The NFL draft might end when Mr. Irrelevant is picked, but the work in the draft room is far from over. Even before the end of the draft, teams are calling players who they want to sign as undrafted free agents.
For all the hype that precedes the draft, undrafted free agents also have made a significant impact in the NFL.
Unlike the draft where teams wait their turn, these teams had to win a phone race to get these players, and there’s a good chance these names will become familiar over the next year or two.
No. 10: Jarron Jones, DT, Notre Dame (Giants)
Jarron Jones is injury prone. His motivation has been questioned and he has just 4.5 sacks in three healthy seasons at Notre Dame.
So why is he one of the top undrafted free agents?
Because if Ben McAdoo and Steve Spagnuolo can coax his talent out of him, he could be a monster.
The 6’6″, 316-pound Jones has 35 1/2-inch arms and 10 1/2-inch hands. He did have 19 tackles for loss, four passes defended, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries at Notre Dame.
Jones has been labeled a boom-or-bust prospect, but since he went undrafted it won’t be surprising if he’s cut. So he won’t be labeled a bust. If he works out, business will be boomin’ for the Giants’ scouting department.
No. 9: Cole Hikutini, TE, Louisville (49ers)
Cole Hikutini might have been Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson’s favorite target, but he wasn’t a favorite on NFL draft boards.
Hikutini led Louisville with 50 receptions and eight touchdown catches in 2016, but he played just two years at Louisville after playing just one year of high school football and then toiling away at Sacramento State and City College of San Francisco.
That lack of a pedigree might have turned off the other 31 teams, but not the 49ers. The 6’4″, 247-pound Hikutini has the same height and weight as fellow tight end George Kittle, who the 49ers drafted in the fifth round out of Iowa. The 49ers don’t have a clear front-runner atop their tight end depth chart, so if Hikutini can stand out among the 23 players the team added through the draft and undrafted free agency, he has a chance to compete for a roster spot.
Hikutini has been a late bloomer since he began playing football, so he can’t be counted out.
No. 8: Channing Stribling, CB, Michigan (Browns)
Channing Stribling’s best football at Michigan came in his senior season. He intercepted four passes, broke up 12 and made three tackles for loss.
That performance didn’t carry over to the scouting combine. His five bench-press reps, 114-inch broad jump and 20-yard shuttle (4.56) all were dead last among cornerbacks. He improved those numbers at his pro day, and according to Pro Football Focus he allowed a 22.7 passer rating last season.
The 6’1″, 188-pound Stribling has the height required of today’s cornerbacks. If he hits the weight room and adds enough bulk, he can use his press-coverage skills to turn some heads at Browns camp.
No. 7: DeAngelo Brown, DT, Louisville (Titans)
DeAngelo Brown didn’t take part in the scouting combine, but according to NFL.com he has bench pressed 225 pounds 40 times.
The 6’1″, 317-pound Brown also produced some nice on-field numbers. He led Louisville with 13 tackles for loss and added three sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 2016. He had 22 tackles for loss and five sacks in four years at Louisville.
Brown could struggle to find a fit in the NFL. He’s not that mountain of a nose tackle who can occupy blockers and clog up running lanes. He’s not much of a pass rusher. He did, however, play 743 snaps in 2016. So he can be more than just a two-down player and Dick LeBeau can find something to do with him as he turns 80.
No. 6: Joe Mathis, DE, Washington (Texans)
Joe Mathis had a career-high five sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss last season. Four of those sacks came in five games, including three in back-to-back games against Stanford and Oregon. Mathis also had five tackles for loss in those games and according to Pro Football Focus he had 14 quarterback pressures.
The bad news for Mathis is he injured his foot in that Oregon game and was done for the season after six games. The 6’2″, 266-pound Mathis bench pressed 24 times at the scouting combine, third among outside linebackers, but that wasn’t enough to salvage his draft stock.
For the Texans, Mathis is a dart and the bulls-eye would be the productivity that he had in those games against Stanford and Oregon. One of the knocks on Mathis is his maturity, but he’s now a father and a husband. He’s got a family to feed.
No. 5: Collin Buchanan, OT, Miami of Ohio (Saints)
At least one offensive line coach might regret missing out on Collin Buchanan in the draft.
“I kind of like him. I like the way he punches because it’s direct and his hands are pretty quick. When you move from tackle to guard you have to prove that you can speed up your hands and I think he has that already.”
An offensive line coach of an AFC team said that to NFL.com. Since Buchanan went to an NFC team, that’s at least two teams that had their eye on Buchanan.
The 6’5″, 316-pounder played mostly right tackle in college, but might have to move inside to guard in the NFL. If he does end up at guard, his experience at the tackle position can give him the versatility to survive in the NFL.
No. 4: Tyler Orlosky, C, West Virginia (Eagles)
Tyler Orlosky has the potential to start in the NFL, but the Eagles could get him without using a draft pick because of the way centers can slip through the cracks in the draft.
The 6’3″, 298-pound Orlosky started for three years at center for the Mountaineers. He earned first-team All-Big 12 honors last season. He might not be the most physically gifted center, but he plays with the mean streak teams look for in offensive linemen, he’s done well in the classroom and has the leadership ability to take charge of the line.
The Eagles didn’t draft any offensive linemen, so if Orlosky can earn a roster spot he could succeed Jason Kelce down the road.
No. 3: KD Cannon, WR, Baylor (49ers)
Drafted or undrafted, any new players taking part in 49ers’ offseason activities can improve the team.
KD Cannon caught 87 passes for 1,215 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. His 4.41 40-yard dash at the scouting combine was fourth among wide receivers. Only John Ross, Curtis Samuel and Josh Malone ran faster, and they all were drafted in the fourth round or earlier.
At 5’11”, 182 pounds, Cannon is a little undersized. He needs to sharpen his route-running and according to NFL.com he dropped nine passes in 2016. He could turn out to be a one-dimensional deep threat in the NFL, but with his speed that one dimension can be enough to keep opposing defenses on their toes.
No. 2: Jadar Johnson, S, Clemson (Giants)
It’s hard to figure out why Jadar Johnson wasn’t drafted. He led the national champions with five interceptions and broke up seven passes. He only started one season, but that’s only because he had players in front of him such as current pros Jayron Kearse and T.J. Green.
Johnson doesn’t come with any character red flags. He has loose lips with the media and has been known to provide opponents with bulletin board material, but no one’s going to slap handcuffs on him for that. The 6’0″, 206-pounder’s run support needs a lot of work, but Landon Collins can take care of that.
Darian Thompson is coming off a foot injury that limited him to two games last season. Andrew Adams filled in admirably at free safety, but if Johnson can beat the odds and make the team he could be part of a position battle.
No. 1: Travin Dural, WR, LSU (Saints)
The Saints didn’t draft a wide receiver despite losing Brandin Cooks, and Travin Dural is one of just two receivers they brought in as undrafted free agents.
Dural’s best season at LSU came in 2014, when he caught 37 passes for 758 yards and seven touchdowns. He caught 28 passes in each of the last two seasons because with Leonard Fournette LSU’s offense was more ground-oriented.
This is, however, the same school that brought the NFL Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. According to Pro Football Focus Dural was one of just 11 receivers in college with at least 25 receptions who didn’t drop a pass. He was limited to nine games in both 2015 and 2016, suffering a hamstring injury in 2015 and a shoulder injury last season.
Ahmad Fulwood of Florida, the only other receiver the Saints added over the weekend, caught just 13 passes over the last two seasons. So if Dural can stay healthy, he’ll get every chance to earn a roster spot and win the enviable job of catching passes from Drew Brees.
The Saints won’t have to worry about Dural becoming homesick. Not only did he play at LSU, he was born in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana.
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