Who? Undrafted Free Agents That Will Make an Impact in 2015
We’re approaching the worst time of year for sports, folks. In less than a month, there will be no basketball, no hockey, baseball will be dragging on, and our beloved football will still be months away from preseason action. Nonetheless, there is still a lot to cover on the gridiron. With OTAs under way, let’s look at some of the undrafted free agents poised to have big roles in their rookie season.
Cody Prewitt – S – Ole Miss
I was shocked when Prewitt, a projected 3rd round pick, fell out of the draft. He was a four year starter for Ole Miss and was productive during his time there. He doesn’t have the athleticism to be a box safety, but he plays the center field role well. Also, he has shown that he can be the gunner on special teams. Prewitt should have a chance to play a significant role on either defense or special teams for the talent starved Titans if his play stands out over the next few months.
Antwan Goodley – WR – Baylor
Before the draft, I had barely watched anything on Goodley. But in the few clips I did see, I saw a receiver with the potential to be explosive at the next level. His route running and hands are a little questionable, but his after the catch ability makes him an intriguing fit with the Cowboys. Outside of Dez Bryant and Terrence Williams, the ‘boys don’t have a real playmaker at wideout. Goodley has the frame of a running back so he can be involved creatively into the offense in the same way as a Percy Harvin type. All in all, I think Dallas picked up a new toy for Romo who could develop into a nice third option for years to come.
Goodley’s production dipped a bit in 2014, but his 2013 numbers alone show his potential.
| RECEIVING | ||||||
| YEAR | REC | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD | |
| 2011 | 2 | 26 | 13.0 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 17 | 171 | 10.1 | 17 | 2 | |
| 2013 | 71 | 1339 | 18.9 | 83 | 13 | |
| 2014 | 60 | 830 | 13.8 | 66 | 6 | |
Lynden Trail – DE – Norfolk St.
Even though he came from a small school in Norfolk St., Trail was talked about a lot leading up to the draft. Projected between the 4th and 7th rounds, the 6’7” Trail was seen as one of the late round gems for his potential as a pass rusher. The problem with him is that he needs time to develop because of his rawness. Signed by the Texans after the draft, a role as a rotational pass rusher is most likely under the guidance of the sack master himself, JJ Watt.
Trail’s potential is shown by his mind boggling measurables rather than his production.
My notes on Lynden Trail: 6'7 – 269 34 7/8" arms WOW 10 1/2" hands WOW 32.5" vert 24 reps of 225 4.91 – 40yd 1.77 – 10 yd split
— Jayson Braddock (@JaysonBraddock) May 2, 2015
Other Undrafted Free Agents with Potential
Josue Matias – OG – Florida St.
Josh Harper – WR – Fresno St.
Titus Davis – WR – Central Michigan
La’el Collins – OL – LSU
Anthony Harris, S, Virginia
Twitter: @joeyalibro