Packers Sign 12 UDFAs

With the draft in the rearview mirror, teams’ undrafted free agent contingents are surfacing. The Packers announced theirs, a 12-man class. Here is how that group stacks up:

• LB Keshawn Banks (San Diego State)
• LB Brenton Cox Jr. (Florida)
• G Chuck Filiaga (Minnesota)
• WR Malik Heath (Ole Miss)
• DL Jason Lewan (Illinois State)
• TE Camren McDonald (Florida State)
• S Christian Morgan (Baylor)
• FB Henry Pearson (Appalachian State)
• LB Jimmy Phillips Jr. (SMU)
• S Benny Sapp III (Northern Iowa)
• T Kadeem Telfort (UAB)
• WR Duece Watts (Tulane)

As was the case last year, 2023 UDFA groups will come in older than the ones in the 2010s. The NCAA’s extraordinary rule change granting players whose careers were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic an additional season of eligibility continues to impact college rosters and the NFL. While players atop the draft are mostly unaffected, late-rounders and the UDFA tier will produce plenty of mid-20-somethings.

Benny Sapp III is the son of former Chiefs, Vikings and Dolphins defensive back Benny Sapp Jr. The Division I-FCS product participated in 19 games in 2021, with the pandemic moving FCS and Division II to the spring, and finished his 2022 senior season as an All-American. A Minnesota transfer, Sapp intercepted four passes and forced two fumbles last season. Filiaga spent five seasons at Michigan before joining the Golden Gophers; he worked as Minnesota’s full-time right guard last season.

Heath also made an intraconference transfer, changing Egg Bowl sides by moving from Mississippi State to Ole Miss. The 6-foot-2, 213-pound wideout produced his best season with the Rebels, catching 60 passes for 971 yards and five touchdowns. Watts joins Heath in following a three-wideout Packers draft class. Watts caught eight touchdown passes for the Green Wave last season, averaging 19.9 yards per catch. Pearson

A Florida transfer, Telfort earned first-team All-Conference USA acclaim as the Blazers’ left tackle. Telfort blocked for UAB running back DeWayne McBride; a Vikings fifth-round pick, McBride led Division I-FBS in rushing yards per game last season. Cox totaled eight sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss for the Gators in 2021 but saw his 2022 season come to an end early due to a dismissal from the team.