Official UDFA Thread

[Lurker64]

After a far and wide reaching search we've landed a punter from Osh Kosh.

Kurt Achter, P, UW Oshkosh

An exhaustive search that stretched almost 50 miles.

Edit: Ah, he's only signed on for a tryout.

[pittstang5]

Damn, Damn, Damn. Brandon Lang went to the Chargers and Linsey Witten went to the Steelers.

[steve823]

Blount is on the 49ers now. Talk about drafting a physical team..wow

[steve823]

http://hurricanesports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/shields_sam00.html

This guy seems like a decent returner and might be a gunner for us on special teams. Real quick.

[steve823]

Tim Knicky

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKSAUtKTsK8

Not against good competition ,but he looks pretty decent and might be good competition at OLB.

[Lurker64]

So the tenative list of contracts or tryouts is:

Quinn Porter, RB, Stillman
Frank Zombo, DE, CMU
Sam Shields, CB, Miami
John Russell, DL, Wake Forest
Tim Knicky, DE, Stephen F. Austin
Jeff Moturi, WR, UTEP
Kurt Achter, P, UW Oshkosh
Zeke Markshausen, WR, Northwestern
Chris Campbell, OT, Eastern Illinois
Alex Joseph, LB, Temple
Noah Shepard, QB, South Dakota
Chris Campbell, OT, Eastern Illinois
Shawn Gore, WR, Bishop University (Canada)
Mike Aguayo, OT, UTEP
E.J. Morton-Green, WR, Morgan State

You'd almost think we didn't go 11-5 last year...

[steve823]

The more the better. I'm hoping we try out CB Devin Ross too.

[Sparkey]

Packers
Quinn Porter, RB, Stillman
Frank Zombo, DE, CMU
Sam Shields, CB, Miami
John Russell, DL, Wake Forest
Tim Knicky, DE, Stephen F. Austin
Jeff Moturi, WR, UTEP
Chris Campbell, OT, Eastern Illinois
E.J. Morton-Green, WR, Morgan State (Tryout)
Zeke Markshausen, WR, Northwestern
Shawn Gore, WR, Bishop
Alex Joseph, LB, Temple
Noah Shepard, QB, SDSU
Robert Vaughn, S, UConn

[Lurker64]

I don't like his chances at Safety.

[Chubbyhubby]

A tid bit I found about CB Sam Shields from Miami



Miami (Fla.) cornerback Sam Shields is loaded with potential. After playing wide receiver for three years at Miami, he switched to cornerback.

After a shaky start to his season, Shields rounded out as a defensive back toward the end of the year. He's not great, but a very good sleeper.

That's due mostly to his size 6-foot and 190 pounds and his speed (reportedly in the 4.24 40-yard dash range). With those measurables, he would almost assuredly get drafted for his special teams ability.

Instead, his draft hopes may be up in the smoke (turn a phrase).

Shields was charged last week with possession of marijuana. It's telling he got himself caught while he's auditioning for what is likely the most important job of his life.

The Miami pro day is on Friday and Shields will have plenty of questions to answer. How he answers them may determine his NFL fate.

[swede]

Re: Robert Vaughn, new undrafted free agent safety...

When we played Man from UNCLE my brothers got to be Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin and I had to be the guy that ran away and caught a slug in the back.

I was really good at that...full sprint, throw back the head and shoulders, lose control of the legs and crumple.

But I always wished just once I could play Robert Vaughn's character.

[Chubbyhubby]

According to a tweet from Bishop's University WR Shawn Gore, he has been invited to work out for the Packers.

Saw that, he's a Canadian guy.

I found his profile page...

http://thebucampus.ca/2010/02/gaiter-profile-shawn-gore/

[pbmax]

Packers
Quinn Porter, RB, Stillman
Frank Zombo, DE, CMU
Sam Shields, CB, Miami
John Russell, DL, Wake Forest
Tim Knicky, DE, Stephen F. Austin
Jeff Moturi, WR, UTEP
Chris Campbell, OT, Eastern Illinois
E.J. Morton-Green, WR, Morgan State (Tryout)
Shawn Gore, WR, Bishop
Alex Joseph, LB, Temple
Tory Harrison, RB, Southern Miss
Noah Shepard, QB, SDSU
Robert Vaughn, S, UConn
Chastin West, WR, Fresno State


Zeke Markshausen WR from Northwestern looks unconfirmed at this point. It was an anonymous tip at Lurker's linked website.

[pbmax]

From JSOnline, Greg Bedard, Packer Blog, retrieved 4/24/10 10:39 PM CDT

SIGNINGS

* RB Quinn Porter, Stillman College (via NFLdraftbible.com - CONFIRMED)

6-0, 201, 4.48...Also returns kicks...First team all SIAC after rushing for 1,247 yards and six TDs.

* LB Alex Joseph, Temple (via Connecticut News - CONFIRMED)

6-1 1/2, 238, 4.62...Started all 13 games at MLB...Led team with 80 tackles, 49 solo. Had 5.5 TFL, one INT and one sack.

* QB Noah Shepard, South Dakota (via Argus Leader - CONFIRMED)

6-1 7/8, 223, 4.76.

From NFLdraftscout.com:

Rewrote USD's record book to finish his career as one of the top quarterbacks in school history...topped USD's all-time charts in passing touchdowns (77), passing yards (8,936) and total offense (11,133)....Senior season: started all 10 games for USD...finished season with 2,451 yards and 21 touchdowns on 188-of-297 attempts...also rushed for 500 yards and 13 touchdowns on 114 carries...led the conference with 295.1 yards of total offense per game (7th in the nation)...he was responsible for 20.4 points per game (2nd in the nation)....his 149.2 passing efficiency was second in the conference and 16th in the nation...averaged 245.1 passing yards per game, which was third in the conference and 16th in the nation...Packers scout worked him out in late March.

“It was a great feeling [to get that phone call],” Shepard said. “It means a lot of hard work paid off. I still see it as a big chip on my shoulder that I wasn’t drafted, though. I still have something to prove and I’m looking forward to getting to Green Bay.”

* OLB Frank Zombo, Central Michigan, (via Central Michigan Life - CONFIRMED)

6-3 3/4, 254, 4.75....Played defensive end...All-MAC first team for second-straight season. Had 34 tackles, six for a loss. Returned an interception for a fumble.

From Detroit News: CMU defensive end Frank Zombo (6-4, 269) had an impressive workout Wednesday, according to scouts. Zombo benched 225 pounds 23 times and ran the 40 in 4.71. He could be an outside linebacker in a 3-4 in the NFL, but he's also sparking interest as a tight end. Zombo ran routes and caught passes from LeFevour as a tight end and said afterward he's gotten some interest from NFL teams about playing tight end in the NFL.

* DE John Russell, Wake Forest (via his Twitter - CONFIRMED)

6-2 7/8, 278, 4.90...Played DT....Russell fifth on the Wake Forest team with 46 tackles. Led the team and ranks ninth in the ACC in sacks with 4.5. Russell had a season-high nine tackles at Georgia Tech on Nov. 7....From NFL.com: DL John Russell (6-2 7/8, 278) ran the 40-yard dash in 4.90 and 4.94 seconds, had a 26-inch vertical jump, an 8-9 broad jump, a 4.53 short shuttle, a 7.15-second three-cone drill and did 30 bench press repetitions at 225 pounds.

* CB/KR Sam Shields, Miami (via Sun-Sentinel)

UPDATE: Shields has not yet signed with the Packers but a source said he is expected to.

5-10 3/4, 184, 4.30....Was arrested in March and charged with misdemeanor drug possession (marijuana). Likely knocked him out of the draft....Once a WR prospect.

From Miami Herald: After spending his first three seasons at wide receiver, Sam Shields was moved to cornerback as a senior. He started 10 of 11 games, finishing fifth on the defense with 40 tackles. His best game of the regular season came at Wake Forest, where he had a career-high seven tackles, in addition to forcing and recovering a key fumble in UM's come-from-behind victory. On Tuesday, Shields had an exciting first. He returned his first career kickoff on an 84-yard reverse to open the game, the longest kickoff in UM bowl history. Before that, Kevin Williams' 45-yard return at the 1991 Cotton Bowl was the record.

* OLB Tim Knicky, Stephen F. Austin (via TV-News 8 in Austin, Tex. - CONFIRMED)

6-4 1/8, 252, 4.68....Was a DE in college, will be OLB in the pros.

From NFLdraftscout.com: One of the top defensive ends in the nation last season ... The heart and soul of the SFA defense ... Has played in 33 games, earning 28 starts during his career ... Finished his junior campaign among the nation's leaders in sacks and tackles for losses. ... Has received All-SLC recognition each of the past three seasons, and Academic All-SLC honors each of the past two years ... A 2009 Consensus Draft Report Preseason Second-Team All-America selection.

* WR Jeff Moturi, UTEP (CONFIRMED)

5-11 5/8, 183, 4.42

From UTEP: Moturi was first team All-Conference USA as a sophomore in 2007 and honorable mention All-League each of the last two years. He made a catch in 36 straight games to end his collegiate career. One of eight players in school history to amass 2,000 yards receiving, Moturi ranks rates third in UTEP annals in TD catches (26), fourth in receptions (170), tied for fourth in 100-yard games (10) and fifth in receiving yards (2,527).

The 6-0, 190-pound Moturi tied for fourth nationally in touchdown receptions with 13 in 2007. He tied the school record by making a touchdown catch in 10 consecutive games that year. The Irving, Texas native had another big season in 2009, registering 53 catches for 974 yards and topping 100 yards five times in eight games versus C-USA opponents.

* OT Chris Campbell, Eastern Illinois (CONFIRMED)

6-5, 328, 5.28....From EIU: Campbell a 6-5, 328 lb., offensive tackle has generated the most buzz during the recent weeks. Selected as a late edition to play in the Texas vs. The Nation All-Star game, Campbell has opened the eyes of several NFL teams. In the latest CBS Scout Draft Tracker, Campbell is listed as the No. 18 rated prospect at offensive tackle and is projected to be taken in the sixth round. A report in Sporting News has him as a sleeper in the draft and rated as high as the No. 10 offensive tackle available. Campbell was a second team All-OVC selection as a senior starting for the first time in his EIU career. He played at Chicago’s Marshall High School. The Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks are the two teams who are reported to be interested in Campbell.

Should Campbell be selected in the NFL Draft he would become the first Panther to hear his name called since Chris Watson was selected in the 3rd round of the 1999 draft by the Denver Broncos. To this day Watson is also the highest NFL selection in the draft from EIU.

* S Robert Vaughn, UConn (via his Twitter account)

5-11 5/8, 198, 4.74...From NFLdraftscout.com: S Robert Vaughn is a little undersized for a safety, standing south of 6 feet tall and 200 pounds. He's skilled enough that a team may want to try him at cornerback as well, and like teammate Marcus Easley, he will get the chance to strut his stuff at the Texas vs. The Nation All-Star Game.

* RB Tory Harrison, Southern Miss (via USM coach Larry Fedora)

5-11 1/8, 198, 4.59....Was a backup for the Eagles...From NFLdraftscout.com: RB Tory Harrison has been the Golden Eagles' unsung hero this season. With starter Damion Fletcher dealing with nagging injuries, Harrison has been a more than capable backup with 626 yards on 95 carries (6.6-yard average) and nine touchdowns.

TRYOUTS

* WR Shawn Gore, Bishop University (Canada)
* OT Mike Aguayo, OT, UTEP (6-3 3/4, 303, 5.38)
* WR E.J. Morton-Green, Morgan State, 6-3 1/8, 208, 4.47 (Baltimore Sun)

[Carolina_Packer]

So, if Sam Shields can get his name cleared, he might have a chance. He was a three year WR in college, so he has some ball skills, and with that listed speed, might have a chance in the return game, depending on how elusive he is.