Jan 22, 2015; Mobile, AL; Harding wide receiver Donatella Luckett (16) during Senior Bowl South squad practice at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Credit: Glenn Andrews-USA TODAY Sports
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The post-draft process continues with the addition of undrafted free agents and invitations to rookie minicamp, which is scheduled for May 16-18.
While various reports have made the rounds since the end of the NFL Draft, most did not specify if a player was signed to an undrafted free-agent deal or was an invite to the rookie minicamp.
The Chiefs have yet to officially announce transactions, but the following players are independently confirmed through sources by ChiefsDigest.com as undrafted free-agent signings:
• Wide receiver Donatella Luckett, Harding: The 6-0, 211-pound Luckett was a first-team All-Great American Conference selection in 2014 and finished his career with 79 receptions for 1,625 yards and 15 touchdowns. He added five rushing and two kickoff return touchdowns. UPDATE, May 11: Signing confirmed on the NFL Transactions report.
• Wide receiver Kenny Cook, Gardner-Webb: The 6-4, 218-pound Cook capped off a prolific college career as the third-leading receiver in school history with 188 catches, and was a first-team All-Big South Conference selection. UPDATE, May 11: Signing confirmed on the NFL Transactions report.
• Tight end/fullback Manasseh Garner, Pittsburgh: A versatile weapon in college, the 6-2, 220-pound Garner appeared in 10 games his senior year, including nine at wide receiver. UPDATE, May 11: Signing confirmed on the NFL Transactions report.
• Offensive lineman Charles Sweeton, Tennessee-Martin: Sweeton, a native of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., measures 6-5, 291 pounds and played left tackle in college. UPDATE, May 11: Signing confirmed on the NFL Transactions report.
• Linebacker Justin March, Akron: The 6-0, 222-pound March appeared in 45 games, totaling 250 tackles (125 solo), 3 ½ sacks, four interceptions, 15 passes defensed and two forced fumbles. UPDATE, May 11: Signing confirmed on the NFL Transactions report.
• Cornerback DeVante Bausby, Pittsburg State: Bausby, a native of Kansas City, was a first-team All-MIAA selection. He measured 6-0, 185 pounds at the Chiefs local Pro Day on April 10. UPDATE, May 11: Signing confirmed on the NFL Transactions report.
• Free safety Justin Cox, Mississippi State: The 6-1, 191-pound Cox clocked a 4.36 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. Cox was suspended late in his senior season due to an off-field incident surrounding allegations of trespassing and domestic violence. He pleaded guilty in early January to a misdemeanor charge of trespassing and the domestic violence charge was dismissed, The Dispatch in Columbus, Miss., reports. UPDATE, May 11: Signing confirmed on the NFL Transactions report.
• Long snapper Andrew East, Vanderbilt: East, who measures 6-1, 239 pounds, was a 51-game starter in college. UPDATE, May 11: Signing confirmed on the NFL Transactions report.
• UPDATE, May 7: Defensive lineman David Irving, Iowa State: The 6-7 Irving did not play the 2014 season after being dismissed from the team for an off-field incident. But he appeared in 32 games from 2011 to 2013, recording 44 tackles (26 solo), three sacks, an interception and a forced fumble during that three-year span. Irving, who has the versatility to play inside and outside on the defensive line, weighed 273 at his Pro Day workout, where he clocked a 4.84 40-yard dash and measured an 87 ¾- inch wingspan. He currently weighs between 275 to 280 pounds, according to a source. UPDATE, May 11: Signing confirmed on the NFL Transactions report.
• UPDATE, May 11: Center Garrett Frye, Georgia Southern: The 6-5, 290-pound has versatility and can play offensive tackle and center. This signing appears on the May 11 NFL Transactions report.
• UPDATE, May 12: Outside linebacker Sage Harold: The 6-4, 245-pound Harold led the Colonial Athletic Association with 13 1/2 sacks his senior season. The Chiefs announced Harold’s signing after the above list was previously confirmed.
• Defensive lineman Charles Tuaau, Texas A&M-Commerce: The 6-3, 328-pound Tuaau has the size needed to play the interior of the defensive line. He appeared in 23 games the past two seasons after transferring from a junior college, and recorded 86 tackles (45 solo) and 17 sacks during that span. UPDATE, May 15: The Chiefs announced Tuaau’s signing.
• Tight end Earnest Pettway, Villanova: The 6-5, 245-pound Pettway had 14 catches for 197 yards and four touchdowns in seven games his senior season before suffering a knee injury. He was a double-major in accounting and finance at Villanova.
The above list will update once more information becomes available.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs entered Wednesday with 79 players on the offseason roster following the waiving of quarterback Terrelle Pryor, wide receiver Corbin Louks, linebacker JoJo Dickson and long snapper Jorgen Hus.
With the 11 officially confirmed undrafted free agents noted above, the Chiefs are at 90 allowed on an offseason roster barring additional waivers to accommodate more signings. There are two remaining as confirmed as signed undrafted free agents: Tuaau and Pettway.
The Chiefs don’t overlook the value of undrafted free agents.
Three players from the 2014 signings made the initial 53-man roster: Wide receiver Albert Wilson, safety Daniel Sorensen and kicker Cairo Santos.
Running back Charcandrick West, who was part of the 2014 undrafted free agent group, signed with the practice squad on Aug. 31 and was elevated to the active 53-man roster in Week 11.
Of the 53 players on the Chiefs’ Week 1 roster in 2014, 16 originally entered the NFL an undrafted free agents: Quarterback Chase Daniel; wide receivers Wilson and Frankie Hammond Jr.; tight end Demetrius Harris; offensive lineman Jeff Linkenbach; defensive linemen Mike DeVito and Damion Square; linebackers Josh Martin, Josh Mauga and Frank Zombo; defensive backs Husain Abdullah, Kelcie McCray, Ron Parker and Sorensen; long snapper Thomas Gafford; and kicker Santos.
Linkenbach, Gafford and Square are no longer with the Chiefs.
ROOKIE MINICAMP
The following players will attend the Chiefs rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, as independently confirmed through sources by ChiefsDigest.com:
• Quarterback Michael Strauss, Richmond: The 6-3, 211-pound Strauss comes off an accomplished record-setting career and has roots in a West Coast offense from his time at Virginia. He transferred to Richmond in 2011 and played in a spread offense.
• Quarterback Cody Sokol, Louisiana Tech: The 6-2, 215-pound Sokol completed 260-of-448 passes for 3,436 yards for 30 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in his senior season.
• Running back Keshawn Hill, Sam Houston State: Hill finished his senior season with 1,150 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns on 195 attempts in his first season as the featured running back. The 5-10, 205-pound Hill also contributed on special teams as a kickoff returner, totaling 971 yards on 41 returns.
• Tight end/fullback Alex DeLeon, Florida Atlantic: The 6-4, 240-pound DeLeon finished his career appearing in 40 games, recording 44 catches for 470 yards and seven touchdowns.
• Offensive lineman Daniel Munyer, Colorado: The 6-5, 305 pound Munyer can play guard and center.
• Defensive lineman Billy Dobbs, Troy: The 6-4, 285-pound Dobbs has versatility and can play inside or outside on the defensive line.
• Linebacker Michael Doctor, Oregon State: The 6-0, 233-pound Doctor was a three-year starter and totaled 254 tackles on his career. He was teammates with linebacker D.J. Alexander, the first of two fifth-round picks for the Chiefs in the 2015 NFL Draft.
• Cornerback Travis Manning, Northwest Missouri: The 6-0, 190-pound Manning was a second-team All-MIAA selection his senior season, where he appeared in 12 games and recorded 32 tackles, 10 pass breakups and an interception.
• Safety Keeston Terry, Pittsburg State: Terry, a native of Kansas City, started his college career at Kansas before transferring. He is the son of former Chiefs defensive back, Doug Terry, who played four seasons in Kansas City (1992-95). Terry will first attend the Arizona Cardinals rookie minicamp on a tryout basis on May 8-10, and then Chiefs rookie minicamp barring an offer from Arizona, a source informed ChiefsDigest.com.
• Safety Tyrequek Zimmerman, Oregon State: The 6-0, 213-pound Zimmerman closed his college career with 38 straight starts and 266 tackles, including an eye-catching seven games of 10 or more tackles. Zimmerman played in the same defensive secondary as cornerback Steven Nelson, the second of two Chiefs’ third-round picks in the 2015 NFL Draft.
• Kansas punter Trevor Pardula will attend the Chiefs rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, the school announced.
• UPDATE, May 7: Tight end Will Tye, Stony Brook: The 6-3, 260-pound Tye started his college career at Florida State before transferring. He finished his career at Stony Brook with 80 catches for 1,022 yards and nine touchdowns. UPDATE, May 8: Tye will attend the Giants rookie minicamp May 8-10, and then Chiefs rookie minicamp barring an offer from New York, according to a source. UPDATE, May 9: Tye signed a contract with the Giants, according to a source. Giants beat writer Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News was the first to report the signing.
• UPDATE, May 8: Tight end Westlee Tonga, Utah: The 6-4, 244-pound Tonga had 30 catches for 391 yards and four touchdowns his senior season. He will attend the Oakland Raiders rookie minicamp May 8-10, and then Chiefs rookie minicamp barring an offer from Oakland, according to a source.
• UPDATE, May 11: Wide receiver Jeret Smith, McMurry: The 6-0, 215-pound Smith originally tweeted he is en route to Kansas City, but quickly deleted the tweet. A source, however, confirmed with ChiefsDigest.com Smith will attend the rookie minicamp on tryout basis. Smith had 54 catches for 1,143 yards and 14 touchdowns in his senior season. He finished his college career as McMurry’s all-time leader in yards receiving with 2,729 yards.
LOCAL NOTABLES
• Kansas State’s Ryan Mueller, a native of Leawood, Kan., signed an undrafted free agent contract with the San Diego Chargers.
• Kansas State center B.J. Finney, a native of Andale, Kan., signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
• Emporia State wide receiver Austin Willis, a native of Topeka, Kan., will attend the Oakland Raiders rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. UPDATE, May 10: The Raiders signed Willis to a contract following a successful minicamp tryout, sources informed ChiefsDigest.com.
• Kansas tight end Jimmay Mundine will attend the Cleveland Browns rookie minicamp on a tryout basis.
