Latest news with #undrafted
Washington Post
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Gabe Taylor came to Washington for a higher purpose: To honor his brother
After his job interview, Gabe Taylor knelt down on the grass above the Washington Commanders' practice field. While most every other player who participated in the rookie minicamp practice trudged up the hill and into the locker room, Taylor was the only one to end the session with such an intimate moment. But, of course, only Taylor, an undrafted dreamer out of Rice University, has deep roots here.
New York Times
09-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Meet the Giants UDFAs: an NFL legacy, a future surgeon and the ultimate Swiss Army knife
The dream for every undrafted free agent is to become the next Victor Cruz. Even being the next Tommy DeVito would be a monumental achievement for most undrafted players. The reality is it's unlikely that most UDFA will become household names. But that doesn't mean there isn't a real chance for an undrafted player to make the New York Giants' roster. Last year, offensive lineman Jake Kubas, defensive lineman Casey Rogers and kicker Jude McAtamney all appeared in games as undrafted rookies. So, who could be next to join that group of unheralded players to break through? Here's a closer look at this year's cast of hopefuls: Despite being the son of a two-time Pro Bowl cornerback, Jordan Bly had no interest in playing defense. Advertisement 'I wanted to score touchdowns and make plays,' Bly said. 'Growing up and watching guys, I was like, 'That's definitely something I want to do.'' Dre Bly, who spent his 11-year NFL career with the St. Louis Rams, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers, tried unsuccessfully to get his son to follow in his footsteps. 'When we were young kids, he always stuck me at corner,' Jordan Bly said. 'I was like, 'Nah, this ain't really what I want to do.' If I did, I was going to try to get interceptions all the time and try to score. Covering? OK. But I wanted to catch the ball, even when I was on defense.' Bly earned a scholarship to Old Dominion after catching passes from Patriots quarterback Drake Maye at Myers Park High in Charlotte, N.C. He totaled 46 catches for 394 yards and one touchdown over three seasons. A homesick Bly decided to transfer before his senior year, landing at Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs, N.C. Dropping from an FBS program to one in the FCS was a risk as Bly pursued his NFL goal. 'I knew that if people know you can play, they're going to come and find you no matter where you're at,' Bly said. 'I just wanted to go somewhere where I could try and show a little bit more of what I could do.' The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Bly made 32 catches for 333 yards and scored three touchdowns in his one season at Gardner-Webb. He then ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at North Carolina's pro day with his father, a UNC alum elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014, in attendance. Dre Bly has been a constant in Jordan's football journey. After retiring from the NFL in 2010, Bly coached his five kids' sports teams. 'He was helping me and my older brother,' Jordan Bly said. 'He was always coaching.' Dre was on the Myers Park staff when Jordan was in high school. Advertisement 'That was interesting. You're getting chewed out by your dad, and it's like, 'Dang.' Then you go home and act like nothing ever happened,' Jordan Bly said. 'There was definitely a separation. But it was a cool experience. I wouldn't want to be coached by anybody else because he knows what he's talking about.' When Jordan went to college, Dre returned to North Carolina as the cornerbacks coach from 2019-22. Dre was the Lions' cornerbacks coach in 2023 before landing at UNC Charlotte as a defensive analyst last year. That led to a matchup between father and son in last season's opener. DANCE PARTY 🕺 @bly_jordan #BigSouthOVCFB | @GWUFootball — OVC-Big South Football Association (@BigSouthOVCFB) October 19, 2024 Jordan Bly had the best game of his college career — eight catches for 74 yards in a 27-26 loss — with his father and older brother Trey, who was also an assistant at Charlotte, on the opposing sideline. 'When you make a big play, you look over to the sideline, and they're over there and you're just smiling like, 'Yeah, I'm really here,'' Jordan Bly said. 'It was fun. All competitive. We grew up in a competitive family, all going against each other, so it really felt like growing up.' Dre was hired as the Jets' assistant defensive backs coach this offseason, so he'll be nearby if Jordan needs any advice as the next stage of his football journey starts. 'He's always been there, supportive of whatever I want to do, whether it's football or not,' Jordan Bly said. 'Anything I really need, anything I really question when it comes to football, he's the first person I'm going to because he's been through it all. He's seen it all from a coaching side and a player's side. He really gives me good advice on what he's looking for as a player and a coach. I'm really grateful to have him.' Dalen Cambre understands the skepticism when people learn that a wide receiver with 10 catches in five seasons at Louisiana is signing with an NFL team. 'You have a bunch of people asking, 'Man, did this guy even play college football?'' Cambre said. But Cambre learned early in his college career that there are ways to add value that don't show up in the box score. Advertisement 'They preached a lot to us during my time in college that everyone has to play special teams in the NFL, and special teams is how you make the roster because if you can do everything, you have a lot of value,' Cambre said. 'I kind of took that and ran with it.' The 5-foot-11, 189-pound Cambre arrived at Louisiana in 2019 after playing quarterback for three seasons at St. Thomas More (La.) High before switching to wide receiver as a senior. He had served as the holder on his school team, so he saw a path to getting on the field at Louisiana. 'That's how I got on the bus in college, traveling every week,' Cambre said. 'From holding, that's how I finally got my job on special teams.' Cambre earned the coaches' trust with his reliability, so his roles steadily expanded. 'They saw me doing every part,' Cambre said. 'I was playing special teams; I was playing receiver; I was a reserve quarterback for six months because we were down quarterbacks for half a year. Then I was also our backup kicker because we were only traveling (with) one kicker, one punter. I created value for myself just by practicing and learning what I could do.' Cambre watched so much special teams film that Louisiana's coaches began involving him in game-planning. 'I was going up there early in the week, and I was helping them with game plan because I was able to see small, minor details that they may not have caught the first time they were watching film,' Cambre said. The preparation enabled Cambre to finish second in the nation in special teams tackles last season, according to Pro Football Focus. With so much value on special teams, Cambre's offensive snaps were limited. He made a career-high five catches last season, which was tied for the 12th-most on the team. 'My special teams coordinator was very upfront with me about my play time,' Cambre said. 'He said to me and to the booster club, 'He's so valuable on special teams that we don't want to risk him getting hurt playing offense or defense.'' Advertisement Cambre still played a role on offense, however. During the spring of 2023, injuries left Louisiana shorthanded at quarterback. So Cambre would throw passes in drills and then get in line with receivers and catch passes from the other quarterbacks. When injuries struck again during the 2023 season, Cambre was placed in the quarterback room full-time during the week. 'When I tell you my plate was full, it was overflowing, just with the amount of stuff I had to get ready for in preparation for a game,' Cambre said. Cambre had no idea what to expect from the NFL Draft after such a unique college career. So when the Panthers called after the draft to extend a tryout invitation to their rookie minicamp, he accepted. The Giants called five minutes later with the same offer. Informed of the accepted invitation from the Panthers, the Giants then upped their offer to an undrafted free agent contract to land Cambre. In some ways, Cambre is the longest shot to earn a roster spot. In others, he has an advantage because he already understands what it will take to carve out a role. 'I'm going to take what I've done in college and use that and find a way to make the roster,' Cambre said. 'I'll come in, I'll be the backup kicker, the fourth-string quarterback, backup long snapper, holder — whatever needs to be done.' Tommy McCormick planned to finish the final season of a solid career at Idaho and then move on to the next phase of his life. 'Med school was my plan coming into this year,' McCormick said. He had been accepted into UNLV's medical school and planned to start his path to becoming an orthopedic surgeon. Rather than dreaming of playing for an NFL team, McCormick instead hoped to become a team's doctor. That vision changed after the first game of McCormick's final season. He tallied 11 tackles in a 24-14 loss to Oregon, which was ranked No. 3 in the nation. Advertisement 'That was really big for me,' McCormick said. 'When you're talking about FCS schools, that's probably the first game scouts turn on to look at when you play a big FBS team that's highly ranked. After a big first game like that, some scouts were calling my coaches and had some interest in me.' McCormick stayed on the NFL radar with 108 tackles and three interceptions. 'My strength coach was like, '(The Giants') GM has seen your film. They like you a lot.' That was midseason, where I was like, 'OK. I'm going to give it a shot, for sure.'' Instead of hanging up his cleats after Idaho's final game, McCormick began training for pro day. The 6-foot, 211-pounder completed an eye-popping 23 bench-press reps with solid measurements in the broad jump and vertical jump. A three-time state champion wrestler, McCormick's physicality has been a calling card. He had a memorable matchup against new teammate Cam Skattebo, a running back picked in the fourth round by the Giants, in 2022. Skattebo, then at Sacramento State, was an All-American for the FCS powerhouse. Skattebo rushed for 134 yards on 17 carries in a 31-28 win, while McCormick had nine tackles. 'I remember one time I tried to bring the boom to him a little bit, and he kind of just bounced off,' McCormick said. 'I was like, 'Yep, all right, he's pretty sturdy.'' McCormick will now be squaring off against Skattebo daily in practice as he fights for a job he didn't consider a possibility nine months ago. McCormick deferred his acceptance at UNLV for a year — at least. 'If things go well, I can continue to push that off,' McCormick said. 'Last weekend, I had no idea what I was doing with my life going into it. Now, at least there's a little more certainty for at least the next little bit.' Jaison Williams will take the field at the Giants' first rookie minicamp practice Friday and be coached by Carmen Bricillo. It's a union six years in the making. Advertisement Bricillo, who is in his second year as the Giants' offensive line coach, served as the O-line coach at Youngstown State from 2010-18. He recruited Williams in the class of 2019, developing a bond during the process, which included a visit to Williams' grandmother's house. Williams was excited to play for Bricillo and the gritty style he preached. But the Trotwood, Ohio, native never got the chance because on the day he signed his letter of intent with Youngstown State, Bricillo left for an assistant job with the New England Patriots. 'When he told me he left, it was kind of like a blow to the stomach,' Williams said. 'We definitely had a close relationship throughout the recruiting process. There was a little bit of remorse, but I understood because he's got to do what's best for him.' Williams and Bricillo spoke a few times over the past six years — once when Williams accidentally pocket-dialed the coach, who returned the call for a brief conversation. They went years without speaking until a week before this year's draft. They spoke again after the draft when Williams signed with the Giants as an undrafted free agent. 'It all worked out in the end,' Williams said of the winding road to playing for Bricillo. As Bricillo worked his way up the NFL coaching ranks, serving as O-line coach for the Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders and Giants, Williams was on his own path at Youngstown State. Williams redshirted as a freshman in 2019 and then the 2020 season was delayed until the spring of 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Williams started at left guard in the first game of that abbreviated season before moving to left tackle for a few games. He started at right guard for the fall 2021 season until an injury to YSU's right tackle forced him to shift outside. Williams remained at right tackle for the rest of his career, making 52 total starts. Advertisement The 6-foot-3, 298-pound Williams said NFL teams mostly talked about moving him inside to guard, although the Giants haven't shared a definitive plan. 'I'm pretty confident I can play anything they ask me to play,' Williams said. Jaison Williams went undrafted as a OT in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 4.22 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 869 out of 1501 OT from 1987 to 2025. UDFA #Giantshttps:// — (@MathBomb) April 27, 2025 Williams hasn't played center since middle school, but he trained at the position during the pre-draft process to increase his versatility. 'You never know what to expect,' Williams said. 'You never know what a team is going to need. Early in my college career, I was that Swiss Army knife. I feel like coming into the pros with that, you bring more value to a team when you can play more than just one position.' As Williams makes the transition to the NFL, he'll have a familiar face guiding him — even if it will be his first time actually playing for Bricillo. 'It's going to be a blessing,' Williams said. 'We definitely had a bond, so I was kind of hurt when he left YSU. But it's kind of amazing how God works things out.' Rushawn Baker had three solid seasons at Bucknell, but believed he needed a change of scenery to realize his goal of making the NFL. 'That was probably one of the toughest decisions I've made in college or really in general,' Baker said. 'It was really just the first selfish thing I chose to do while being there. I was just like, 'I want to have a better opportunity to play at the next level.'' The 5-foot-11, 218-pound running back entered the transfer portal hoping to land with an FBS program. When those offers didn't materialize, he settled for FCS Elon, which attracted more NFL scouts to practice than Bucknell. Advertisement It wasn't a smooth transition. During the first week of training camp, Baker felt nauseous and dizzy during a practice. He became alarmed when the same symptoms recurred in multiple practices in a row. 'I finally get pulled out, and they start doing testing and they found out I had gotten what's called an acute kidney injury,' Baker said. 'The way they explained it to me was my body was really struggling to keep up the amount of fluids I was losing, even though I was replacing them. I think it was because we were having record-breaking heat. We had a lot of guys go down with similar stuff.' Baker missed three weeks of camp, which opened the door for freshman TJ Thomas to claim the starting running back job. It was a tough time for Baker, although his health scare kept the disappointment in perspective. 'The most important thing, I was just being thankful we caught it at the right time, and it didn't become life-threatening,' Baker said. 'I was told it could have been something serious if we didn't catch it when we did.' Thomas performed well enough, tallying more than 100 yards rushing in two of the first three games, to keep Baker in a platoon role. 'I was kind of the 1-A or 2, depending on the week, mixing me in for different things,' Baker said. Midway through the season, adversity struck again as Baker was in a car accident while driving to class the day before a game against Hampton. 'Totaled my car,' Baker said. 'I got T-boned. It wasn't my fault.' Baker 'felt terrible' in the game the next day, but got 14 carries because Thomas got injured early in the game. Despite gaining just 31 yards, Baker was in position to claim the lead role. He seized the opportunity, with 583 yards on 95 carries to spark a four-game winning streak to close the season. 'I'm extremely humble, but I know what I'm capable of and what I can do,' Baker said. 'So getting on the field and being able to show that, especially for scouting purposes, it's really not about anything else — it's really just getting the opportunity to play at the next level.' Advertisement That opportunity has arrived, making all the trials along the way worth it for Baker. 'I truly think everything happens for a reason, and I'm thankful for the process I've gone through,' Baker said. 'It was interesting how things played out, but absolutely unbelievably blessed just to have an opportunity.' Basketball was Da'Quan Felton's first love. He was so invested in basketball that he didn't start playing football until his sophomore year at Churchland High in Portsmouth, Va. 'I was just a hooper,' Felton said. 'I was a big LeBron (James) fan. My hoop dreams were still alive.' Felton fell out of love with basketball as a sophomore — 'I got kind of bored of it' — and began looking for another outlet. The quarterback of the football team recruited Felton, who quickly developed a passion for the new sport. 'I fell in love with it,' Felton said. Felton had physical gifts, but it wasn't a seamless transition to football. 'It didn't click quickly,' Felton said. 'I was really raw when I first started. I had to learn. I had to grow. I just had to learn the ins and outs of the game and become football smart. It was slow at first, but then I started to build up some knowledge.' As a late bloomer, Felton was rated as a no-star prospect by recruiting services. He was undeterred by the lack of attention. 'Stars never meant nothing to me,' Felton said. 'I was killing players that were four stars and three stars when I was in high school. I knew stars were overrated.' Still, the lack of recruiting buzz limited Felton's suitors. He went to a camp at Norfolk State before his senior year of high school and the FCS program eventually became his lone Division I offer. It took Felton two years to get on the field at Norfolk State because he redshirted in 2019 and then the 2020 season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He had 28 catches for 492 yards and two touchdowns in 2021 and followed with 39 catches for 573 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022. Advertisement 'I was just grinding. I was just trying to get on the field,' Felton said. 'Obviously, it's God's timing, but I'm also going to put in that work so I know when that moment comes I'm going to always be ready.' Felton entered the transfer portal after the 2022 season confident that he could thrive at a higher level. 'I wanted to play somewhere with better competition, play in a better conference,' Felton said. 'Just because I knew I could play anywhere in the country the whole time. It was just a matter of everybody else seeing it.' Virginia Tech was one of the few power conference programs that saw Felton's talent and made an offer. He rewarded that faith by leading the team with 667 yards receiving and eight touchdowns in 2023. 'I just came in and did what I do,' Felton said. 'Just head down, working, competing, taking advantage of every opportunity I got. The results showed.' The entire offense struggled last season, with Felton's production dipping to 360 yards and two touchdowns. 'Every situation isn't going to be perfect, so whatever situation you've got, you've just got to make the most of that opportunity,' Felton said. 'I was thinking about the future and all that, but you've just got to be where your feet are. I wasn't really stressing too much about it because I know if you turn the film on, you see me getting open. I'm pretty sure that's what scouts saw.' Scouts also saw a prospect with the desired combination of height (6-foot-5), weight (214 pounds) and speed (4.5-second 40-yard dash). 'Obviously, that's why a lot of teams love me,' Felton said. 'But just myself, I know my height, I know my weight, I know my speed, so I just use that to my advantage. I just go out there and kill. That's one of my best abilities, so I just use that.' Felton fielded offers from many teams after going undrafted. The Giants gave him a hefty $264,000 guarantee, which essentially ensures him a spot on their practice squad this season. But, as usual, he has his sights set higher. Advertisement 'They don't really have a receiver like me in the room,' Felton said. 'I can bring that X factor to the room. Play on the opposite side of Malik (Nabers), possibly.' O'Donnell Fortune has demonstrated a knack for making big plays in big moments. There was no bigger moment in the pre-draft process than his 65-yard pick-six in the Shrine Bowl to secure MVP honors in the all-star game. 'It was crazy,' Fortune said. 'When I came into the Shrine Bowl, I wasn't expecting to get the MVP. That experience was great. I just thank God for giving me the opportunity to make that play.' O'Donnell Fortune (@fortune_donnell) took an INT to the house to earn himself East-West Shrine Bowl Defensive MVP!@GamecockFB | #ShrineBowlWHOSNEXT — East-West Shrine Bowl (@ShrineBowl) April 22, 2025 Fortune, who was playing for the East team, didn't realize until after he'd signed with the Giants that defensive coordinator Shane Bowen was serving as the head coach of the West team. Now that they're united, Fortune will need to continue to impress Bowen as he tries to earn a roster spot. Fortune believes the Giants are a good situation for him after having multiple conversations with assistant secondary coach Mike Adams leading up to the draft. The 6-foot-1, 189-pound Fortune believes he's a fit in Bowen's zone-heavy scheme. 'We had some good conversations, mostly about the coverages,' Fortune said. 'He was saying they mostly run the same coverages we run.' Fortune saw minimal action in his first two seasons at South Carolina until NFL-bound corners Cam Smith and Darius Rush opted out of the Gamecock's Gator Bowl matchup with Notre Dame in 2022. Fortune stepped into the lineup and delivered a 100-yard pick six to tie the score midway through the fourth quarter of a game Notre Dame eventually won. Advertisement 'Both corners opted out. It led me to a spot, so I took advantage of it,' Fortune said. 'I still think about that day. It's crazy. Just a big play. Just making plays in big moments.' Fortune carried the momentum from the bowl game and became a starter in his final two seasons. The 6-foot-1, 189-pound Fortune likely sank his hopes of getting drafted with poor showings in the athletic testing at the combine and his pro day. Fortune ran a 4.57-second 40-yard dash and had poor results in the jumps and agility drills. 'That definitely wasn't my best,' Fortune said. 'I feel like I could have done a lot better.' Fortune said he plays faster than he tests. 'I tell people, 'I play football,'' Fortune said. 'The testing is cool and all, but you've got to know how to play football at the end of the day.' Been watching the SC defense today and, while he's not one of the more well-known names, CB O'Donnell Fortune (#3) has caught my eye. A bit slight but good instincts/ball skills with legit closing speed. Was excellent vs Alabama. — Mina Kimes (@minakimes) March 14, 2025 Fortune relies on his instincts to make plays, often baiting quarterbacks into the types of mistakes that led to his seven interceptions over the past three seasons. One quarterback he wasn't able to trick was Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart, who was selected by the Giants in the first round of the draft. Dart completed 14-of-27 passes for 285 yards in a 27-3 win over South Carolina last season. Twice, Fortune bit on double moves, leading to big gains for Ole Miss. 'I feel like he knows the defense well,' Fortune said. 'A lot of quarterbacks don't get me. But he kind of gets me. He kind of tried to confuse me with his eyes and stuff like that. He doesn't stare at the receiver long. He's going to be great in the NFL.' Fortune will get his chance for revenge in training camp. If history is a guide, he'll likely make a big play when he gets his opportunity. Beaux Collins enrolled early at Clemson in the spring of 2021 with a clear plan in mind. 'I told my counselor when I first got there that I wanted to be on track to graduate as early as possible with the degree that I wanted to get, which was business management,' Collins said. 'She mapped out a three-year plan, and I stuck to it.' Advertisement It was important for Collins to earn his degree, but the expedited timeline was in preparation for a potentially early exit for the NFL. A top recruit from powerhouse St. John Bosco in Los Angeles County, it was realistic for Collins to believe he could be on the fast track to the NFL. Recording 31 catches for 407 yards and three touchdowns as a true freshman supported Collins' vision. But his career never took off as expected. Collins was solid in his sophomore and junior seasons at Clemson, combining for 60 catches, 883 yards and eight touchdowns. But he wasn't on the NFL radar after his junior season. Still, he had stayed on track in the classroom, so he earned his degree last spring. 'After my freshman year, I took business calculus and things like that in the summer. It was pretty hectic at the time,' Collins said. 'But you just had to stay on top of summer school. One spring, I took 18 credit hours. That was a rough one, for sure, but I made it through.' Armed with his degree, Collins decided to change his football path by entering the transfer portal. Notre Dame immediately jumped out as his top choice. The 6-foot-3, 201-pound Collins tallied 41 catches for 490 yards and three touchdowns as the Irish advanced to the national championship game in his lone season at Notre Dame. Still, it wasn't enough to get him drafted. 'It was a pretty tense moment just watching the draft, seeing if my name was going to get picked,' Collins said. 'It was a great experience, but also humbling and made me even more hungry to go get it.' TOUCHDOWN IRISH 1️⃣3️⃣ ➡️ 5️⃣#GoIrish☘️ | @beaux_collins | @rileyleonard13_ — Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) September 21, 2024 Even if things didn't go according to plan, Collins still reached the NFL. That's all that matters now. 'There's a lot of great opportunity,' Collins said. 'The coaches like what I do, I like what they do. It was the perfect fit. They were on the top of the list.' Makari Paige should have no trouble adjusting to NFL coaching. Consider the coaches Paige played for during his five seasons at Michigan: Jim Harbaugh was the Wolverines' head coach for Paige's first four seasons. Harbaugh returned to the NFL to take over as the Los Angeles Chargers' coach last year. He previously spent four seasons as the 49ers' head coach. Advertisement Mike Macdonald was Paige's defensive coordinator as a sophomore in 2021. Macdonald, who is entering his second season as the Seattle Seahawks' head coach, had spent seven seasons as a Baltimore Ravens assistant before his one season as Michigan's DC. Jesse Minter was Paige's DC as a junior and senior in 2022 and 2023. Minter was another former Ravens assistant who left Michigan to join Harbaugh as the Chargers' defensive coordinator. Wink Martindale was Paige's defensive coordinator last season. Martindale returned to college after 19 years in the NFL, most notably as the Giants' DC in 2022 and 2023. 'I think it was great being in college and learning those types of defenses that prepared me for this level,' Paige said. 'They all have great minds, and they all are similar but different in their own way. I feel like it prepared me well for this next level.' Macdonald and Minter worked under Martindale when he was the Ravens' defensive coordinator from 2018-21. The proteges put their own tweaks on Martindale's famed relentless blitzing style. 'He's a different type of style of play caller,' Pagie said. 'He likes to bring the heat every play. It was definitely different than what I experienced before, but definitely loved the versatility he has in his defense.' The complexity of Michigan's defenses under the NFL-style coordinators should have Paige (6-3, 197 pounds) more prepared than other rookies for the transition to Bowen's scheme. 'A lot of (college) teams run the same coverages every game,' Paige said. 'It's Cover 4 or basic Cover 3, and that's what they run most of the time. But we have a lot of different things like simulated (blitzes) and fire zones and Tampa's and Cover 3's — a lot of things that go into our packages every week.' Just as it took time for Martindale to adjust to the different spacing and pace of the college game, it took Paige time to find his groove in the new defense. Injuries forced a late-season shift to slot corner, and Paige thrived in the new role. Advertisement 'I think I definitely got better toward the end of the season,' Paige said. 'That was definitely a fun experience being down there near the box a lot. I feel like as time went on, and our defense got better, a lot of guys around me played better.' The improvements culminated in Michigan's 13-10 win over rival Ohio State in the regular-season finale. Paige had a crucial third-down interception in the red zone with the score tied late in the third quarter. Earlier, he had a crushing hit to stop Will Howard short of a first down that knocked the Ohio State quarterback out of the game briefly. When asked which play was his favorite, Paige started to say the interception before quickly changing his mind. 'It was the hit, honestly,' Paige said. 'It just feels good to hit a quarterback. He's running the ball. And it's Ohio State, so it's even more of a motivation to hit him. That probably was the best play I had in that game.' Will Howard just took a BIG hit 😳 — FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 30, 2024 Paige credited his preparation during the week for setting up the interception. That type of experience has him ready for the NFL. 'We had a lot of great and smart coaches come through that building,' Paige said. 'Everybody who played for the Michigan Wolverines, I feel a lot of guys are definitely prepared for that next level.' The Giants also signed Ole Miss WR Antwane Wells, Oregon State TE Jermaine Terry, Oklahoma OLB Trace Ford and Wisconsin CB RJ Delancy, but they were not available for interviews. (Top photo of Jordan Bly and O'Donnell Fortune: Jim Dedmon and Butch Dill Imagn Images)
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NFL undrafted free-agent signings: Dino Tomlin, Boston College WR and son of Steelers head coach, doing Bucs rookie minicamp
The 2025 NFL Draft is over, which means players that weren't selected can sign with teams as free agents. The history of undrafted players who've succeeded in the NFL anyway is actually quite length, and it includes Kurt Warner, Tony Romo, John Randle, Antonio Gates, James Harrison, Priest Holmes, Jason Peters and Wes Welker. It's the NFL Draft's "secret round." Which big names are signing this spring after going undrafted? Stay updated here. Boston College wide receiver Dino Tomlin, son of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, will participate in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' rookie minicamp in May, per WTAE in Pittsburgh. Rookie minicamps are three-day affairs that give rookies a glimpse of what life is like for NFL players, with team meetings, practices and coaching. Teams invite undrafted free agents to participate, and from there they evaluate them and can offer invites to training camp. Edwards, a running back and fixture of Michigan's resurgence the past few seasons, is signing with the New York Jets per ESPN. The Kansas cornerback is signing with the Atlanta Falcons, the team announced. He was first-team All-Big 12 each of the past three seasons. McLaughlin, the 2024 Rimington Award winner as the nation's best center and a first-team All-Big Ten selection, confirmed he is signing with the Cincinnati Bengals. His brother Shedeur was the story of the draft, but Colorado safety Shilo Sanders wound up going undrafted and is signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to ESPN. The former Clemson, Oregon State and Florida State quarterback, who was a five-star recruit with Rivals, is signing with Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers, per NFL Network. The Chargers' QB room also includes Taylor Heinicke and Trey Lance, the former No. 3 overall pick who signed with Los Angeles earlier in April, backing up Justin Herbert. The Missouri quarterback, who threw for over 2,500 yards each of the past three seasons along with 49 total touchdown passes, is signing with the New York Jets, per Fox Sports. Yet another target for No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. The Miami product is signing with the Tennessee Titans, per the NFL. The Notre Dame product, who's the son of ESPN analyst and former Steelers safety Ryan Clark, made a pre-draft visit to the Jets and is signing there, per NFL Network. Clark transferred to South Bend for his final college season and had 37 tackles and an interception as the Fighting Irish made it all the way to the College Football Playoff championship game. Texas WR Isaiah Bond
