As soon as the NFL draft ended last Saturday, the New York Jets started signing undrafted free agents. On Thursday night, they announced their list of UDFAs:
Jason Vander Laan, TE, Ferris State: A record-breaking quarterback on the Division II level. The 6-foot-4, 244-pound athlete rushed for more yards (5,993) than any quarterback in NCAA history, but some folks believe he throws like Tim Tebow. As a result, the Jets will give him a shot at tight end. Other teams wanted to do the same thing.
Robby Anderson, WR, Temple: A 6-foot-3, 190-pound receiver who led Temple with 70 receptions for 939 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He suffered from drop issues and missed the 2014 season due to academic reasons, but he reportedly ran a sub-4.4 in the 40 at his pro day. He has punt- and kick-returning experience, which increases his value. Anderson has very small hands (8 3/8 inches).
Tarow Barney, DT, Penn State: A juco transfer from Northwest Mississippi Community College, where former Jets nose tackle Damon Harrison enrolled for a semester on his circuitous journey to the NFL. Can the Jets get lucky twice? In 25 games at Penn State, Barney had only 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss.
Quenton Bundrage, WR, Iowa State: A nice-sized receiver (6-foot-1, 206) who finished with modest numbers last season -- 51 catches for 548 yards and four touchdowns. He's big, fast and physical, but he has to show he can stay healthy. He tore his ACL in 2014. The San Diego Chargers also showed interest.
Kyle Friend, C, Temple: One of only two players in Temple history to serve as a three-time captain. At his pro day, Friend did an astonishing 41 reps on the 225-pound bench press. He's squatty (6-foot-2) and has short arms, but he's strong, tough and knows how to lead.
Tom Hackett, P, Utah: One of the most decorated punters in college history. Hackett was a two-time winner of the Ray Guy Award and a first-team All-America selection, grossing 48 yards per punt last season. The concern among scouts is that, because he often uses a rugby rollout technique, he might have problems making the transition to American punting. He'll battle fellow Aussie Lachlan Edwards, a seventh-round pick, in a punting competition.
Jalin Marshall, WR, Ohio State: A five-star recruit out of high school, but he never lived up to expectations. His production wasn't great last season (36 catches for 477 yards and five touchdowns) and his speed is borderline (4.68 in the 40). He has punt-returning ability, which is his meal ticket. He finished third in the Big Ten last season with a 13.5-yard average on punt returns.
Ross Martin, PK, Duke: One of two free-agent kickers added to the roster. Martin hit 89 percent of his kicks over four seasons, including 8 of 10 from 50-plus yards. He was known for accuracy, not a long leg on kickoffs.
Helva Matungulu, DL, Western Carolina: One of the most interesting stories among the rookie class. He grew up in Kenya with a rugby background. By chance, he started playing American football only five years ago. Dude is 6-foot-5, 290 pounds with decent speed, and you can't teach that. His college stats were modest -- 19 solo tackles in 31 games -- but his skill set intrigues scouts.
Doug Middleton, S, Appalachian State: Ended his college career with a disappointing senior year (no interceptions), but he helped his stock at his pro day, running the 40 in 4.5 seconds. That's not bad for a 6-foot thumper. He also scored well in other agility tests.
Julien Obioha, DE, Texas A&M: Racked up 137 total tackles and 4.5 sacks in four seasons in College Station. He was a four-year starter, bulking up to 285 pounds to make the move inside to tackle.
Claude Pelon, DT, USC: The Jets went to the USC defensive line last year and came away with Leonard Williams, a terrific young player. Pelon isn't in the same league as Williams, obviously. The former juco transfer managed only four sacks in two seasons. He's 6-foot-4, 310 pounds, recording an impressive 33 reps on the bench press during his pro day.
Lawrence Thomas, DE, Michigan State: One of the nation's top recruits coming out of high school. There wasn't much productivity (six sacks in 31 starts), but he's athletic and versatile. The 6-foot-3, 286-pound Thomas actually started a few games at fullback early in his career. A two-way player, perhaps? One of his biggest plays was sacking Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty, now with the Jets, in the 2015 Cotton Bowl.