Recent SEC undrafted free agents who excelled in the NFL
The SEC produces more NFL draft picks than any conference in the country. Last year alone, the SEC sent 54 players to The League through the draft. It was the ninth consecutive season that the SEC led the nation in producing draft picks.
Because the SEC has so much talent, over the past decade or so, there have been several former players who weren’t drafted but still had outstanding NFL careers.
Here are a handful:
1. RB Arian Foster, Tennessee
Not taken in the 2009 draft, Foster could be considered a late bloomer. In four years with the Vols, Foster had only one season in which he rushed for more than 1,000 yards.
As a senior in 2008, Foster ran for just 570 yards and one touchdown.
Signed by the Houston Texans, Foster became a go-to player. In six seasons he made the Pro Bowl four times. He helped the Texans become relevant in the AFC and holds just about every rushing record in the franchises short history since 2002.
He led the NFL in rushing in 2010 with 1,616 yards and has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in four seasons.
2. OT Jason Peters, Arkansas
Go back a few years to 2004, that’s when the Razorbacks’ tight end was displaying an ability to block on the edge but didn’t have a lot catches.
He had this one, though.
He came to Arkansas as a defensive lineman before moving to offense. That’s where he would become a staple in the NFL.
Undrafted in 2004, Peters signed with the Buffalo Bills and soon began an All-Pro career. He has been named to the Pro Bowl eight times, including the past three with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The highest accolade Peters achieved at Arkansas was second-team All-SEC in his senior year.
3. LB Chris Clemons, Georgia
Clemons left Georgia after his junior year in 2002 despite starting just 15 games in his career. He was undrafted but eventually signed with the Washington Redskins and played in six games as a rookie in 2004.
He has continued to develop and became a full-time starter at defensive end in 2010 with Seattle.
Clemons had a career-high 11.5 sacks in 2012 and helped the Seahawks win a Super Bowl in 2013, recording a sack against Denver. He spent the past two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
4. LB Dannell Ellerbe, Georgia
Not one of the most highly-touted players coming out of college, Ellerbe went undrafted in 2009.
He played in 43 games at Georgia, totaling just 33 tackles as a senior. Not exactly numbers that would garner NFL attention. But that hasn’t stopped him.
In seven seasons in the NFL he’s made a name for himself. He signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Ravens and won a Super Bowl in 2012. He made six tackles in the 34-31 Super Bowl victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
The following year he started 15 games with the Miami Dolphins before being traded to the New Orleans Saints.
5. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Ole Miss
Starting his college career at Indiana, Green-Ellis transferred to Ole Miss and became the second running back in school history to record back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
Still, it wasn’t enough to lure NFL teams and after going undrafted in 2008 he signed with the New England Patriots. During his five-year career, which included three with the Patriots and two with the Cincinnati Bengals, Green-Ellis rushed for 3,914 yards and 42 touchdowns.