Analysis

Total of 24 from Big Sky remain on NFL rosters; two more earn contracts

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Northern Colorado quarterback Kyle Sloter was nearly Mr. Irrelevant.

Sloter, the rocket-armed quarterback with an atypical college journey, said Saturday that the Denver Broncos called him about 20 minutes before the end of the 2017 NFL Draft to indicate they might use the 253rd and final selection to pick the Atlanta native. Instead, the Broncos chose Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly, bringing the draft to an end with two Big Sky Conference players as draft picks.

With the completion of the 2017 Draft on Saturday afternoon, just Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp and EWU defensive end/outside linebacker Samson Ebukam had their names called. With the end of the draft, however, the phones started ringing for a collection of Big Sky players.

A total of 28 athletes who played football in the Big Sky Conference last season received calls from NFL teams by the opening of the first round of rookie mini camps the first weekend of May. The Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs hosted rookie mini-camps.

The three-day sessions the first weekend of May included all of those NFL teams’ draft picks, undrafted free agents and as many as 60 players trying out with hopes of earning a spot on their respective team’s 90-man rosters for training camps, which usually start in June. NFL teams must whittle their active rosters to 53 players by the first week of the regular season.

Below, you can find the various statuses of players from around the Big Sky, from draftees to undrafted free agents who have 90-man roster spots secured because of priority free agent contracts to the players gunning for training camp invites. Former Cal Poly edge rusher Josh Letuligasenoa earned a free agent contract out of the Packers’ rookie mini-camp as an “edge” in Green Bay’s 3-4 defense.

CLICK HERE FOR OFF-SEASON SCHEDULE FOR EVERY NFL TEAM

BIG SKY CONFERENCE NFL DRAFT SELECTIONS (click here for full story)

LOS ANGELES RAMS UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Rookie Minicamp: May 12-14

OTAs: May 23-25, May 30-31, June 1, June 5-8

Mandatory Minicamp: June 13-15

BIG SKY CONFERENCE NFL FREE AGENT SIGNEES

  • Former Montana CB JR Nelson/ by Brooks Nuanez

    Former Montana CB JR Nelson/ by Brooks Nuanez

    Sloter, an honorable mention All-Big Sky selection in his one year as a starter at UNC, signed a free agent deal with the Broncos, choosing Denver over offers from the Washington Redskins, Green Bay Packers and Oakland Raiders. The Broncos host rookie mini-camp on May 12 and 13. Denver opens its first mandatory mini-camp on June 13.

  • Montana cornerback J.R. Nelson has signed a priority free agent deal with the Kansas City Chiefs per his agent Bill Lower. Nelson participated in KC’s rookie mini-camp on May 6-8. He officially signed his contract and will be part of the 90-man roster when Chiefs’ mandatory mini-camp opens on June 13.
  • Eastern Washington wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, a three-time All-Big Sky selection, signed a free agent deal with the San Francisco 49ers. He participated in San Francisco rookie mini-camp May 5-7 along with 18 other undrafted free and 56 tryout invites. He will be on 49ers’ 90-man roster for mandatory mini-camp June 13-15. More on Bourne
  • Weber State linebacker Tre’Von Johnson, a first-team All-Big Sky selection as a senior in 2016, signed a free agent deal with the Arizona Cardinals. He will participate in rookie mini-camp on May 12-14.
  • Montana State offensive lineman J.P. Flynn, a four-time All-Big Sky selection who earned first-team honors as a senior, signed a free agent deal with the San Francisco 49ers. He participated in San Francisco rookie mini-camp May 5-7 along with 18 other undrafted free and 56 tryout invites. He will be on 49ers’ 90-man roster for mandatory mini-camp June 13-15.
  • Portland State cornerback Xavier Colemana two-time All-Big Sky selection and first-team pick as a senior, signed a free agent deal with the New York Jets. He participated in rookie mini-camp the first weekend of May and will be among 90 players who report to mandatory mini-camp on June 13.
  • Portland State offensive lineman Cam Keizur, a first-team All-Big Sky selection last season, has signed a free agent deal with the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons open rookie mini camp on May 12.
  • North Dakota offensive lineman Michael Coe,a first-team All-Big Sky selection last season, has signed a free agent deal with the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys open rookie mini camp on May 12
  • Weber State offensive lineman Calvin Steyn, a second-team All-Big Sky offensive tackle as a senior, has signed a free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks open rookie mini camp on May 12.
  • Southern Utah cornerback Josh Thornton, a second-team All-Big Sky selection as a senior, has signed as a free agent with the Lions, joining former SUU safety Miles Killebrew in Detroit. The Lions open rookie mini camp on May 12.
  • Southern Utah tight end Steven Wroblewski, an honorable mention All-Big Sky pick last fall, has signed a priority free agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals. He will participate in rookie mini-camp on May 12-14
  • UC Davis offensive tackle Christian Schneider (6-6, 305), an honorable mention All-Big Sky pick last fall, has signed a free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers. He participated in rookie mini-camp May 6-8 and will be back for mandatory mini camp on June 13.
  • Montana defensive lineman Caleb Kidder, a three-time All-Big Sky pick and a second-team selection last fall, signed a free agent contract with the Minnesota Vikings. He officially signed his contract on May 5 during Vikings’ rookie mini camp and will be part of the 90-man roster when Minnesota mandatory mini-camp opens on June 13.

BIG SKY PLAYERS WITH ROOKIE MINI-CAMP TRYOUTS

  • SUU WRs Mike Sharp (11) and Raysean Pringle both received rookie min-camp invites/by Brooks Nuanez

    SUU WRs Mike Sharp (11) and Raysean Pringle both received rookie min-camp invites/by Brooks Nuanez

    Southern Utah wide receiver Mike Sharp has received a rookie mini-camp tryout with the New Orleans Saints. The Saints open rookie mini camp on May 12.

  • Southern Utah’s Raysean Pringle received a rookie mini-camp invite from the Green Bay Packers. Pringle played wide receiver and running back at SUU. He practiced for three days as a cornerback and was signed as a free agent by the Packers after the mini-camp’s conclusion on May 7.
  • Northern Colorado defensive tackle Myles Overton, an honorable mention All-Big Sky selection as a senior, has received a rookie mini-camp tryout with the Atlanta Falcons.  The Falcons open rookie mini camp on May 12.
  • Weber State offensive lineman Cameron Young, a two-time All-Big Sky pick who started all 47 games of his career, has received a training cam invite from the Detroit Lions, according to Weber OL coach Brent Myers. The Lions open rookie mini camp on May 12.
  • Cal Poly outside linebacker Josh Letuligasenoa received an invite to rookie mini-camp by the Green Bay Packers. He made the 90-man roster and will return for mandatory mini camp in June,.
  • Eastern Washington quarterback Jordan West, EWU’s starter for most of 2015 before losing the spot to Walter Payton finalist Gage Gubrud last season, has received an invite to rookie mini-camp from the Chicago Bears. The Bears open rookie mini-camp on May 12.
  • Northern Arizona wide receiver Delshawn McClellon has been invited rookie mini-camp by the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks open rookie mini-camp on May 12.
  • Idaho State running back Jakori Ford has been invited to rookie mini-camp by the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts open rookie mini-camp on May 12.
  • Montana quarterback Brady Gustafson has been invited to rookie mini-camp by the Chicago Bears. The Bears open rookie mini-camp on May 12.

BIG SKY PLAYERS INVITED TO ROOKIE MINI CAMP THAT DID NOT EARN TRAINING CAMP INVITE

  • Former Montana State running back Chad Newell

    Former Montana State running back Chad Newell

    Montana safety Yamen Sanders has received a rookie mini-camp invite from the Oakland Raiders. Following the Raiders’ rookie mini-camp the first weekend of May, the former Arizona transfer was not among the three players signed to free agent contracts.

  • Montana State cornerback John Walker, an honorable mention All-Big Sky pick his only season at MSU after grad transferring from Colorado, received a rookie mini-camp invite from the San Francisco 49ers. He  was not among the three players the 49ers signed to free agent contracts of the 56 who tried out after the camp.
  • Montana State fullback Chad Newell, an All-Big Sky selection at running back, fullback and on special teams during his career, accepted a rookie mini-camp tryout from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was not among the players signed to a free agent contract as of Monday afternoon. UPDATED: Newell has received an invite to Seattle’s rookie mini camp beginning on Thursday.

 

 

About Colter Nuanez

Colter Nuanez is the co-founder and senior writer for Skyline Sports. After spending six years in the newspaper industry with stops at the Missoulian, the Ellensburg Daily Record and the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, the former Washington Newspaper Association Sportswriter of the Year and University of Montana Journalism School graduate ('09) has cultivated a deep passion for sports journalism during his 13-year career covering the Big Sky Conference. In August of 2014, Colter and brother Brooks merged their passions of writing and art to found Skyline Sports.

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