Each year, hundreds of players will be signed as undrafted free agents. While most of them are nothing more than bodies to fill the 90-man roster, dozens of undrafted rookies will make the cut, and many more will sign with a practice squad and extend their career. Let’s take a position-by-position look at the best undrafted players from the 2019 NFL Draft. For each position I’ll list my top undrafted prospects and make a quick comment. I will also include other undrafted players in the position that fall in or near my top 300 overall.
Best Undrafted Quarterbacks:
Tyree Jackson, Buffalo (QB #8): Jackson is a huge quarterback with a cannon for an arm. He needs to work on his consistency and accuracy, but it’s hard to teach a strong arm. I was really surprised no one took him in the late rounds to give him a chance to develop.
Kyle Shurmur, Vanderbilt (QB #10): I had Shurmur ranked about Easton Stick, Clayton Thorson, and Trace McSorley. While he certainly has flaws, Shurmur is a coach’s son who limits interceptions and has a big body. He doesn’t have as high of a ceiling as some other QB’s, but I expect him to stick around the league for a bit.
Other notable undrafted quarterbacks: Jordan Ta’amu, Ole Miss; Taylor Cornelius, Oklahoma State; Brett Rypien, Boise State
Best Undrafted Wide Receivers:
Preston Williams, Colorado State (WR #14): I’m not too surprised Preston Williams didn’t get drafted. The 6’4″ receiver had a lot of hype early in the season while he was amounting his 1,345 receiving yards, but he has off the field issues that made him miss the combine, plus he wasn’t as fast as expected at his pro day. The off field issues likely made teams take him off their board.
Stanley Morgan Jr., Nebraska (WR #15): Despite Nebraska’s struggles, Morgan had another good year. He isn’t blazing fast, but he has good leaping ability, quickness, and rarely drops passes. He should be a good priority pickup who will likely make a 53-man roster.
Emanuel Hall, Missouri (WR #17): Emanuel Hall is probably the biggest surprise to be undrafted. The 6’2″ receiver ran a 4.39 with a 43.5″ vertical. I wasn’t as big of a fan of him as others because he relies solely on speed for route-running and doesn’t have a diverse route tree, but most believed his athletic traits would make him a mid round pick.
Other notable undrafted wide receivers: Anthony Johnson, Buffalo; Antoine Wesley, Texas Tech; Keelan Doss, UC-Davis; David Sills V, West Virginia; Johnnie Dixon, Ohio State; Jazz Ferguson, Northwestern State; Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Texas.
Best Undrafted Running Backs:
Jalin Moore, Appalachian State (RB #16): Moore’s stock fell significantly because of injury. Still, he is a unique talent who is incredibly shifty, great at blocking, and a talented receiver. I expected a team to take him in the 6th round and find a gem, but now a team gets to find an undrafted gem.
Alex Barnes, Kansas State (RB #18): Barnes is a big back who was really productive and tested well at the combine. After running for 1,355 yards at 6’0″ 226 pounds, Barnes ran a solid 4.59 with 34 reps. He is very comparable to Alexander Mattison, who was the final pick of the 3rd round.
Other notable undrafted running backs: Karan Higdon, Michigan; Elijah Holyfield, Georgia.
Best Undrafted Tights Ends / Fullbacks:
Keenen Brown, Texas State (TE #13): Brown was a big time prospect a few months ago, but continuously fell through the process. He measured smaller than expected, a little slower than expected, and didn’t impress much in other aspects. Still, many figured he’d be a late round pick.
CJ Conrad, Kentucky (TE #14): Conrad was a classic example of a player who was too average to be drafted. While he’s a solid blocker with decent hands and athleticism, nothing made him stand out from the rest. This lowers his ceiling quite a bit, but a team will likely find use for his services, and he will likely be a practice squad guy next year.
Other notable undrafted tight ends: Alec Ingold, Wisconsin; Dax Raymond, Utah State; Donald Parham, Stetson.
Best Undrafted Offensive Tackles:
Mitch Hyatt, Clemson (OT #13): Hyatt isn’t a great athlete and doesn’t have great length, but he was incredibly productive at left tackle for Clemson. The All-American has the size to play outside and has some grit to him. Many thought he would be picked around the 5th round.
William Sweet, North Carolina (OT #16): After surprisingly entering the draft early, Sweet went undrafted. The Tarheel’s left tackle doesn’t have much experience, but he has good size and length for the position. His athleticism is good enough to carve out a career, especially with a good coaching staff.
Other notable undrafted offensive tackles: Devon Johnson, Ferris State; Martez Ivey, Florida; Paul Adams, Missouri; Donnell Greene, Minnesota; Joe Lowery, Ohio; Aaron Monteiro, Boston College; Tyler Roemer, San Diego State; Yosuah Nijman, Virginia Tech.
Best Undrafted Interior Offensive Linemen:
Beau Benzschawel, Wisconsin (G #5): Benzschawel was a first team All-American this year, and also received All-American recognition from some outlets the year prior. The Badgers always produce linemen who outplay their athletic capabilities, and this guy is another example. I was shocked he went undrafted given the Badgers’ reputation, and wouldn’t be surprised to see him carve out a starting role at some point of his career.
Ryan Bates, Penn State (G #8): The problem for Bates is you don’t know where to play him, but he showed to be pretty athletic at the combine, running a 5.09. Bates played left tackle mostly for Penn State, but he has the run blocking ability and strength to move inside. He performed just as well as McGovern did this past year, who was a 3rd round pick.
Other notable undrafted guards & centers: Iosua Opeta, Weber State; Alex Bars, Notre Dame; Fred Johnson, Florida; Tyler Jones, NC State; John Keenoy, Western Michigan; Sam Mustipher, Notre Dame.
Best Undrafted Defensive Tackles:
Gerald Willis III, Miami-FL (DT #10): I’m curious to hear why Gerald Willis went undrafted. Most analysts gave him a 3rd round grade. While he isn’t incredibly athletic or big, he had 18 tackles for loss for the Hurricanes this past year. He has had some character issues in the past, and he’s likely undrafted because of a non-public off field concern. Regardless, his talent is that of a 3rd round pick.
Isaiah Mack, UT-Chattanooga (DT #14): I love DT’s who get a lot of tackles, and Mack had 78 this past year. He ran a 4.99 at 299 pounds, so he’s athletic enough to get around the field. While he needs to play a little stronger, I assumed the All-FCS 1st Team stud would be drafted on day 3.
Other notable undrafted defensive tackles: Daniel Wise, Kansas; Kevin Givens, Penn State; Albert Huggins, Clemson; Ed Alexander, LSU; Ray Smith, Boston College; Youhanna Ghaifan, Wyoming.
Best Undrafted Defensive Ends:
Markus Jones, Angelo State (DE #17): I knew I had Markus Jones ranked higher than other analysts, but I really hoped to see him get drafted. While he isn’t the biggest or most athletic I love people who produce at high levels. Markus Jones had a ridiculous 36.5 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks in just 12 games this past season. I know it’s D2, but those are unbelievable numbers. Someone give this kid a shot.
Carl Granderson, Wyoming (DE #20): Granderson was great as a junior, but really struggled as a senior. He followed up his 78 tackle, 16 TFL, 8.5 sack season with just 40 tackles, 7.5 TFL, and 3 sacks. He still has that potential in him, and someone could get a steal if they can manage to unlock his junior year’s form.
Other notable undrafted defensive ends: Kyle Phillips, Tennessee; Jamell Garcia-Williams, UAB; Corbin Kaufusi, BYU; Derick Roberson, Sam Houston State; Jonathan Ledbetter, Georgia; Greg Roberts, Baylor.
Best Undrafted Linebackers:
Te’Von Coney, Notre Dame (ILB #7): Coney was the center piece of one of the best defenses in football. He didn’t run a blazing 40 time and isn’t particularly quick, but he collected 123 tackles for the Irish, improving from 116 a year ago. His toughness and nose of the ball made him worthy of a draft pick in most people’s opinions.
Chase Hansen, Utah (OLB #11): Hansen put up incredible numbers for Utah, but he’s recovering from a herniated disc. I dropped him in the rankings because of it, yet the medical reports likely didn’t look great for Hansen. Despite his 114 tackles and 22 tackles for loss, teams clearly didn’t feel confident in his health. If he’s able to recover, he could get back to producing at the level of a 3rd round pick.
TJ Edwards, Wisconsin (ILB #10): Edwards is another productive inside linebacker who fell due to a lack of speed. Edwards shows plenty of speed on tape, however, and is capable of giving a big hit. He plays with passion and is also good in pass coverage. At 240 pounds, he has the size to play multiple linebacker positions in a 4-3, and has a good chance to make a team.
Other notable undrafted linebackers: Jamal Davis, Akron; BJ Blunt, McNeese State; Tyrel Dodson, Texas A&M; Gary Johnson, Texas; EJ Ejiya, North Texas; Joe Dinnen Jr., Kansas; Tevis Bartlett, Washington; Josiah Tauaefa, UTSA; Luke Gifford, Nebraska; Tre Lamar, Clemson.
Best Undrafted Safeties:
Zedrick Woods, Ole Miss (S #11): Woods doesn’t look phenomenal on film, but he had the fastest 40 time of the year at 4.29! I am thoroughly surprised that no one took a chance on the fastest sprinter in the class. It’s likely the first time that the combine’s fastest player went undrafted.
Darius West, Kentucky (S #12): West played second fiddle in a talented Wildcat secondary, but he ran a 4.39 at the combine, and showed improved ball skills this past year. At 5’11” 208 pounds, he has the size to play either safety spot. If he can toughen up and play with a chip on his shoulder, he has the potential for a long career.
Other notable undrafted safeties: Delvon Randle, Temple; Andrew Wingard, Wyoming; Malik Gant, Marshall; Cameron Glenn, Wake Forest.
Best Undrafted Cornerbacks:
Mark Fields, Clemson (CB #23): Fields barely got any playing time this past year, but he still got a combine invite and impressed with a 4.37. He only got 7 tackles, but has 5 pass breakups. His great ball skills make up for his lack of size, and he almost reminds me of former tiger Mackensie Alexander with his feisty play. Most expected him to go in the 4th-5th round.
Derrick Baity Jr., Kentucky (CB #24): Baity was one of many big corners in the draft, and his slow 40 time caused him to drop. The 6’2″ corner might be better trying to play safety where he doesn’t need to flip his hips as fast, but he is good in man coverage and can bat down passes.
Ryan Pulley, Arkansas (CB #26): Ryan Pulley was impressive in press coverage for Arkansas, and does a good job mirroring receivers. He has a strong build and could provide versatility for an NFL team as a corner-free safety hybrid.
Other notable undrafted cornerbacks: Saivion Smith, Alabama; Montre Hartage, Northwestern; Davante Davis, Texas; Hamp Cheevers, Boston College; Derrek Thomas, Baylor.
Best Undrafted Kickers / Punters:
Cole Tracy, LSU (K #2): Many people considered Tracy the best kicker in the draft. With many teams needing a kicker or at least a kicking competition, people expected Tracy to be a 6th or 7th round pick. Expect Tracy to get a legitimate shot at being a starting kicker somewhere next year.
Jack Fox, Rice (P #3): Fox had his struggles this year, but he is a traditional punter who turned some heads at the East-West Shrine Game. He kicks with good hang time and has a chance to be an NFL punter.
Other notable undrafted kickers & punters: John Baron II, San Diego State; Tyler Newsome, Notre Dame.
