Best undrafted free agents out to emerge after the 2021 NFL Draft

The 2021 NFL Draft is just about a wrap. The third day is always the longest, with the fourth through seventh rounds taking us from noon until after 6 p.m. ET. And yet, while that closes out the selection draft, it does not close out draft weekend.

The third day can get a little crazy with some of the names coming off the board, but it’s post-draft Saturday where things can really go haywire. The close of the draft means it is time for undrafted free agency. Any college player who was eligible for the draft and not selected is free to sign with any interested team. The signing bonuses are usually fairly limited, although the higher end UDFAs can get up close to a rookie salary guarantee if a team really likes them.

We’re publishing this just before the draft wraps and will update the list once Mr. Irrelevant comes off the board. In the meantime, teams have already begun reaching out to potential UDFA targets. Teams have players they want to prioritize for signing, and it’s every team for themselves. Rumors will fly of players signing with one team only to have them sign with another team. Information is a little less reliable over the next 24 hours.

Draft picks sign a four-year contract, with deals for first round picks having a fifth-year team option. Additionally, draft picks cannot renegotiate their deal until after three seasons. On the other hand, UDFAs can only sign three year contracts and they are able to renegotiate after two years. It can often provide a player more value to be a UDFA than a seventh round pick if they break out because they hit free agency more quickly.

With that, let’s take a look at our rankings of the best players available as undrafted free agents coming out of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Best UDFA available post-draft