Everybody starts from somewhere in the NFL, but for those who don't get to hear their name called in the draft, the journey to making it in this league becomes that much more difficult.
There are 53 spots on each roster once the season begins and those who go undrafted are already starting behind the more than 200 draft picks who were selected.
However, it's not impossible to find success in the league. Take Eagles legend Jason Peters for example – a seven-time Pro Bowl and four-time All-Pro offensive tackle during his time with the team – not to mention a Super Bowl Champion and one of the greatest at his position in the last two decades.
While players who aren't atop the big boards never fully know if they will hear their name called on draft night, they must be prepared for anything – drafted or not.
"Obviously, coming from a small school and knowing that shot of getting drafted, it's kind of a small chance but you got to kind of flip your mindset and understand like where I'm at," safety Reed Blankenship said.
"Always play with a chip on my shoulder and go into it thinking like you know, the odds are against you, and obviously are but at the end of the day, it just shows how much you need to love football. Of course, when I got here, I was just looking for an opportunity."
Blankenship is entering Year 3 in the league since going undrafted in 2022 from Middle Tennessee State, where he was a five-year starter. In 2023, the safety started every game that he played in for the Eagles and earned himself an extension with the team.
The Lester, Alabama, native grew up working on a farm hauling hay throughout high school – one of the places he learned the work ethic he carries with him to this day.
"I was fortunate enough to be able to work on a farm and after football workouts, a group of us would go haul hay and it'll be a hundred something degrees, and we'll do it all day and it just builds character. You got to just break through when you're just dog tired, you got to break through and that's how it is now, obviously that was a different thing. It's not football, but it's still preparing your mental for what it is now. And I can say that has helped me tremendously, especially now." Blankenship said.
Similarly to Blankenship, wide receiver/punt returner Britain Covey was signed in 2022 after going undrafted out of Utah. Covey made his mark early with the team as a returner as he was willing to do whatever it took to make an impact and earn a spot on the 53-man roster.
"For me being undrafted, one it wasn't a surprise but two it wasn't anything different than my history of just being overlooked because of my size or whatever it may be. And I think part of making the team as an undrafted free agent is being willing to put your pride down about how you want to make the team and be willing to put how they want you to make the team first," Covey said.
"So of course, I would have loved as a rookie to say I made the team as a receiver. But I recognize that the most likely scenario would be to make the team as a return man who also doubled as a receiver rather than the other way around. So, you have to put your pride down and be willing to make the team in the way that they see fit rather than you do."
Covey's team-first mindset has helped him develop into a contributing part of this Eagles team. In 2023, the 5-foot-8 return man led the NFL with a career-high 417 punt return yards and was the only player in the league with multiple 50+ yard returns – not bad for a "little" guy.
And then there's Bryce Huff, who started his career in New York with the Jets after a productive career at Memphis. Huff has had an underdog mentality his whole life, going from a 5-foot-7 freshman in high school to inking a three-year deal with the Eagles.
"I mean, I had to work my way up to the field at every level, so it's something that I've been prepared for just through my experiences," Huff said.
All three of these players are prime examples of proving doubters wrong and putting in the work needed to make it in this league, and the latest batch of UDFAs can look to them not only for inspiration, but advice.
Blankenship knows what it's like to be in that position, and strives to help the younger guys, drafted or not.
"When they first got here, I made sure to put myself in their shoes again. When I came in, I was a quiet guy. I was just in the back listening to some of these vets, but it changes your mindset when a vet comes up to the guy and it's like, 'oh, he recognized me. He knows my name he's giving me tips here and there.' That just gives you a boost of confidence and that's what I try to do with everybody, even our drafted guys. It's definitely a different type of tempo, a different type of stage, and I just want to be that leader, that guy that you can go to if they need any sort of questions."
Covey shared the same sentiment, as he understands what it means to be an undrafted free agent whose job is never secure. The third-year player is beginning to become a voice on this team and he's taking advantage of the opportunity.
"I talk to the UDFAs every day, I know what it's like to be an undrafted free agent. It's intimidating and scary. You feel so much pressure on every single rep and part of what I tell the guys is just be unique. The way you make the team oftentimes is by having a unique skill set and letting that shine. So rather than focus on trying to be the same as everyone else, focus on the one or two things that makes you really special and that will make you stand out." Covey said about the advice he gives to this year's undrafted free agent signings.
For those that are fortunate to earn a spot on the roster, the grind isn't even close to stopping from there. The battle continues, and there will always be guys looking to take your spot. Huff knows this well and holds himself to the same standard he had when he first got into the league.
"Don't get complacent and don't be satisfied with where you are. Biggest thing for me is just like knowing my potential and just holding myself to that standard like I have to reach my full potential, I have to reach that level of success that I envisioned for myself. So that's my, that's what drives me to keep going even though I got a new deal now. Like, I'm not satisfied, I want to want to win a Super Bowl and I want to lead the league in sacks and stuff like that. So that's just what keeps me going on a daily basis." Huff said. – Written by Liam Wichser
