Five Longhorns sign as undrafted NFL free agents

By Steve Lansdale

AUSTIN, Texas — Defensive lineman Hassan Ridgeway was the only player from the University of Texas selected over the weekend in the NFL Draft, but he won’t be the only Longhorn trying to earn his way on a professional roster. Five of his Texas teammates have been signed as undrafted free agents:

Defensive end Shiro Davis has signed with the[s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level1)] Washington Redskins. Davis had modest stats at Texas — in 11 games last season, he had 29 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two quarterback sacks and two forced fumbles — but that doesn’t mean he can’t make the Redskins’ roster. Two of the starters in Washington’s 3-4 defense are gone after nose tackle Terrance Knighton signed as a free agent with the New England Patriots and defensive end Jason Hatcher retired. Two defensive ends from last year return: starter Chris Baker and backup Ricky Jean Francois. The team drafted one defensive lineman — Temple’s Matt Ioannidis — but head coach Jay Gruden already has said the Redskins would like him to add about 15 pounds and slide inside to play nose tackle. The only other defensive end at the moment is fellow undrafted free agent Anthony Lanier of Alabama A&M.

Wide receiver Daje Johnson inked a deal with the Atlanta Falcons. Longtime standout Roddy White no longer plays for the Falcons, but Julio Jones remains one of the game’s elite receivers. Johnson — whose father, Clyde, played in 1997 with the Kansas City Chiefs and the next year with the Chicago Bears — caught a team-leading 37 passes for 415 yards (11.2 yards per catch) in 2015, with one receiving touchdown and a long catch of 54 yards. He also was the Longhorns’ top kickoff returner, bringing back 22 kickoffs for an average of 24.0 yards per return. With the Falcons, he likely will have to beat out a veteran or two. In addition to Jones, Atlanta brings back Devin Hester, Nick Williams, Justin Hardy and Eric Weems, signed free agents Mohamed Sanu (formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals) and Aldrick Robinson (formerly of the Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens).

Receiver Marcus Johnson latched on with the Philadelphia Eagles. He ranked third among all Longhorns in receptions in 2015 … with 12, which resulted in 130 receiving yards and a touchdown. Over his career, he caught 61 passes for 793 yards and four touchdowns. Philadelphia has questions to answer: at quarterback, presumed starter Sam Bradford was none too pleased when, shortly after signing him to a two-year contract over the offseason, the team traded up to draft what he assumed would be the team’s quarterback of the future. (He was right — the Eagles drafted Carson Wentz with the second pick in the draft.) Johnson will have to make a name for himself in a crowded receivers’ meeting room; Philadelphia’s returning receivers include Nelson Agholor, Jordan Matthews, Chris Givens, T.J. Graham, Josh Huff and Reuben Randle, and the team also signed a second receiver as an undrafted free agent: Hunter Sharp of Utah State.

Kicker Nick Rose also signed with the Falcons. Rose’s enormous leg strength made him one of the country’s top kickoff specialists over the last couple of seasons, but his field goals were inconsistent, especially as distance increased: he converted 13 of 17 attempts in 2015, and missed two of three from 50 or more yards. Atlanta incumbent Matt Bryant connected on 14 of 18 field goals last season. If the Falcons want a more powerful leg, Rose has a legitimate chance. If the team puts a premium on veteran experience, the obvious advantage will go to Bryant, who has 15 NFL seasons of experience in the NFL and turns 41 in May.

Most believed that after Ridgeway, cornerback Duke Thomas had the best chance of being drafted among all other UT players. Thomas played in 51 games, starting 35, during his career with the Longhorns. He was third on the team last season with 58 tackles and had three tackles for loss and an interception. Three of the Texans’ top five tacklers last year were cornerbacks — Kareem Jackson and Jonathan Joseph each had 58, and Kevin Johnson had 54 — and for now, at least, they all are expected back. The Texans have five other cornerbacks on their roster, and they signed two more as undrafted free agents: Florida International’s Richard Leonard and San Jose State’s Cleveland Wallace. Mini-camps will be crowded at the position, but Thomas is a solid player. If he can make a strong impression on special teams, he could have a legitimate chance to make the roster.

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