Four UDFAs to Watch: NFCW

By Kent Lee Platte

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Continuing around the league with our Four UDFAs to Watch series, we now have a chance to concentrate on a division with arguably one of the best Wide Receivers in the league yet has four teams that have struggled to find a solid passing game.  It is fitting, then, that this year's Undrafted class would be dominated by pass catchers, with three Wide Receivers and a Tight End standing out in camp or having a solid chance to make the roster.  With a division that has been thin at those positions in recent years, it suddenly has the opportunity to be overflowing with talent that was overlooked by the league.  Without further ado, here are four Undrafted Rookie receiving options in the NFCW with a good chance to make the final roster on their respective teams.

LaRon Byrd

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The Cardinals boast one of the best receivers in the league and a likely first ballot Hall of Famer, Larry Fitzgerald.  They also spent a first round pick on Michael Floyd from Notre Dame, making their starters likely locked in.  Andre Roberts flashed some potential last year and Doucet had his moments, but behind those four there is very little depth on the Cardinals roster.  LaRon Byrd has been getting noticed in camp, both for his striking resemblance to Larry Fitzgerald and for his similar style of play.  That's not a bad player to be compared to, especially when that comparison is made by people who have played with Fitzgerald for years.  Byrd has all the measurables you want from a receiver, 6'4" 220 lbs and a 4.46 40 time, but he struggled at Miami to separate from defenders which could be a deal breaker at the professional level.  I would look at Byrd as a guy with a ton of tools and no idea how to use them.  If only there were someone on the Cardinals roster who has some experience as a Wide Receiver, both as a player and as a mentor for younger players learning the craft...

Chris Owusu

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Many Undrafted Free Agents catch on with teams because of their uncanny athleticism that was maybe too raw to get them noticed; strong play but poor character needing someone to gamble on; or were simply poorly or underutilized in their college system.  Sometimes, it's injuries or a specific type that keeps GMs away.  Chris Owusu would seem to have an easy in at 49ers camp due to his relationship with Head Coach Jim Harbaugh who coached Owusu at Stanford, but that is only a small part of why he may catch on.  Owusu is very smart as a player, and he already knows many of the nuances of Harbaugh's system having played under him before.  He has good size at 6'2" 200 lbs. and good speed, running a 4.36 and having been clocked as low as 4.28.  Those measurables alone would have had him as a hot prospect but Owusu has one of those injury histories that gives pause.  Owusu suffered three concussions in his football career.  Considering how much emphasis has been put on concussions in recent years, it is likely the sole reason Owusu went undrafted and fell right into the 49ers lap.  Though they are suddenly deep at receiver, there is a pretty strong chance Owusu finds a way to the final roster if he manages to stay healthy and projects enough confidence that he can stay that way. 

Levasier Tuinei

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The departure of Mike Williams recently likely didn't phase many Seattle fans.  It does, however, leave a surprising lack of size in the Seahawks receiving corps outside of incumbent starter Sidney Rice.  At 6'5" 213 lbs., Levasier Tuinei may just be that guy to stretch the field.  Running a 4.53, Tuinei is a one speed receiver and sometimes takes some time to get to speed, but he is a long, broad target and will present a mismatch to most NFL corners and safeties.  Many folk believe that Guard Rishaw Johnson is going to be the Seahawks best UDFA, so I'll give him an honorable mention, but I think Tuinei has the best chance to make an immediate impact.  It doesn't hurt that he has another Undrafted star in Doug Baldwin to give Tuinei some tips and help adjusting to life in the NFL.  While his stat sheet doesn't jump out at you, one number that should grab your attention while looking at Tuinei's time at Oregon was his TD numbers for 2011, 10.  That's more than 20% of his total receptions (48) for that year.  The Seahawks may be unsettled at Quarterback, but whoever is throwing passes this year may have two huge red zone options instead of just the one. 

DeAngelo Peterson

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When the Rams selected Lance Kendricks in the second round of the 2011 draft, Rams fans felt secure that they had a nice outlet for Sam Bradford to help him feel comfortable in their passing attack.  It seemed they had reason to as well, when Kendricks got better in each of the first few games of the season.  The rest of the year was disappointing, however, as was the Rams passing in general.  With a new Head Coach known for utilizing Tight Ends in the passing game, the Rams thick roster of Tight Ends suddenly seems wafer thin since most of them are primarily blockers.  There was very little to set DeAngelo Peterson apart from his peers in college.  Much of that had to do with scheme, however, as he played for a LSU squad that favored the running game first and the passing game somewhere near the bottom of their priorities on offense.  He is an intriguing prospect, however, as he was a receiver in college and runs a respectable 4.65 40 time.  If he is able to translate his physical tools onto the NFL field, he has a very good chance of being a part of the final 53.  He may get some help from his peers, however, since the top contenders are Michael Hoomanawanui and Brody Eldridge, one of whom hasn't remained healthy and the other a FB/TE hybrid with little likelihood to be utilized in Fisher's offense. 

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