Los Angeles Rams quickly sign college football's leading tackler as undrafted free agent
The NFL's objective is to invite every player who is expected to be drafted to the scouting combine. It didn't invite college football's leading tackler.
The league was right. Shaun Dolac didn't get picked in the 2025 NFL Draft, but he's been beating the odds his entire life.
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The University at Buffalo linebacker quickly signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent shortly after the draft wrapped up Saturday, according to multiple reports.
Dolac, 23, led college football with 168 tackles and 177 total interception return yards in 2024. The 168 tackles are 10th most in a single season in the last 20 years. He also recorded six sacks and five interceptions last year.
Dolac was a Consensus All-American and the MAC Defensive Player of the Year last year. He became the first University at Buffalo Associated Press All-American, something not even accomplished by Khalil Mack.
Dolac was joined on the Consensus All-American Team by nine players who were selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft: QB Cam Ward, CB/WR Travis Hunter, DE Abdul Carter, OT Will Campbell, DT Mason Graham, RB Ashton Jeanty, WR Tetairoa McMillan, OT Kelvin Banks Jr., and DT Walter Nolen.
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The league sent NFL Combine invites to 329 prospects, including 29 linebackers. It's impossible to perfectly predict every player who will be drafted but Dolac's resume seemed worthy of showcasing his skills at the pre-draft showcase. He did not receive an invitation to the Senior Bowl, either.
Dolac ran the 40-yard dash in an unofficial 4.55 seconds, with a 32.5" vertical jump and 25 bench press reps at the Bulls pro day. His pro day performances would've put him first in the shuttle, tied for first in the broad jump, third in the bench press, sixth in the 40-yard dash and seventh in the vertical jump among linebackers at the combine. Dolac is listed at 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds.
Dolac is from West Seneca, Erie County, about five miles north of the Buffalo Bills stadium in Orchard Park. He led West Seneca East to the state title game in 2018, spent a year at Milford Academy in Connecticut, and walked on to play for the Bulls in 2020. Dolac was awarded a scholarship in 2021. He was second in the FBS in tackles in 2022. A shoulder injury ended Dolac's 2023 season after four games.
He finished his college career with 391 tackles, 12.5 sacks, 42 tackles for loss, six interceptions, three forced fumbles and 12 passes defended in 49 games.
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Dolac participated in the Bills' local pro day on April 11.
The Bills had three University at Buffalo alumni on their roster last year: Cam Lewis, Ja'Marcus Ingram and Joe Andreesen.
The Rams lost linebackers Christian Rozeboom and Jacob Hummel and outside linebacker Michael Hoecht in free agency. Rozeboom led Los Angeles with 135 tackles.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Los Angeles Rams sign Shaun Dolac as undrafted free agent
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