Every year hundreds of players are signed as free agents to NFL teams after the draft ends in hopes of making a highly competitive NFL roster. Very few of them go on to have notable NFL careers. Here are a few of the guys who, if not stars, at least “made it” into the NFL.
Joseph Fauria, Detroit Lions Tight End
Fauria caught eighteen passes as a rookie, but seven went for touchdowns. A ridiculous 7/18 ratio. A towering 6’7″ target, scouts will continue to wonder why 32 teams passed on the talent at least seven times for this future star to go undrafted in 2013.
Jeff Tuel, Buffalo Bills QB
Destined to be a career backup, Tuel’s already seen starting time with EJ Manuel losing games to injury his rookie season. Tuel doesn’t look like he’ll be a major asset to any team, but he’s thrown some starts on his resume which can only help his future credibility.
Timothy Wright, Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE
A former Rutgers WR, former Bucs coach Greg Schiano (also coached at Rutgers prior to coaching in the NFL) brought Wright into Tampa Bay and the TE’s collected decent stats for a UFA rookie. 571 yards and five scores are very respectable metrics especially in a system so devoid of a clear-cut QB situation.
Andy Mulumba, Green Bay Packers OLB/DE
A role player for the Packers, Mulumba collected three starts with one hard-earned sack as a rookie. Green Bay routinely fields strong defensive talent, so Mulumba may have more of a showing in 2014 with an increased role and comfort in Dom Capers’ defense.
Marlon Brown, Baltimore Ravens WR
Brown was actually signed to the Texans’ but ended up making a huge difference on a Ravens roster in desperate need of receiving talent. Brown played his college ball at Georgia and made a name for himself as a burner with a high yards per reception metric (17.4 as a Senior). This trend continued with him into Baltimore as the number two to Torrey Smith.
Ryan Allen, New England Patriots P
The New England Patriots starting punter as of 2014, Allen can boot the ball downfield but could use some work in positioning the ball to force fair catches. Allen improved as the season went on and is a starting specialist on one of the NFL’s finest franchises.
Kenbrell Thompkins, New England Patriots WR
Thompkins came out of Miami U. to play for Bill Belichick. Not an incredibly tall or fast player, Thompkins nonetheless shows promise as a capable route-runner and pair of hands. Thompkins did struggle with drops and caught less than half the passes thrown his way during his time on the field. If Thompkins can stay healthy and build a rapport with future HOF QB Tom Brady, Thompkins can become an effective asset on the Pats offense.
Paul Worrilow, Atlanta Falcons OLB
Worrilow collected 127 total tackles and 2 sacks as a rookie. Not a game-changer yet, Worrilow’s no doubt earned his way into the playbook as a consistent starter with 12 starts his rookie season. The Former Blue Hen will be an integral part of the reason the team improves as it is expected if it does in 2014.
Gridiron Seasonal 