Undrafted free agents (UDFA’s) are some of the most unheralded players on the roster, having to fight through impossible odds to make the team. With that being said, here are a couple of guys signed by the Kansas City Chiefs who have a legitimate shot of defying the odds and playing on Sundays.

Jake Briningstool | TE | Clemson

Ranked as the #10 overall tight end in Dane Burgler’s “The Beast“, it was a surprise to see Briningstool (6’6 241lb) go undrafted this year. The Chiefs got a value pickup here, as they continue to prepare themselves for life after Travis Kelce retires.

A 2-year starter, Briningstool primarily operated as a big slot within the Tigers’ offense, lining up there on 59.3% of his snaps. It allowed him to display both his route-running chops and elite catch radius in the receiving game. He enjoyed his best collegiate season in 2024, hauling in 49 receptions, to the tune of 530 receiving yards and 7 TDs. His efforts helped land him as the all-time leader in receptions at the TE position in Clemson’s storied program.

From a contract standpoint, Briningstool received $264,000 in guaranteed money, the most among Chiefs UDFA’s, signaling their affinity for his talent.

With Kelce and Noah Gray virtual locks at the position, Briningstool has a very realistic shot at claiming the TE3 spot, with 2024 4th-rounder Jared Wiley disappointing last year after registering just 1 catch, and making the 53-man roster come September.

Elijhah Badger | WR | Florida

A hyper athletic receiver, as attested by his 9.32 relative athletic score (RAS), the 6’1 200lb pass catcher can compete for a roster spot in a receiving corps that has faced uncertainties.

Skyy Moore has largely been a non-factor dealing with injuries, while Justyn Ross and Tyquan Thornton have been unproven commodities. Nikko Remigio would be the primary guy Badger would compete against, with the tremendous impact he had in the return game during the postseason.

As a pure receiver, though, Badger easily outclasses Remigio. With Badger’s 4.43 speed, he separates from defenders and can create huge plays. This is backed up by his yards per reception number, which at 20.7, ranked 6th amongst all college receivers. Those skill sets helped him lead the Gators with 806 receiving yards and 4 TDs.

Badger also offers value on special teams, with his experience as a kick returner. While with the Arizona Sun Devils, he led the Pac-12 in both kick return yards (578) and yards per return (28.9).

If Badger manages to make enough of a mark on special teams, there is no doubt he can crack the final roster with the talent he has as a receiver.

Esa Pole | OL | Washington State

The upside of Esa Pole (6’5 319lb) is the main factor that would drive the Chiefs to keep him from being poached by another team during roster cutdowns. Having started playing football just four years ago after transitioning from basketball, he walked onto both Chabot College at the JUCO level and Washington State, absolutely showing out at left tackle.

Pole will likely kick into guard due to the uptick in talent, and average athleticism (7.33 RAS), though general manager Brett Veach and the front office have seen enough to give him the 3rd most guaranteed money amongst this haul of UDFA’s at $254,000.

Pole’s strong suit is in pass protection, a glaring hole that the Philadelphia Eagles exposed during Super Bowl LIX. According to PFF, he posted the second-best pass blocking grade at 86.7 and didn’t allow a single sack on 498 pass blocking snaps during 2024.

Overall, Pole’s profile as a high-ceiling player will undoubtedly help his case for making the team and continuing to develop as the season progresses.

End Of My Kansas City Chiefs Rant

Managing to make any NFL roster will be an extreme challenge. Hopefully, the players highlighted here can defy the odds and earn a spot on the 53-man final roster and pursue their NFL dreams. As training camp rolls around in July and the preseason just around the corner, we’ll have to wait and see.