Three former players from the Massachusetts football team were reached out to by teams in the National Football League Saturday evening. Jakobie Keeney-James and Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams both signed undrafted free agent contracts, while Dominick Mazzoti was given a rookie minicamp invitation.
Jakobie Keeney-James | Undrafted free agent | Detroit Lions
Keeney-James was UMass’ leading receiver in 2024, now taking his talents to the NFL after shining at his pro day workout.
After five seasons at Eastern Washington, Keeney-James played his graduate season with the Minutemen, where he finished with team-highs in receiving yards (839), receiving touchdowns (6) and receptions (50). In his 37 games with the Eagles, the wide receiver tallied 825 yards receiving on 61 catches and four touchdowns.
Keeney-James showcased his ability to be a deep threat in 2024, averaging 16.78 yards per catch and 69.92 receiving yards per game. This included a 75-yard touchdown in a 101-yard game against the Georgia Bulldogs and a season-high 150 yards against Miami (OH) on four receptions.
The Redlands, CA native put on a show at UMass’ pro day earlier in the spring, gaining the attention of the Lions in the process. Detroit had a representative in attendance in Amherst when Keeney-James ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash, along with a 4.07-second shuttle, 6.88-second three-cone, 40.5-inch vertical jump and 17 reps on the bench press.
Currently, the Lions have 11 wide receivers on the roster, a number that will no doubt be trimmed down prior to the beginning of the regular season. Last season, Detroit only kept four receivers on the 53-man roster. Keeney-James will have an opportunity to earn himself one of those spots depending on how OTAs and Training Camp play out.
Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams | Undrafted free agent | Carolina Panthers
Lynch-Adams played his 2024 season with the Michigan State Spartans, after three years with UMass from 2021-2023.
The Warren, OH native still currently holds the Minutemen’s FBS record of 1,157 rushing yards, which he broke in 2023, pairing that with 12 touchdowns on the ground and 118 yards through the air that year.
After transferring to Michigan State, Lynch-Adams found himself with a smaller role in 2024, sharing a backfield with Nate Carter, who also signed as a UDFA in the NFL on Saturday. Lynch-Adams was still the Spartans’ leading rusher, finishing with 649 yards and two touchdowns.
Lynch-Adams ran a 4.60-second 40-yard dash at Michigan State’s pro day, adding on a 4.55-second shuttle, 32-inch vertical jump and 17 reps on the bench press.
With seven running backs currently on the roster, the Panthers will be looking for Lynch-Adams to set himself apart during the offseason to earn himself a spot for the regular season. Carolina only kept three running backs on the 53-man roster in 2024.
Dominick Mazzoti | Rookie minicamp invite | Chicago Bears
After four years with the San Jose State Spartans, Mazzoti transferred to UMass, where he played in 10 games in 2024.
In those 10 games, Mazzoti tallied 183 receiving yards and one touchdown with 18 receptions. The Pleasanton, CA native added 747 yards on 57 receptions and five touchdowns with San Jose State in 34 games.
Mazzoti ran a 4.80-second 40-yard dash at his pro day workout, along with a 4.45-second shuttle, 7.13-second three-cone, 31-inch vertical jump and 16 reps on the bench press.
Chicago has five tight ends currently signed, with only three making the cut for the 53-man roster in 2024 to start the regular season. Mazzoti has an opportunity to showcase what he has to offer coming up in the next few weeks, hoping to extend his stay in the Windy City.
There were no Minutemen who signed with or got a minicamp invite from an NFL team in 2024, making these three players the first former Minutemen to gain interest from the league since Ellis Merriweather signed with the New Orleans Saints in 2023.
Mike Maynard can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter/X @mikecmaynard.
