Current:Home > InvestNFL draft's best undrafted free agents: Who are top 10 players available? -AssetPath
NFL draft's best undrafted free agents: Who are top 10 players available?
View
Date:2025-04-21 09:35:19
With the 2024 NFL draft now complete, another scramble for talent begins.
Teams' efforts to sign the top available undrafted free agents are already underway. And while this year's draft class seems to be short on depth given that it had just 58 early entrants - the fewest since 2011 - franchises will still look to round out their rosters with role players, special teams contributors and potential developmental prospects. And the payoff can be considerable, as the Minnesota Vikings found this past fall when linebacker Ivan Pace - USA TODAY Sports' top undrafted free agent last year - rose to become a starter and trusted piece of the defense.
Here are the top 10 undrafted free agents after the 2024 NFL draft:
2024 NFL draft's best undrafted free agents
1. Leonard Taylor III, DT, Miami (Fla.)
A former five-star recruit, Taylor never quite figured out to become a consistently dominant force for the Hurricanes. Still, the 6-3, 303-pounder has the frame and initial burst to disrupt plays from the interior, even if he only does so sporadically.
NFL DRAFT HUB: Latest NFL Draft mock drafts, news, live picks, grades and analysis.
2. Gabriel Murphy, DE, UCLA
No one will confuse the 6-2, 247-pound Murphy with Laiatu Latu, his former UCLA pass-rushing teammate who was the first defender selected in the draft (No. 15 to the Indianapolis Colts). But edge rushers with quickness, polish and production are hard to come by, and Murphy offers all three.
3. Dallin Holker, TE, Colorado State
His receiving chops should be readily apparent after a season in which he hauled in 64 catches for 767 yards and six scores. Holker might have to be utilized creatively given his athletic limitations, but he can be a steady contributor to an aerial attack
4. Ethan Driskell, OT, Marshall
A 6-8, 313-pound left tackle who can move comfortably should capture plenty of teams' interest. Driskell is perhaps too towering of a blocker for his own good, but his frame and overall athleticism give a shot at sticking on a roster.
5. Jalen Coker, WR, Holy Cross
Coker dominated his competition in 2023, hauling in 15 touchdown catches while averaging 17.6 yards per catch. The 6-1, 208-pounder likely will have a tough time learning how to consistently separate from much speedier defensive backs in the NFL, but he deserves a shot.
6. Willie Drew, CB, Virginia State
For the second time in four years, HBCU players were shut out in the draft. Drew was perhaps the best candidate to make the cut, as his length and ball skills (six interceptions, 22 passes defensed in 2023) could allow him to make his mark at the next level.
7. Cody Schrader, RB, Missouri
The former walk-on and transfer from Truman State was one of college football's best stories last season as he broke out for 1,627 rushing yards and 14 scores on the ground. The 5-8, 202-pound Schrader likely will be limited to spot work as a ball carrier and special teams contributor, but he should be up to the task.
8. Gabe Hall, DT, Baylor
Any team looking to make a big swing with their undrafted free agent class should take a long look at Hall. The 6-6, 294-pounder has massive upside as someone who can generate pressure from the interior, though he's hardly a finished product.
9. Beau Brade, S, Maryland
A savvy leader, Brade should be an asset for almost any secondary and special teams collective. He could contribute as a nickel who can make plays when allowed to work downhill.
10. Garret Greenfield, OT, South Dakota State
His teammate, offensive guard Mason McCormick, was taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round. Greenfield's experience at both left and right tackle should help position him to become a swing option if he can latch on with a team.
veryGood! (52)
Related
- Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
- Notre Dame upset by NIU: Instant reactions to historic Northern Illinois win
- Bama Rush, step aside! 3-year-old star of 'Toddler Rush' combines cuteness and couture
- Huge payout expected for a rare coin bought by Ohio farm family and hidden for decades
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Why an ominous warning didn't stop Georgia school shooting
- Grief, pain, hope and faith at church services following latest deadly school shooting
- Two astronauts are left behind in space as Boeing’s troubled capsule returns to Earth empty
- Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
- Hope for North America’s Most Endangered Bird
Ranking
- South Korea's acting president moves to reassure allies, calm markets after Yoon impeachment
- Paige DeSorbo Swears Everyone Who Buys These Pants Loves Them So Much, They End Up Getting Every Color
- Former director of Los Alamos National Laboratory dead after car crash in New Mexico
- Lil' Kim joins Christian Siriano's NYFW front row fashionably late, mid-fashion show
- Israel lets Palestinians go back to northern Gaza for first time in over a year as cease
- Shooting attack at the West Bank-Jordan border crossing kills 3 Israelis
- School districts race to invest in cooling solutions as classrooms and playgrounds heat up
- Parrots and turtles often outlive their owners. Then what happens?
Recommendation
EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
A hurricane-damaged Louisiana skyscraper is set to be demolished Saturday
Ilona Maher posed in a bikini for Sports Illustrated. It matters more than you think.
American Taylor Fritz makes history in five-set win over friend Frances Tiafoe at US Open
Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
Cowabunga! New England town celebrates being the birthplace of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Slain Dallas police officer remembered as ‘hero’ during funeral service
Takeaways from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s response to violence after George Floyd’s murder