Although they weren’t selected in this weekend’s NFL Draft, the football careers of five 2011-12 Massachusetts players are not quite over.
Emil Igwenagu (Philadelphia), Julian Talley (Giants), Tyler Holmes (Chicago), Josh Samuda (Miami) and Travis Tripucka (Rams) signed as NFL undrafted free agents at the Draft’s conclusion on Saturday.
Igwenagu, a tight end/fullback, was expected to be drafted but ultimately didn’t get the call. He was rated as high as No. 7 on ESPN’s Mel Kiper’s Big Board of best available players and eventually signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. He had 38 catches for 357 yards and two touchdowns during his senior year.
Talley, a wide receiver, follows in the footsteps of former Minuteman Victor Cruz, who also signed an undrafted free agent deal with the New York Giants before exploding last season, setting a single-season Giants receiving record and helping them to a Super Bowl victory. Talley finished with 60 receptions, 759 yards and four touchdowns as a senior.
Linebacker Tyler Holmes also signed a deal, his with the Chicago Bears. Holmes had an exceptional UMass career, as he was named an AP All-American twice during his tenure. He concluded his senior year with a career-best 118 tackles, two sacks and one interception.
Samuda, a 6-foot-3, 312-pound offensive lineman, and Tripucka, a long snapper, rounded out those signing NFL deals with the Miami Dolphins and the St. Louis Rams, respectively.
Stephen Hewitt can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @MDC_Hewitt.