Pro Hogs NFL Report: 2021 training camp rosters feature 26 former Hogs
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Training camps got underway across the NFL this week.
The rosters haven’t been whittled down yet and still include 90 players, so there are several former Arkansas players currently pursuing their professional dreams.
HawgBeat counts 26 total former Razorbacks in camps right now, but that number will undoubtedly shrink ahead of the Aug. 31 deadline to get down to 53 players. Some of them will land on active rosters or practice squads, while others will be cut altogether.
One notable name not listed below is Jason Peters, as the 17-year NFL veteran is a free agent and hasn’t signed anywhere. It is unlikely that he’ll return to Philadelphia, where he’s spent the last 12 seasons.
Here’s a look at those who do currently have jobs in the NFL…
McTelvin Agim - Denver Broncos
Now entering his second season in the NFL, Agim has looked good in some of Denver’s early practices, according to local reporters. He’s trying to build on a rookie season that saw him appear in 10 games and register eight tackles.
Brandon Allen - Cincinnati Bengals
When No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow went down with a season-ending injury, Allen stepped in and started five games. Burrow is expected to be back this year, but Allen played well enough to earn a one-year deal worth up to $1.5 million this offseason, so he’ll likely be Cincinnati’s backup quarterback in 2021.
Alex Collins - Seattle Seahawks
After a tumultuous 2019 season marred by injuries and off-field issues, Collins rejoined Seattle - the team that drafted him in 2016 - as a member of the practice squad and eventually found his way onto the field. With injury-prone guys like Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny ahead of him, there’s a good chance Collins carves out a role for himself with the Seahawks.
Kamren Curl - Washington Football Team
Despite being a seventh-round pick in last year’s NFL Draft, Curl not only made the team, but evolved into one of the top rookies in the league. Thanks to an injury to Landon Collins, he ultimately started 11 games and landed on Pro Football Focus’ 2020 All-Rookie Team.
Trey Flowers - Detroit Lions
An injury limited him to only seven games last year, but Flowers appears to be healthy heading into this season. He is transitioning from a traditional defensive end to an outside linebacker in Detroit’s new 3-4 scheme.
Feleipe Franks - Atlanta Falcons
In his lone season with the Razorbacks as a graduate transfer from Florida, Franks shattered the UA single-season record by completing 68.5 percent of his passes. He went undrafted and was signed by Atlanta, where he is one of just three quarterbacks on the roster. With Matt Ryan expected to start and AJ McCarron the likely backup, Franks could push for a spot on the Falcons’ practice squad.
Hjalte Froholdt - Houston Texans
After missing his rookie season with an injury, Froholdt carved out a special teams role for himself in New England. However, he was released late in the year and picked up by the Texans off waivers.
Dre Greenlaw - San Francisco 49ers
In a sign of their confidence in Greenlaw, the 49ers traded Kwon Alexander late last year, paving the way for Greenlaw to be an undisputed full-time starter. There are questions behind them, but Greenlaw and Fred Warner are widely expected to be San Francisco’s top two linebackers this year.
De’Jon Harris - Green Bay Packers
An undrafted free agent, Harris signed with Green Bay last year and spent most of the season on the practice squad. However, the Packers did activate him a couple of times using some COVID-19 rules and he played 25 special teams snaps.
Hunter Henry - New England Patriots
Probably the biggest offseason move by a former Arkansas player was Henry leaving the Chargers and signing with the Patriots as a free agent. He received a three-year, $37.5 million deal that includes $25 million guaranteed.
Cody Hollister - Tennessee Titans
Although he’s spent most of the last two years on Tennessee’s practice squad, Hollister has been brought up to the 53-man roster a couple of times and appeared in seven total games, catching three passes for 25 yards.
Jerry Jacobs - Detroit Lions
His time at Arkansas was short-lived, as the Arkansas State transfer opted out early in 2020, but now Jacobs is getting an opportunity in the NFL as an undrafted free agent in Detroit.
Xavier Kelly - Baltimore Ravens (injured reserve)
A graduate transfer who began his career at Clemson, Kelly was a backup in his lone season at Arkansas and signed with the Ravens as an undraftded free agent. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn Achilles during an organized team activity in May and needed season-ending surgery.
Jeremiah Ledbetter - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Beginning last season on the Buccaneers’ practice squad, Ledbetter was called up to the active roster late in the year and played well in limited opportunities before suffering a calf injury. He remained on the 53-man roster through the playoffs, but was inactive in each of Tampa Bay’s games en route to the Super Bowl. The Buccaneers liked Ledbetter enough to re-sign him this offseason.
Jonathan Marshall - New York Jets
Bursting onto the scene as a fifth-year senior, Marshall played well enough to get noticed by pro scouts. In fact, he was the only Arkansas player taken in the 2021 NFL Draft, going in the sixth round.
Cheyenne O’Grady - Cincinnati Bengals
Certainly talented enough to garner professional attention, O’Grady had an up-and-down career at Arkansas in which he clashed with multiple coaching staffs. He not only wasn’t drafted in 2020, but didn’t land a free agent contract until earlier this year. Because he wasn’t with a team last year, O’Grady will be listed as a rookie this season.
Darius Philon - Las Vegas Raiders
A few months after signing a two-year, $10 million contract two years ago, Philon was released by the Cardinals after he was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in an alleged incident at a strip club. He’s been out of football since, but is attempting a comeback with the Raiders.
Frank Ragnow - Detroit Lions
Arguably the best former Arkansas player currently in the NFL, Ragnow was the second-highest graded center in the league by Pro Football Focus in 2020, earning an impressive 80.3 grade. That earned him his first Pro Bowl nod and a four-year, $54 million extension that made him the highest-paid center in the NFL.
Randy Ramsey - Green Bay Packers
After a year on the practice squad, Ramsey cracked the Packers’ 53-man roster last season and carved out a role for himself on special teams. Now entering his third season in the NFL, he is the favorite to be Green Bay’s No. 4 outside linebacker and could see his role expand this year.
Dan Skipper - Detroit Lions
Skipper has bounced around multiple teams since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2017 and now he’s back with the Lions, where he spent a good chunk of 2017 and 2018. He was elevated to the active roster a couple of times late last season before being added to the active roster for good. Although he’s an offensive lineman, Skipper actually played nine snaps as a defensive tackle in Week 17 because Detroit was shorthanded.
Chris Smith - Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore will be Smith’s sixth difference franchise since being drafted in 2014, as he signed with the club earlier this week. He was with the Raiders last year, serving as a backup and appearing in eight games.
T.J. Smith - Los Angeles Chargers
Now apparently going by “Frederick,” Smith was an undrafted free agent signing by the Chargers last year. Even though he never made the 53-man roster, he spent all of 2020 on the practice squad. That seems to be his best shot this year, too.
Jeremy Sprinkle - Dallas Cowboys
Used primarily as a blocking tight end in the NFL, Sprinkle spent the last four years in Washington before becoming a free agent. He signed with Dallas, seemingly as a replacement for blocking tight end Blake Bell.
Armon Watts - Minnesota Vikings
In his second season in the NFL, Watts appeared in every game last year as a backup defensive tackle for the Vikings. With the top three defensive tackles seemingly set in Michael Pierce, Dalvin Tomlinson and Sheldon Richardson, he will battle it out with James Lynch for the fourth spot.
Jonathan Williams - Washington Football Team
Williams spent most of his 2020 on practice squads, with a pair of stints each with Detroit and Washington, but did get activated one week with the Lions. Unfortunately, he fumbled on his lone carry. He’s now with Washington, but it seems like a long shot that he’ll make the roster.
Deatrich Wise Jr. - New England Patriots
Instead of pursuing other opportunities as a free agent, Wise decided to re-sign with the Patriots this offseason. He received a four-year deal reportedly worth up to $30 million with $10 million fully guaranteed.