May 07, 2026
Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images
Can explosive former Ole Miss tight end Dae'Quan Wright impress enough to make the 53?
For all the hype and attention that goes into the NFL Draft, the excitement almost immediately fades about two seconds after the draft is over.
Undrafted free agent signings are considered afterthoughts for most fans, but for the Eagles and other NFL teams, rookie free agents have been able to carve out niches and even play more prominent roles than expected.
The Eagles have had an undrafted rookie make the 53-man roster out of training camp almost every season. Last year, it was wide receiver Darius Cooper from Tarleton State. He shined at camp and stuck for the whole season.
None made it in 2024 but cornerback Eli Ricks in 2023 made the initial 53 while Ben VanSumeren was waived at the cutdown, signed to the practice squad and activated by Week 9.
The 2022 class featured some real finds – safety Reed Blankenship and cornerback Josh Jobe along with wide receiver/return specialist Britain Covey and offensive lineman Josh Sills. Blankenship, Jobe and Sills all made the initial 53 while Covey was elevated from the practice squad by Week 1. Blankenship went to two Super Bowls with the Eagles and became a Super Bowl champion as a starter in 2024. Jobe didn't make the Eagles in 2024, signed with Seattle and this past season helped the Seahawks win the Super Bowl as a starting cornerback.
Last week, the Eagles announced the signing of eight undrafted rookies:
We've signed the following 2026 undrafted free agents. pic.twitter.com/0lhssaXpwC
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) May 1, 2026
One of them, DB Tucker Large, has already been waived-injured – he was actually already injured from Washington State's bowl game – and was replaced by former Idaho LB Isiah King.
Let's rank this year's UDFAs by the best shot to make the 53:
Only one reason exists for a long snapper to be at the top of this list. The Eagles currently don't have another one on the roster. If they had to play a game today and weren't allowed to make any transactions, Underwood would be the guy – because he's the only guy. He's also from Florida, and you know Howie Roseman loves his Gators. Roseman earned his bachelor's degree at Florida.
Underwood will have a real opportunity to outlast any competition the Eagles bring in before camp. He was the first Gator in school history to win the Patrick Mannelly Award as the nation's top long snapper in 2024, and was a semifinalist for the award again in 2025. So he's clearly good at his job.
Underwood has two cousins who were punters in the NFL. His dad played college football. He's got football bloodlines. I couldn't honestly tell you if he'll be the starting long snapper for the Eagles in 2026, but for now, he's all the Eagles have.
The Eagles are deep at off-ball linebacker behind Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell. Both backups, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Smael Mondon Jr., were Day 3 picks who are still on their rookie deals. The Eagles would have to keep five for Lawson to make the 53 – and then he'd need to unseat practice squad legend Chance Campbell.
But Lawson has good size (6-3, 223), great experience, obvious talent and – duh – played at 'Bama. Along with being a three-year starter for the Crimson Tide, he wore the green dot on his helmet. A torn ACL in 2024 led to a down 2025 or else he would've been drafted, and perhaps as early as Round 2 or 3.
I considered making Wright No. 1, but the Eagles could keep four QBs and potentially 10 or 11 OL. If that's the case, it'll be nearly impossible to keep more than three TEs and actually field a defense.
But Wright is an explosive weapon who averaged more than 16 yards per catch in his last season at Ole Miss. He also has good size for the position (6-3, 246) and a wingspan of more than 78 inches, which gives him a great catch radius. Like most college TEs, his blocking needs work.
The Eagles are locked into Dallas Goedert and second-round pick Eli Stowers. But after that, it's anyone's guess with Johnny Mundt, Grant Calcaterra, Cameron Latu, Stone Smartt and some fringe roster guys fighting out for the last spot – assuming the Eagles can even keep three.
If Wright destroys the competition at camp, Roseman might have to find a way to keep him – or get him on the practice squad and potentially elevate him at some point during the season. Wright almost certainly won't make the 53, but he'll be a fun one to watch.
To be clear, Weru didn't actually play football at Arizona State – or anywhere. He's one of the two International Pathway Program players the Eagles brought in, the other being seventh-round pick Uar Bernard from Nigeria. Neither have played a down of football at any level. Both are insanely freakish athletes.
Weru, from Kenya, ran a 4.45 at the HBCU Pro Day – at 6-foot-4, 244 pounds. He also has a 41-inch vertical and broad jumped more than 11 feet. His pathway to the 53 – as remote as it is – will be through special teams. The Eagles already have Jalyx Hunt, Jonathan Greenard, and Nolan Smith locked into spots, with Arnold Ebiketie as the likely EDGE4. If Brandon Graham wants to return, he is without question in the rotation.
None of those backups are special teamers so it's somewhat possible that Roseman could trade Ebiketie or Smith by the end of camp to clear room for a developmental EDGE who can contribute right away on specials. Weru would have to prove he can be that guy. That's going to be next to impossible for someone who has never played a down of football.
Gushiken is a small hybrid DB who might be a nickelback, might be a safety. He ran a 4.35 at his Pro Day after not being invited to the NFL Combine. Vic Fangio likes versatility but he also has about four or five DBs on the team that have the same versatility and more experience.
You can make an argument that the Eagles' current safety depth – or lack of it – creates an automatic opportunity for any defensive back to make the 53. I'm just not sure Gushiken is really a safety and, as mentioned, the Eagles have plenty of hybrids and nickelbacks at the moment with Cooper DeJean, Michael Carter II, Mac McWilliams and Brandon Johnson.
Pulley was a playmaker at Wofford, with five INTs, two of which were pick-sixes. He's only played lower-level college football, first at Western Kentucky before moving onto Wofford. But as mentioned, the Eagles aren't exactly deep at safety. In fact, they don't yet have a surefire starter across from second-year pro Andrew Mukuba.
Could Pulley kill it at camp and make the 53 at a thin position? Doubtful, especially since the Eagles drafted S Cole Wisniewski in the seventh round. Wisniewski is much more likely to challenge for that last safety spot than Pulley, who could earn a trip back on the practice squad if that playmaking from college translates to camp.
Yeah, it's just going to be really tough for a small-school off-ball linebacker to challenge for the 53. It's already going to be close to mission impossible for Deontae Lawson to make it, and he played three years at Alabama.
Imagine the uphill climb for someone whose highest level of football was five seasons at Idaho.
It would be the upset of the century if Roberts made the initial 53. The Eagles have about 11 potential offensive linemen who can make the 53, and Roseman has already discussed keeping as many as possible.
Roberts might have played at Alabama, but he didn't play well enough to get drafted. He's got great size (6-4, 333) but isn't a terrific athlete and needs a ton of technique work. Even though the Eagles need better depth on the interior Ol, Roberts would have to be better than Drew Kendall, sixth-round pick Micah Morris, Willie Lampkin and some other fringe interior OL already on the roster to make the 53. Roberts has camp body written all over him.
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