There are 21 former BYU football players dotting NFL rosters this summer. Some of them will achieve the highest pinnacles of NFL success this year, while others won't make it through training camp. This second article in a three-part series explores the season outlook for all 21 of these former Cougs.
Rotational Players
Chris Brooks, RB, Green Bay Packers
As an undrafted rookie in 2023, Brooks made the Miami Dolphins roster and rushed for 109 rushing yards. In 2024 he joined the Green Bay Packers and has thrived in his role as a situational running back mostly on passing downs and as a key special teams contributor. In two seasons with the Packers he has 289 rushing yards, 160 receiving yards, and last year he contributed 14 special teams tackles.
Green Bay rewarded him this offseason with a 2-year, $4.85 million contract extension. Brooks is currently penciled in as the No. 2 running back for the Packers. Starter Josh Jacobs is currently facing some potentially serious legal charges, so the running back room could be in flux.
Backups/Special Teamers
Zayne Anderson, S, Miami Dolphins
Entering his sixth NFL season, the former undrafted free agent continues to make an impact on special teams as a backup safety. He is the definition of a "special teams ace". Over the last two seasons with the Packers he had 31 tackles and two fumble recoveries, with most of them on special teams.
Anderson joins the Miami Dolphins this year on a one-year free agent deal. The goal for Zayne this season is to continue his special teams excellence while also getting more snaps in the secondary. He's currently pegged as the No. 2 strong safety for Miami.
Tyler Batty, DE, Minnesota Vikings
It was surprising when Batty didn't get drafted last year, but he quickly found his way onto the Vikings 53-man roster. Despite suffering a preseason injury that cost him the first five games of the year -- something that usually results in undrafted free agents getting immediately cut -- Batty made the team and earned his way on the field.
In his rookie campaign last year he appeared in all 12 games when he was healthy enough to play. He registered 268 special teams snaps and 42 on defense, finishing his rookie campaign with 12 tackles. The hope in 2026 is he retains his special teams duties while increasing his role on defense.
Blake Freeland, OT, Indianapolis Colts
This season will be a make-or-break year for the 2023 fourth round pick. He started nine of 16 games as a rookie with some uneven results, then in 2024 he was moved to the bench and played just 23 offensive snaps and 36 on special teams over nine appearances.
Last year also felt like a make-or-break year, and Freeland unfortunately missed the entire season with an injury. As he enters the last season of his rookie contract, he needs to take a massive step forward this year if he wants to stick in the NFL long term.
Jack Kelly, OLB, New York Giants
The Giants invested a sixth round pick in Kelly in this year's draft for a reason. Given New York's depth at linebacker, it's going to be hard for the rookie to claim a lot of snaps on defense. But his combination of size, speed, and tackling, Jack is perfectly suited for special teams duty as an NFL rookie. If he can become a special teams mainstay and find a few rotational snaps on defense, that's a successful rookie season for a late-round pick.
Jakob Robinson, CB, San Francisco 49ers
After going undrafted last year then getting hurt in the preseason and missing the entire year, the 49ers still held on to Robinson. He was a bright spot in camp last year before getting hurt. Now healthy, he should be battling for a rotational spot at corner and special teams work.
Carsen Ryan, TE, Cleveland Browns
It was a major win for Carsen Ryan to get drafted late in the seventh round of this year's draft by the Cleveland Browns. As the No. 248 pick of 257 players drafted, Ryan comes to the Browns camp this year as a player the front office and coaching staff are investing in seeing him succeed. If Ryan delivers as a seventh round pick, Cleveland's brass looks like geniuses. Undrafted players don't have that "halo effect."
And Ryan could compete for snaps as a rookie. Harold Fannin, Cleveland's incumbent starting tight end, is coming off a solid rookie season last year and will start this year. However, backup tight end snaps are up for grabs behind Fannin, and Carsen Ryan could claim some of them.
Tanner Wall, S, Las Vegas Raiders
I'm calling it right now: TANNER WALL WILL MAKE THE RAIDERS 53-MAN ROSTER AS A ROOKIE!
I genuinely don't understand why the All-Big 12 First Team safety went undrafted. He's smart and instinctual. He's extremely athletic. He's fundamentally sound. He's a great teammate and awesome leader. Believe me when I say Tanner Wall is going to have a long, successful NFL career. I previously compared him to former BYU safety Daniel Sorensen and believe Wall has the potential to carve out a long, successful NFL career just as Sorensen did before him.
When Tanner Wall is on the field this season, I can't wait to declare, "I told you so!"
Zach Wilson, QB, New Orleans Saints
As we enter year six of the Zach Wilson experience, and I'm afraid at this point he may never shed the "backup" label.
The former No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft had his career derailed early by the toxic, dysfunctional New York Jets and he's never recovered. He was unable to lock down a starting gig after additional stops with the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins. He joins the Saints this year on a bare minimum 1-year, $1.2 million contract.
And New Orleans was an curious free agent destination for Zach. Last year rookie quarterback Tyler Shough played well and is the team's go-forward quarterback. New Orleans also has Spencer Rattler, a 2024 fifth round pick who started 14 games for the Saints over the last two seasons, likely ahead of Wilson on the depth chart.
As Zach Wilson enters his year-27 season, he's no longer a young quarterback with untapped potential. Now, I'm still a believer in Zach and think he could succeed with the right team, system, and coaching, but it's growing increasingly unlikely that trifecta is going to present itself anytime soon.
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