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We all want to see Cyclone alumni make it in the NFL. But for this year's group, the road to making the final 53-man cut of any pro team is a long and hard one. We asked a couple people smarter than us just how hard that path might be for this year's crop of undrafted free agents.
Editor's Note: We also reached out to SB Nation's Oakland Raiders blog about Oni Omoile, but have yet to hear back. We'll update this post if that changes.
Jamison Lalk, OL, Buffalo Bills
Brian Galliford, Editor in Chief, Buffalo Rumblings
WRNL: Lalk is listed as an guard, but played center for a year and a half at the end of his college career. What position would you expect to see him at on the depth chart?
BG: The Bills have listed Lalk as a guard, but they are fans of reserve linemen that can play multiple positions - so if Lalk sees snaps at center or even tackle this summer, that can only bode well for his chances of sticking with the organization in some fashion. But the team also signed Robert Kugler, a multi-year starting center from Purdue, as a free agent, so I imagine Lalk will start exactly where the team has listed him.
WRNL: Who would be his main competition heading into the fall? Who would he have to beat out to survive the 75-man preseason roster cut?
BG: Buffalo is likely going to carry nine offensive linemen on its active roster - five starters, two backups active on game days, and then two more players in reserve. Assuming full health for everyone on their roster, they already have 7-8 players who are very strong bets to make the team, and Lalk will have to beat out guys like Ryan Groy and Cyril Richardson, in addition to three other undrafted free agents on the line, to make the team.
WRNL: What are his odds of actually surviving the 75-man preseason roster cut? Any chance at all of seeing the 53-man roster?
BG: There's always a chance - it seems like at least one UDFA cracks the final roster on a yearly basis (it was Stanford linebacker A.J. Tarpley last year) - but Lalk has a lot of people ahead of him on the depth chart, plus a complicated blocking scheme to pick up. His best shot at sticking with the team seems to be as a member of the practice squad.
Dale Pierson, OLB, Green Bay Packers
Evan "Tex" Western, Managing Editor, Acme Packing Co.
WRNL: SACKMAMBA played defensive end for us, but is probably undersized for an NFL DE. What position would you expect to see him at on the depth chart?
Tex: Pierson probably landed in a good spot for his frame, as he will most definitely try out as an outside linebacker in the Packers' 3-4 defense. The big questions I have about him are the same as most players making that transition: can he switch to rushing out of a two-point stance instead of with his hand on the ground, and can he cover running backs out of the backfield?
WRNL: Who would be his main competition heading into the fall? Who would he have to beat out to survive the 75-man preseason roster cut?
Tex: First, Pierson needs to make the 90-man roster out of the rookie minicamp, as he appears to be coming to Green Bay this weekend on a tryout basis. If he does impress in this week's camp and earns a contract, he likely will be battling for a spot on the back end of the roster with Arizona's Reggie Gilbert, who was the only undrafted free agent signing at the outside linebacker position.
WRNL: What are his odds of actually surviving the 75-man preseason roster cut? Any chance at all of seeing the 53-man roster?
Tex: At this point, any chance of him making the 53-man roster is extremely remote, especially since he has not been signed to the 90-man roster yet. However, the Packers are always looking for depth in their pass-rush group. Still, there are numerous veterans (Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers, Nick Perry, Jayrone Elliott, Lerentee McCray) and a third-round draft pick (Kyler Fackrell) on the three-deep that make it the longest of long-shots for Pierson to make the team out of camp. However, if he sticks around this summer, a practice squad position is not out of the question.
Quenton Bundrage, WR, New York Jets
Paul Newbold, Staff Writer, The Jet Press
Alright, admittedly this one isn't a Q&A as much as the best article I've seen out there discussing the minutiae of the chaos that is apparently going to be the wide receiver competition in New York. The link is right here and honestly I recommend you check it out if you want to know more. That said, here are the two pull quotes:
"This particular focus will be on what Bundrage brings to the table. With the Jets waiting until the seventh round to draft a wide receiver in the form of Charone Peake, a perceived lack of depth at wide receiver, and an aging Brandon Marshall, the competition promises to be a hot one this summer."
"Bundrage has a long uphill battle this summer at the training facility of the Jets. He’ll need to stand out early in a crowded wide receiver competition. Like every undrafted rookie, he’ll need to bring his "A" game, prove he can pick up coaching at the NFL level and hope for a bit of luck."
Most people think he's the Cyclone with the best shot at actually making a team. So basically root for chaos, and pray to the deity of your choice that his ACL holds up.
As rookie mini-camps continue and we move into training camp, WRNL will keep you updated on these past Cyclones and their progress towards an NFL career.