Warren Moon, Kurt Warner, others share how undrafted players can find NFL success

Coming out of the 49ers’ 32-19 season-opening victory over the New York Jets, the player of the game wasn’t any of San Francisco’s well-known stars. Instead, that honor went to Jordan Mason, unknown to the casual NFL fan prior to that Monday night. 

With superstar running back Christian McCaffrey inactive due to injury, Mason made his first NFL start in prime time — and stole the show. The third-year pro registered 28 carries for 147 yards (5.3 yards per carry) and a touchdown, the centerpiece of a rushing attack that overwhelmed the Jets. The last time Mason had that many carries or rushing yards in a single game? A 2016 high school contest.

And here’s the distinguishing factor about Mason: He’s a former undrafted free agent. 

Signed by the 49ers after the 2022 draft, the former Georgia Tech standout has been a mainstay as a core special teamer, missing only one game since joining the franchise. 

“He came in pretty mature,” left tackle Trent Williams said of Mason after the season opener. “Even being the third or fourth back, he was always ready. … He earned everybody’s respect.”  

Tom Brady’s 3 Stars of Week 1: Micah Parsons, Jordan Mason and Baker Mayfield

Mason is just one of the many undrafted players who will shape the 2024 season. Undrafted free agents represent a significant share of the player population — roughly a third each season — but they get the shortest end of the stick in a league with short careers and few guarantees. While their paths of perseverance and overcoming adversity are generally understood, the specifics of their stories can often go overlooked. 

FOX Sports spoke with several former undrafted free agents, both current players and retired legends, about their experiences with the UDFA label — and their appreciation for it.

‘They were wondering what happened to me’ 

For Warren Moon, undrafted status brought obscurity early in his professional career.

The Pro Football Hall of Famer’s journey is well-documented…

Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/warren-moon-kurt-warner-others-share-how-undrafted-players-can-find-nfl-success

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Publish date : 2024-09-25 11:57:05

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