Assessing Every Jacksonville Jaguars UDFA's Chances of Making Final Roster
Undrafted free agents don't always get the respect that they deserve, especially for a team like the Jacksonville Jaguars. UDFAs are typically below the grade, but each deserves a fair shot, and it may surprise you who makes the team and who doesn't.
UDFAs can turn out to be vital role players or even more. It really becomes a case of preference with the staff, or the player can just flat-out perform in practice. It's the former that makes the UDFA process so interesting.
For whatever reason, and there are a variety of reasons, some impressive talent gets bypassed in the draft. Making the most of the opportunities that an NFL team gives them is their final chance to make a roster before the 2015 season.
Typically, most UDFAs are just lacking a few of the key qualities that a team might look for in the later rounds of the draft. However, the top UDFAs have enough talent and probably less polish than their drafted peers, and that's what teams look for.
Preparing a player for a role or a certain set of skills is how you get the pieces you may lack going into the season. A raw UDFA can step in as a backup or be a package-specific player and really contribute to a team.
The point is not to disrespect UDFAs and the process they go through. These guys have been training since the end of their last college season to make an NFL squad, and that hard work and dedication may pay off in Jacksonville for these 14 players.
With the intro out of the way, let's look at the Jaguars' UDFAs and their chances of making the final roster.
Richard Ash
1 of 14
Richard Ash took an uncommon path through college to get to this point, but he's now with the Jaguars and is looking to earn his spot. He was initially at Michigan for three years but transferred to Western Michigan to get more playing time to prove his worth to the NFL.
The 6'3", 314-pound defensive tackle totaled 42 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss last season for the Broncos, playing in all 13 games. He never was able to push through to a bigger role at Michigan, but his performance at WMU was decent.
Ash doesn't have great athleticism, as evidenced by his pro-day stats, and nothing about him sticks out. Ash isn't awful, but he certainly isn't great either and doesn't have enough of anything to make it as a run-stopping DT on the final roster.
The Jaguars signed Ash to the 90-man roster on May 11.
Cap Capi
2 of 14
Cap Capi, whose actual first name is Nordly but goes by "Cap," is another player with an unorthodox path to Jacksonville. Initially with the Colorado State Rams, he transferred to Akron before his junior season and is now looking to make it with the Jaguars.
Capi (6'3", 249 lbs) was expelled by CSU after an off-campus altercation and after authorities found drugs in his home. That is a shame because Capi had 11.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and seven forced fumbles in 2011.
He had a decent season with Akron this past year after sitting out his junior year, amassing 26 solo tackles and five sacks. He has shown he can rush the passer and make plays, but his off-the-field issues and the concern that his 2011 season was a fluke cause some doubt.
Capi is a solid pass-rusher, but this team is full of ends on both sides who can do that well. He has a chance, but only if he can beat out veteran traveler Ikponmwosa Igbinosun and then prove he's worth bringing on as a fourth string as a strong side end.
The Jaguars signed Capi to the 90-man roster on May 11.
Kasey Closs
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Walking on to the Portland State roster after two seasons at Saddleback College, receiver/returner Kasey Closs (6'3", 205 lbs) is no stranger to earning his way on to a roster. Whether that experience will help him or not in Duval County is yet to be seen.
Closs had 105 receptions, 1,705 yards and 12 touchdowns in 22 games for the Vikings in his two seasons, and his 2013 season was one of the best in school history with 63 catches for 1,167 yards and eight touchdowns.
He is also an experienced returner, which may set him apart from his competition if he can prove himself. His versatility isn't completely unique, especially with guys like Ace Sanders, Marqise Lee and Denard Robinson on the roster.
Closs had an impressive collegiate career, but there's just simply better talent and depth on the roster for what he can do at the moment. I wouldn't be surprised to see him end up somewhere in the NFL or in professional football in general, however.
The Jaguars signed Closs to the 90-man roster on May 11.
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Desmond Cooper
4 of 14
Desmond Cooper is no stranger to the Jaguars, as he attended the Bolles School in Jacksonville. Cooper then went to Wake Forest before transferring to UNC-Charlotte and is now back in Jacksonville to make an impact.
The 6'2", 214-pound safety was a special teams player in his rookie year at Wake Forest, but his transfer to Charlotte saw him take on a bigger role as a starter in the secondary. Through two seasons in Charlotte, he totaled 89 tackles, three interceptions and three forced fumbles.
Cooper has the pedigree and stats of a solid free safety, and with the unsure situation at free safety, there may be room for him. His local past and performance at Charlotte should give him a chance this offseason to work his way on to the roster.
The Jaguars signed Cooper to the 90-man roster on May 11.
Eric Crume
5 of 14
Eric Crume (6'2", 305 lbs) spent his college days at typically cold Syracuse University as a nose tackle, and now he's looking to trade upstate New York for sunny Jacksonville.
Crume is an experienced nose tackle, and he played in all four of his seasons for the Orange. He tallied 83 tackles, four sacks and a forced fumble, solid numbers considering he didn't start until 2014.
Crume has good experience and showed considerable steps forward through his last two seasons at Syracuse, but it's doubtful that there is a space for him on the final roster. Ash is an all-around better defensive tackle, and he has to battle out of the group of UDFAs first.
Corey Grant
6 of 14
Considered one of the fastest players in the SEC, Corey Grant could earn a spot with the Jaguars thank to his speed. The Auburn running back is entering a deep situation at running back, but his acceleration sets him apart compared to the current stable of backs.
Grant ran unofficial times of 4.25 and 4.27 at his pro day, according to NFL.com's Chase Goodbread, and that isn't surprising. The 5'11", 203-pound back has tremendous burst that you don't see often, not even in the NFL.
However, despite his blazing speed, running back is one of the deepest positions for the Jaguars. No player has the incredible speed that Grant has, but he has to prove he can do more than just run fast.
Grant's situation is promising, but he still has a lot to prove before he can legitimately contend for a roster spot.
Connor Hamlett
7 of 14
Connor Hamlett is one of the biggest tight ends the Jaguars have ever seen at 6'7" and 266 pounds, but that doesn't mean everything. He spent his college time at Oregon State, and his journey to the final roster won't be easy.
He was an efficient blocking TE with the Beavers, and that's where he could have made his impact. However, the signing of Ben Koyack makes me feel that Hamlett is out of a spot already.
Hamlett isn't a bad TE, but he has a lot to learn and improve on before he reaches an NFL roster. Koyack cuts him out of a spot in Jacksonville, but Hamlett should get cut early enough to go try to earn a spot somewhere else.
Nick Marshall
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The second Auburn player on this list, Nick Marshall is another SEC player who is looking to show he belongs, although he's doing it at corner instead of quarterback, the position he played in college.
Marshall (6'1", 207 lbs) played for the Jaguars at the 2015 Senior Bowl, and that may be why he's in Jacksonville right now. He impressed on the field, and he must have impressed off the field as a corner, which is incredible considering his days as a quarterback.
Marshall is trying to break into a crowded core of corners, but the Jaguars may think he has enough talent and potential to be worthy of a spot before his competition. The Jaguars seem to like Marshall a lot, and if anyone has the best chance for a roster spot, it's probably him.
Chris Reed
9 of 14
Chris Reed may have the best opportunity of all the UDFAs as a guard, considering there are only four guards on roster besides him. The 6'5", 300-pounder started 46 games at Minnesota State, and he'll hope his situation and experience will help him find a spot.
Reed was a 2014 Division II All-American and an important part of the Mavericks' rushing game for four seasons. His experience is impressive, but his progression through those seasons is great as well, considering a four-year starter can get in a rut.
Reed's direct competition is Tyler Shatley. He is the current backup to Brandon Linder for the Jaguars, and besides him, no one else is competing for a backup spot. Reed has the best chance of any player to earn a spot, but he needs to prove it in practice.
Matt Robinson
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University of Maryland's Matt Robinson is another position-swap guy, although he's already gotten over the moving pains when he switched from safety to linebacker this past season. He's shown potential, but the question is whether he can do enough right now to prove he's worth the investment.
Robinson totaled 73 tackles and 10 tackles for loss last season, and his athleticism has been a big reason he succeeded after trading safety for linebacker. The 6'3", 245-pound linebacker had an impressive last season before trying the NFL, but is he ready?
I don't think so, at least not for the Jaguars. He has the raw talent, but he has little experience at his position and the weak-side linebacker spot is four deep with him and undrafted free agent Todd Thomas, and I don't think he can make it in the NFL right now.
Jack Rummells
11 of 14Jack Rummells is looking to continue his playing time in Jacksonville after a five-year career with Northern Iowa, and the tackle has good reason to. He was a consistent starter and improved each season at UNI, and hopefully he can continue his progress this offseason.
The 6'5", 300-pound tackle started 43 games for the Panthers, and with each season he became a bigger part of the team. Rummells' experience is a big plus, but he doesn't offer enough upside to be a contender for a final spot, despite getting signed out of rookie camp.
In other years, Rummells might get a nod, but the Jaguars have Luke Joeckel, Sam Young and Brennan Williams all in front of him. He's buried by depth, and he'll have to look elsewhere for a roster spot.
Todd Thomas
12 of 14
Pittsburgh's Todd Thomas has been an integral part of the linebacker corps for the Panthers since 2011, and his experience and athleticism make him an intriguing weak-side linebacker option.
Thomas started 34 games in his four-year career in Pittsburgh and became the Week 1 starter in his junior year. Through the past two seasons, he tallied 145 tackles, with 11.5 of them for a loss. The 6'2", 230-pounder has also been an impactful coverage linebacker, bringing down three interceptions with the Panthers.
Thomas should beat out Matt Robinson if his past is any indication, and his overall athleticism should be too much to handle. Thomas' best shot at earning a spot is by proving he's not far from backup linebacker John Lotulelei and by showing he can excel on special teams as well.
Thomas should have one of the best shots for a roster spot so long as he takes care of business in practice.
Jake Waters
13 of 14
Despite Blake Bortles and Chad Henne being nearly unmovable from the first and second spot at quarterback, respectively, Jake Waters could find life on this team. He's a versatile QB, and that could earn him a spot on the roster as a third-stringer.
Waters (6'1", 210 lbs) initially went to Iowa Western Community College, where he earned recognition and transferred to Kansas State after two seasons. He came into the Wildcats offense and immediately started, and after two seasons, he amassed 5,970 yards passing, 40 passing touchdowns, 796 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns on the ground.
Current third-stringer Stephen Morris is solid, but Waters could beat him out of the job. He's good on the ground and in the air, and Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder is famous for turning out NFL-ready players.
He'll have to earn it, but Waters should get a fair shot, especially considering his only competition is Morris.
Thurston Armbrister
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Thurston Armbrister has one of the most interesting names of all the UDFAs, but he deserves respect for his play on the field. He was a big part of the Miami Hurricanes defense for three years, and he'll look to earn his way on the roster as a strong-side linebacker.
Armbrister started 23 games at The U, and his 15 career tackles for loss and seven sacks are solid numbers. He worked his way up the roster in Miami from the bottom, and he'll now try to do the same in Jacksonville.
He is trying to pierce through to a vulnerable position at strong-side linebacker. Besides starter Dan Skuta, the backups are LaRoy Reynolds and Khairi Fortt, and neither has a certain future as a backup.
He's going to have to prove it each day, but Armbrister is a guy with a lot of upside, and if he can beat out Fortt at some point this summer, he could have a great chance for a roster spot.
All stats were provided by ESPN.com unless otherwise stated.
Evan Reier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report covering the Jacksonville Jaguars. Follow Evan on Twitter at @evanreier.
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