When it comes to undrafted free agents, there is always at least a little bit of gold somewhere in those hills.
I’ve been putting together a post-NFL Draft list of my favorite UDFAs for each team for five years now, and during that span, we’ve seen players such as Rashid Shaheed, Jack Sanborn, Ivan Pace Jr., Tyson Bagent, Keaton Mitchell (players singled out on previous versions of this list, by the way) find NFL homes, one way or another.
This year will be no different. Here’s a look at my favorite UDFA from each team as rookie minicamps get underway:
A well-balanced 5-foot-11, 192-pound Z receiver (who is more likely to be an NFL slot), Wallace put up big numbers at Penn State in 2024 and Ole Miss in 2025 as a fearless, quarterback-friendly target. Wallace could also provide punt return and special teams value for the Cardinals, who just lost Greg Dortch in free agency.
Known in scouting circles as one of the smarter offensive line prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, Brockermeyer is a limited athlete who is a bit undersized (6 feet 3, 298 pounds) but gets absolutely everything out of his body. He plays with great balance and, most importantly, always seems to know where he’s going and what he’s doing.
Baltimore Ravens: Diego Pounds, OT, Ole Miss
Of all the guys on this list, I’m probably most surprised about Pounds not being drafted. The 6-foot-6, 325-pounder with nearly 34-inch arms, good explosion and quick feet was a powerful and durable run blocker at both Ole Miss and North Carolina. He could be a surprise in Baltimore, as you rarely find UDFAs with this type of run-blocking potential.
Buffalo Bills: Max Tomczak, WR, Youngstown State
A small Z/slot receiver with potential as a kick/punt returner, Tomczak ran one of the fastest short shuttles (4.01 seconds) of any player in the draft class. The 5-foot-11, 193-pounder had more than 3,000 career receiving yards at Youngstown State, including 70 catches for 1,021 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025.
Carolina Panthers: Haynes King, QB, Georgia Tech
A six-year college player, King started his last three seasons at Georgia Tech — and turned into one of college football’s most productive dual-threat players in the process. He ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash (with a 4.17 short shuttle and a 6.89 three cone) at the combine. He’s almost the same size (and nearly as old) as Taysom Hill was when he entered the league.
Chicago Bears: Caden Barnett, G, Wyoming
A long-armed lineman, Barnett was a two-year starting right tackle at Wyoming before finishing his career as an all-conference right guard. A former wrestler with big-time power in the run game, Barnett (6-3, 316) is a great mover who could compete for a roster spot.
Cincinnati Bengals: Eric Gentry, LB, USC
An extremely long off-ball linebacker (6-6, 221, with 35-inch arms) with outstanding agility, Gentry is an old-school tweener without a true position — he’s too light to be an edge but too athletic to not be on the field somewhere. I was surprised he went undrafted, even if he is a project.
Cleveland Browns: Logan Fano, edge, Utah
The older brother of Browns first-round pick Spencer Fano, Logan Fano (6-5, 257) made a combined 18 tackles for loss with 10 1/2 sacks over the past three seasons as a hardworking edge. He’s reliable against the run and a former team captain. Don’t be surprised if he joins his brother and carves out a role in Cleveland.
Dallas Cowboys: Michael Trigg, TE, Baylor
Dallas actually snagged two really interesting tight ends: Trigg and TCU’s DJ Rogers. Trigg plays like a 6-foot-4, 240-pound X receiver who is dynamic in the air. He has extremely long (34 1/2-inch) arms and will make his share of highlight-reel plays in camp.
Dallas signed a strong UDFA class overall, also adding SMU receiver Jordan Hudson.
Denver Broncos: Taurean York, LB, Texas A&M
Size is the only reason York wasn’t drafted — he’s a 5-foot-10, 226-pound linebacker with short arms and small hands. He’s one of the smarter linebackers in the 2026 NFL Draft class, however, and plays a bit like a poor man’s Devin Bush Jr.
My best NFL comp for Kitselman might actually be Lions head coach Dan Campbell. Kitselman isn’t the athlete Campbell was, but the 6-foot-5, 251-pounder is a former high school offensive lineman who is extremely serious about run blocking. He gets everything out of his body, and there’s no way the Lions won’t like him.
Green Bay Packers: RJ Maryland, TE/WR, SMU
The Packers have Maryland — a college tight end — listed as a wide receiver, so we’ll see where he fits in. The son of former Cowboys No. 1 pick Russell Maryland, RJ Maryland (6-4, 236) ran a 4.51 40 at the combine, trailing only Kenyon Sadiq at the position. He could be a matchup problem.
Houston Texans: Collin Wright, CB, Stanford
Well-built with solid length, Wright (6-0, 188) is a physical corner who has good balance and can play either outside or in the nickel. A team captain at Stanford, Wright had a combined 16 pass breakups over his past three seasons.
Indianapolis Colts: Cameron Ball, DT, Arkansas
A good run defender with quick hands and fast feet, Ball (6-3, 310), a team captain at Arkansas, had some promising flashes at the Senior Bowl. I’m not sure he can play three-tech in the NFL, but he’s a worthy nose prospect.
Jacksonville Jaguars: J’Mari Taylor, RB, Virginia
The 5-foot-9, 199-pounder put up back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons at Virginia and North Carolina Central, with a combined 29 touchdowns in that span. He’s a small, patient runner between the tackles and a legit receiving threat — Taylor had 98 catches for 982 yards and 10 TDs in college.
Kansas City Chiefs: Jeff Caldwell, WR, Cincinnati
I’m pretty surprised no one took a chance here on Day 3 of the draft, as Caldwell (6-5, 216) is a rare blend of size and elite athleticism (4.31 40, 42-inch vertical jump, 11-2 broad). He played only one year on the FBS level and was inconsistent, but the traits are worth a look.
Las Vegas Raiders: Chase Roberts, WR, BYU
Roberts (6-3, 209) is a unique athlete. He has pretty middling speed, but he’s an explosive player with terrific agility (6.89 three-cone, 4.33 short shuttle). If he can hang on to the ball in camp, he could be a name to watch.
The Raiders also snagged talented Baylor QB Sawyer Robertson.
Los Angeles Chargers: Isaiah World, OT, Oregon
World (6-5, 323, with 34 1/2-inch arms) has the traits of a top-100 player, and he delivers a bunch of explosion out of his stance. He played four years at Nevada before one in the Big Ten. His technique is erratic, but if anyone can spin a project like World into gold, it’s Jim Harbaugh (and new offensive line coach Butch Barry).
Los Angeles Rams: Dan Villari, TE, Syracuse
A former backup quarterback at Michigan, Villari transitioned to tight end after landing at Syracuse in 2022 and has been a truly ascending talent since. The 6-foot-3, 243-pounder is a capable blocker with powerful hands at the catch point. And the Rams, of course, love tight ends. Villari is still a project, but he’s definitely an interesting one.
Miami Dolphins: Mason Reiger, edge, Wisconsin
The Dolphins signed a good UDFA class that included Iowa QB Mark Gronowski, Texas A&M RB Le’Veon Moss and Reiger (6-4, 251), a very explosive player who had a great week at the Shrine Bowl. Reiger’s effort makes up for a lot, and he could stick out early in camp.
Minnesota Vikings: Delby Lemiuex, C, Dartmouth
A three-time All-Ivy League left tackle, Lemiuex (6-5, 309) is a terrific athlete who moved inside to work at center for scouts during the pre-draft process. He has short arms (31 3/8 inches), but he’s a great athlete and a very intelligent lineman.
New England Patriots: Kyle Dixon, WR, Culver-Stockton
A 6-foot-2, 220-pound NAIA receiver with a 40 1/2-inch vertical and 10-11 broad jump, Dixon had a combined 143 catches for 2,394 yards and 24 touchdowns during his last two college seasons. Originally a college baseball player at SIU-Edwardsville, Dixon is newer to football but highly intriguing.
New Orleans Saints: Michael Heldman, edge, Central Michigan
A complete edge in the MAC, Heldman (6-4, 268) had a dominant 2025 at Central Michigan (10 1/2 sacks and 16 1/2 tackles for loss). A savvy run defender with powerful hands, Heldman is an ascending talent who could surprise.
New York Giants: Dominic Zvada, K, Michigan
Zvada was one of the handful of kickers I thought had a shot at being drafted on Day 3. He made 21 of 22 field goals in 2024 to earn Big Ten Kicker of the Year honors. He was less consistent last season as a senior but has shown a big leg — he was the first kicker in Michigan history to hit four or more from 50-plus in one year.
New York Jets: Chip Trayanum, RB, Toledo
A former two-way player (linebacker and running back) at Ohio State, Trayanum (5-10, 224) is a terrific athlete who spent several years trying to find his best spot on the field. He broke through with a 1,015-yard season at Toledo last year and could be a real factor on special teams at some point.
Philadelphia Eagles: Deontae Lawson, LB, Alabama
A two-time captain at Alabama who helped keep things together after Nick Saban retired, Lawson (6-2, 226) is a long and lean off-ball linebacker with quick feet and disciplined eyes between the tackles. I’m not sure if he’ll be able to hold up physically on a down-to-down basis, but he could be a valuable special teams/rotational piece.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Lake McRee, TE, USC
Injuries were a factor throughout McRee’s career, but his work as a run blocker is hard to ignore — he gets after it with strong hands and a desire to finish. Despite being a relatively average athlete, he’s a well-balanced player who hangs on to the football and likes to do the dirty work.
San Francisco 49ers: Mikail Kamara, edge, Indiana
Kamara (6 feet, 250, with sub-32-inch arms) does not have NFL size, and he’s not very fast. He does, however, have terrific short-area quickness with outstanding hands and a high-powered motor that never seems to slow down. He constantly got the job done at Indiana (and at James Madison before that), be it rushing inside or off the edge.
Seattle Seahawks: Aidan Hubbard, edge, Northwestern
A former off-ball linebacker who bulked up into a college edge, Hubbard is a very explosive presence with quick feet and great balance. He’s quick off the snap, plays with great knee bend and knows what he’s doing versus the run. Hubbard had 20 1/2 sacks during his time at Northwestern.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Paul Rubelt, OT, UCF
Likely the tallest prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, Rubelt (6-10, 313, with 35 7/8-inch arms and an 83 1/4-inch wingspan) is an outstanding athlete for a man his size. He ran a 4.99 40 (1.79 10-yard split) and posted a 32-inch vertical. Rubelt moves like an athletic basketball player, even if leverage is a natural issue. He’s definitely worth a look.
Tennessee Titans: Aamil Wagner, OT, Notre Dame
Wagner (6-5, 306, with 34 1/2-inch arms and an 83 5/8-inch wingspan) has a huge frame. He was a right tackle at Notre Dame (and a captain in his final season), but he’s quick enough to play either side. Wagner can be a little stiff and is hardly a technical wizard, but he has the athletic profile — and football character — to be a productive NFL swing tackle.
Hilton (6-0, 188) never had a consistent on-field run in college, as he battled several injuries (meniscus in both knees; ankle; shoulder), but he’s a legit speed presence (4.41 with a 1.57 split at the combine). He runs with tremendous balance and body control — he’s just an extremely raw player.
Others to watch: Le’Veon Moss, RB (Dolphins); John Michael Gyllenborg, TE (Chiefs); Dae’Quan Wright, TE (Eagles); Garrett DiGiorgio, iOL (Jaguars); Tyreak Sapp, edge (Browns); Gary Smith III, DT (Raiders); Lander Barton, LB (Chargers); Drew Stevens, K (Commanders); Brett Thorson, P (Vikings); Luke Altmyer, QB (Lions).