The Best Undrafted Free Agents

Round 8 of the NFL Draft. It’s not really an official round but it is an opportunity for teams to get better by acquiring talent that was bypassed during the draft’s seven official rounds. These players are the NFL’s undrafted free agents – UDFA’s.

Some will populate practice squads. Most will bounce around from team to team for a bit until the realization hits that their respective livelihoods won’t unfold on an NFL field. But every now and then, a diamond in the rough is uncovered. Maybe the player was a late bloomer. Maybe he played for a small school that didn’t attract the attention of scouts. Maybe all he needed was a chance.

Players like Kurt Warner, James Harrison, Antonio Gates, Wes Welker, Jason Peters, John Randle and London Fletcher to name a few, navigated the lightly traveled path of undrafted free agent to stardom. None played a down for the Ravens, although Harrison had a cup of coffee in Baltimore late in 2003, was sent to the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe, but eventually was cut by the Ravens in 2004.

That said, the Ravens have had some success stories via the undrafted path. If fact, during 19 of the past 20 seasons, the Ravens have had at least one UDFA make their season-opening roster. Given the current crop of undrafted free agents, there’s reason to believe that the team will make it 20 of 21 seasons. Here’s a look at some of the best UDFA maneuvers the team’s personnel brain trust has made since the Ravens inception in 1996.

7. Michael Pierce

Pierce attended Samford University, a school with a student body of roughly 5,700, where he posted 130 tackles and 5 sacks in 3 seasons with the Bulldogs. During the preseason of his rookie campaign, Pierce was a terror, helping him to secure a spot on the 53-man roster in 2016. The behemoth DT is entering his 7th season as a Raven in 2024 and has been a big contributor to the team’s rushing defense, one that consistently ranks among the league’s best.

6. Priest Holmes

Priest was a 5’9”, 213-pound RB out of the University of Texas who played in 36 games as a Longhorn tallying up 252 carries, 1,276 yards and 14 touchdowns. He missed the 1995 season due to a knee injury, a season during which Ricky Williams emerged as a star. At the Combine in 1997, Holmes posted a 4.73 40-yard dash time. NFL scouts weren’t impressed.

But the Ravens gave Priest a shot and he delivered, rushing for 2,102 yards in 4 seasons, averaging 4.6 YPC. Brian Billick wanted a more explosive back and the Ravens drafted Jamal Lewis who eventually became the team’s bell cow rendering Holmes an unnecessary luxury. Priest signed with the Chiefs as a free agent in 2001 and racked up 6,070 yards rushing and 83 overall TD’s during his six seasons in Kansas City where he was named to the Pro Bowl team three times.

Priest Holmes: Undrafted free agent with the @Ravens, Superstar with the @Chiefs 🔥

📺: #KCvsBAL — Sunday 8:20pm ET on NBC
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/AG6TZaj5Ps

— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) September 17, 2021

5. Gus Edwards

When the Ravens made Lamar Jackson the starter following Joe Flacco’s injury in 2018, the offensive brain trust had a vision. They knew that Gus was a more complementary player for Lamar than the late Alex Collins. Edwards’ north/south, no nonsense style proved to be a great fit and the undrafted free agent flourished in workmanlike fashion. During his five seasons in Baltimore, Gus started in 26 games and carried the ball 699 times during regular season games, rushing for 3,395 yards (4.9 YPC) and 26 touchdowns. “The Bus” has traveled west to reunite with offensive coordinator Greg Roman as a member of the LA Chargers. He’ll always be remembered fondly in Charm City.

4. Zach Orr

Zach’s career trajectory suggested that greatness was in his future. By his third season, the former North Texas Mean Green linebacker became a starter for the Ravens 2016 defense, directed by Dean Pees. Orr had 133 tackles, 6 TFL’s and 3 interceptions and was named 2nd-team All Pro. But Orr’s ascent came to an abrupt halt in 2017 when it was discovered that he had a rare spinal condition prohibiting the full development of his C-1 vertebrae. A hit to the wrong spot could cause the C-1 to explode and potentially be fatal. Orr had no choice but to retire.

Zach’s ascent as a coach is on a similar trajectory. The Ravens and their fans worldwide hope that he can become a successful defensive coordinator and perhaps even mimic the success of another NFL linebacker who has become a solid head coach – the Texans’ DeMeco Ryans.

3. Bart Scott

Bart once joked that the signing bonus check he received from the Ravens when he signed on as an undrafted free agent in 2002 wasn’t enough to cover his airfare from Detroit to Baltimore. But that never deterred his ambition and by 2005 he started at ILB beside Ray Lewis. DC Rex Ryan moved Bart around quite a bit in 2006 and the versatile backer turned in quite a campaign, chalking up 103 tackles, 12 TFL, 2 interceptions and 9 ½ sacks on his way to second-team All Pro honors and a trip to the Pro Bowl.

Ben Roethlisberger says the hardest hit he’s ever taken was in 2006 from Ravens Bart Scott:

“I felt my body get lifted off the ground, and I saw my feet just kinda go past level one, level two, there’s the sky, hit the ground, lay there like I can’t breathe.” pic.twitter.com/8DBLMD5sAq

— 𝗥𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝙇𝙄𝙑𝙀 (@LIVERavenNation) June 25, 2023

2. Patrick Ricard

During his junior and senior seasons as a Maine Black Bear, Ricard averaged 51 tackles, 16 TFL and 6 sacks before entering the 2017 NFL Draft. Ricard went undrafted. A 6’3” 285-pound defensive tackle who lacks quickness and explosiveness isn’t exactly a desirable specimen by NFL standards. But the Ravens saw an athlete in Ricard and eventually he made the unusual graduation from DT to fullback where he has flourished for five seasons. The four-time Pro Bowler, one-time All Pro is the type of scrappy player that fans in Baltimore gravitate to. Project Pat is a fan treasure here in The Land of Pleasant Living.

1. Justin Tucker

Tuck was invited to training camp in 2012. The incumbent Billy Cundiff, had signed a 5-year, $15M deal prior to the 2011 season. Many believed that Tucker was nothing more than another leg in camp so as not to overtax Cundiff. But such opinions changed as camp continued. Tucker was special and continues to be 12 seasons later. During those 12 campaigns Tuck has made the Pro Bowl 7 times, All Pro 8 times and is widely regarded as a lock for Pro Football’s Hall of Fame.

Not bad for a guy who was once thought to be camp fodder.

Honorable Mention: Maake Kemoeatu, Patrick Mekari, Will Demps, Mike Flynn