6 Undrafted Free Agents with the Best Backstories

NFL draft prospects typically end up undrafted because they don't have enough talent, are an injury concern or have off-field issues. Players with multiple run-ins with the law or signs of immaturity tend to have the most interesting stories. These are typically players who have a lot of talent but can't be trusted to avoid problems.

The players with injury concerns are a more unfortunate story. They tend to flash signs of ability, but aren't on the field enough to show consistency. Typically, those players who lack the measurables and talent only have a chance to make it as a backup or on special teams.

Cliff Harris, Cornerback, Philadelphia Eagles

Cliff Harris sat comfortably on Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board until he dropped off early in October in 2011. Off-field problems are what caused this once promising prospect to land as an undrafted free agent. However, this is a player with a ton of talent and the potential to make an impact in the NFL.

Harris needs to find a way to avoid making poor off-the-field decisions. Most of his issues involved traffic related citations. The most concerning part of his problems is that it seems that he didn't learn from his first mistake.

The NFL and Roger Goodell don't tolerate off-the-field problems, especially when its a repeated mistake. If Harris is unable to get his life on track his NFL career will end quickly. The Philadelphia Eagles are hoping Harris can live up to his enormous potential.

Chris Polk, Running Back, Philadelphia Eagles

Chris Polk's fall in the 2012 Draft peeked the interest of many in the draft community. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller was very high on Polk, and even had him rated as the 37th best overall prospect. However, reports surfaced after the draft about a possible degenerative hip injury. Polk seems to be another victim of the overly-conservative front offices.

Most teams will take a chance on a player with character concerns, but are less willing to pull the trigger on a prospect with injury issues. A good example of this is Janoris Jenkins, who was selected early in the second round despite several off-the-field issues.

Polk's story is so interesting because he landed with the Philadelphia Eagles, and will have a great chance to make the roster. Philadelphia only has Dion Lewis and Bryce Brown as legitimate options to backup LeSean McCoy. Polk could easily surpass both players on the depth chart.

Kellen Moore, Quarterback, Detroit Lions

Most people are aware of Kellen Moore's overwhelming success at Boise State. His play helped bring the Boise State football program to new heights. However, Moore spent most of his football-playing career flying under the radar. He has been underrated his entire career, and made people regret not giving him a chance.

Despite his success in high school, Moore was rated by Scout.com as the 26th best-available quarterback prospect. Only Boise State and Eastern Washington officially offered Moore a scholarship. There's probably tons of programs who wished they would have given Moore a chance.

Moore's college career started off with 36 consecutive regular season victories. He didn't lose a game until the second-to-last game in his junior season. This success made Boise State one of the more talked about programs in the nation. They were the team everyone pointed to when talking about the need for a playoff system in college football.

If Moore wants to find success in the NFL he'll need to again overcome the odds. Moore went undrafted and signed as a free agent with the Detroit Lions. Again, he was overlooked and needs to prove himself. It'll be really interesting to see if he's able to make more people regret not giving him a chance.

Vontaze Burfict, Linebacker, Cincinnati Bengals

Vontaze Burfict's final college season resulted in one of the most dramatic drops in a player's draft stock. He went from being ranked as Mel Kiper Jr.'s third best junior linebacker to not even hearing his named called on draft day. Burfict's fall is a story of immaturity and poor decisions, both on and off the field. It'll will be interesting if this turns out to be a redemption story.

His issues began with an early season incident where he punched a teammate. This incident alone is cause for concern, but not enough to raise a red flag. However, Burfict's erratic behavior continued throughout the season.

His play on the field was inconsistent and coupled with several personal foul penalties. These penalties were poorly time and actually cost Arizona State a chance to win a few games. Burfict also seen his status with the team compromised, as he actually lost his starting position.

As if his poor play and personal foul issues weren't enough, Burfict's disastrous Combine continued the decline in his draft sock. His 4.93 40-time was among the worst in the entire linebacker class. He capped off the combine disaster by failing a drug test.

Burfict certainly has a troubled history, but if you have talent the NFL will give you a chance for redemption.The Cincinnati Bengals have done well with character concerns such as Cedric Benson and Adam Jones, this might be Burfict's best chance to find success.

Marcus Forston, Defensive Line, New England Patriots

After the 2010 season, Marcus Forston appeared ready to take the next step in his development. He was coming off an impressive season where he tallied three sacks and 12 tackles for loss. Mocking the Draft's Dan Kadar said this about his draft status:

"

When healthy, especially in 2010, Forston flashed the athleticism and strength to dominate at the line of scrimmage. Has a strong lower half to anchor in the middle. Has a frame that can carry much more strength. Could be a solid nose tackle candidate.

"

However, Forston's career has been hampered by major injuries. During his Sophomore year, he hurt his ankle and missed the majority of the season. The injury bug struck again last year and he missed a lot of time with a knee injury. This extensive injury history is what resulted in Forston becoming an undrafted free agent.

Forston's career isn't over, and if he can find a way to avoid injury he could find success in the NFL. The New England Patriots signed him with the hope that he could live up to his once-promising future.

Jazen Jackson, Safety, New York Giants

Coming out of high school, Jazen Jackson was one of the top recruits in the country, rated by rivals as a 5-star prospect and the 17th ranked player in the country. However, he quickly found himself in trouble after signing on to attend Tennessee. Jackson's character concerns derailed what was once a promising career.

During his freshman season, Jackson was arrested, along with several teammates, as a suspect in an armed robbery. The charges were later dropped, but it showed that he might have a bumpy road ahead. He followed up that incident with several failed drug tests, leaving the program for "personal issues" and finally a full dismissal from the University. Jackson finished his college career at McNeese State.

If Jackson finds a way to deal with everyday life he has a chance to be a special football player.