‘He’s made incredible plays’ — UDFA the rest of the NFL forgot to draft makes Kansas City Chiefs’ 53-man roster after improbable rise
This undrafted free agent linebacker has done the improbable in landing on the Kansas City Chiefs’ 53-man roster.
Every year, there’s a surprise undrafted free agent to make the Kansas City Chiefs’ 53-man roster.
Former TCU LB Cooper McDonald now holds that title this year after perhaps the unlikeliest path to the roster. According to a report from NFL Insider Jordan Schultz, McDonald has made the initial 53-man roster, making the improbable climb from a rookie minicamp tryout player.
In the closing minutes of the preseason finale against the Bears, Chiefs broadcasters Ari Wolfe and Trent Green called on sideline reporter Kimmi Chex for an update on McDonald. The undrafted rookie had recorded a ten-yard sack on Bears backup QB Tyson Bagent about halfway through the third quarter.
“Yeah, guys, No. 59, the linebacker Cooper McDonald,” Chex began. “He was one of those guys that actually was undrafted. He came into rookie minicamp. He’s one of the over 50 tryout players alone. He caught the eyes of the coach. He was signed to the (90-man) offseason roster. This is a name to pay attention to ahead of the 53-man roster cutdown on Tuesday. General Manager Brett Veach said, ‘He’s made incredible plays.’ We saw some of these stops and sacks in this preseason game, a name that Chiefs Kingdom should get very familiar with.”
Simply making it to the NFL at all is impressive, especially after bouncing around during his college career. He started with two years at Washington, landed at San Diego State for two seasons, and finished out his career with the Horned Frogs, appearing in 48 career games combined. If he were to make it to the 53-man roster after starting as a rookie minicamp tryout, it’d be an undeniable indicator that he belongs in the league.
Why should Cooper McDonald make the 53-man roster in Kansas City?
At 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, McDonald has played all three base linebacker positions (MIKE, SAM & WILL) during training camp and the preseason. Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo had the following to say about him just weeks ago in St. Joseph, Missouri.
“Coop (Cooper McDonald) was a really good find,” Spagnuolo told reporters. “If you remember, we got him in the rookie minicamp as a three-day tryout guy, and I thought in the one-on-ones against the running backs he did a nice job yesterday.”
The Chiefs’ depth behind Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill, and Leo Chenal has seemingly gotten a bit stale. While Jack Cochrane, Cole Christiansen, and Cam Jones have been trusted, the new blood of Jeff Bassa and McDonald have proven to be exactly the boost Kansas City needs. With Tranquill and Chenal slated for free agency in 2026, it makes all the sense in the world for a player like McDonald to make it after the preseason he’s had.
According to the folks at Pro Football Focus, McDonald was the Chiefs’ second-highest graded linebacker behind Leo Chenal this preseason. He was also the eighth-highest graded player in special teams coverage. In three games, he recorded 11 tackles, nine stops, two pressures, and one sack in 79 total defensive snaps. It wasn’t all sunshine and roses for the Chiefs’ rookie, as he also led the linebacker corps in missed tackles with four and allowed two receptions on two targets for 45 yards. Still, there’s a whole lot to like about what he’s accomplished on the 90-man offseason roster as a tryout player. He’s got a foundation that the Chiefs can build upon as the season progresses.
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