eyeing up Jones on the field, there is nothing physically imposing about him. Shy of reaching 5-foot-10, this 5-foot-9 and 180-pound defensive back possesses superb instincts and is surprisingly aggressive in coverage. Jones recorded six career interceptions, and four of those resulted in a touchdown. Those types of numbers get you in camp, and his overall dedication to preparation should help him emerge as a nickel back at the next level.
Philadelphia Eagles | Mekhi Garner, LSU – A JUCO prospect at Navarro College, Garner has incredible size at 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds. Garner advanced himself from JUCO to Louisiana and finally to Louisiana State, one of the true collegiate breeding grounds for NFL defensive backs. His 4.5 and size are going to be real assets to an NFL team. Garner also is a ‘thinker’ who relishes in knowing more and going to great lengths to understand how and why the concepts are being used on the field.
SAFETIES Miami Dolphins | Bennett Williams, Oregon - Williams finished his career with 173 tackles and an impressive eight interceptions. He earned a respectable 73.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus playing 787 snaps that led the Ducks’ secondary. His real knack is in the running game, where his 86.2 grade shined. It ranked second amongst all Pac-12 defenders and inside the top-25 in the FBS. A few missteps during his sophomore year led him out of Illinois and resurfacing at the JUCO level, where he would begin to rebuild his career at San Mateo Community College. In his own right, Williams is a baller. He was the first true freshman safety to start in Illinois in over three decades. He also was the Ducks’ leading tackler (72) this past season. Helping to re-establish himself at Oregon after his illustrious career at Illinois.
Arizona Cardinals | Kendell Brooks, Michigan State - When North Greenville University decided to suspend their football season at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. It gave the Crusaders' safety Kendell Brooks the opportunity to enter the transfer portal. In between delivering pizzas, working at UPS and his family's logging business, he eventually got a call from head coach Melvin Tucker II called to welcome him to Michigan State University. Brooks emerged as one of the critical components of the Spartans' defensive unit in 2022. Starting 10 games at safety, he played in 756 snaps, second most of any Spartan defender and the most in the secondary. He tied for eighth in the FBS with three forced fumbles and ranked second on the team, and tied for fifth in the Big Ten with 100 tackles. His 9.1 tackles per game tied him for fourth in the conference.
