Four Kentucky Football Stars Join NFL as Undrafted Free Agents Following 2025 NFL Draft

The 2025 NFL Draft has officially concluded with two former Kentucky football players, Maxwell Hairston and Deone Walker, both hearing their names called, both by the Buffalo Bills.

Despite that, four former Wildcats, left tackle Marques Cox, defensive back Zion Childress, center Eli Cox and linebacker Jamon “Pop” Dumas-Johnson, all signed UDFA deals with NFL franchises that will ensure they have another shot at keeping their football careers alive.

Looking first at Marques Cox, the big man out of Peoria, Illinois, signed with the Denver Broncos along with a plethora of other names, including Georgia tackle Xavier Truss.

Cox came to Kentucky out of Northern Illinois, then in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), and started in all 25 of his games in Lexington. In 2024, he graded 73% on the season in blocks and 99% on his assignment.

Going into the NFL Draft combine, Cox earned a prospect grade of 5.64, pegging him to be a guy to fill out a roster or practice squad, but not one expected to play significant minutes, with hopes of being drafted becoming slim.

NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein commended Cox as a seven-year veteran, but commented that his footwork and body control can be an issue at times, making him a concern at tackle, but that he also lacks the core strength to be a reliable guard in the league.

It is to be seen if Cox can make it to the Broncos’ 53-man roster, but as it stands now, he is a Denver Bronco nonetheless.

Sticking to the offensive line, Eli Cox was signed by the Houston Texans.

Cox came to UK as a freshman in-state player, committing out of West Jessamine High School in Nicholasville, just outside of Lexington.

Leaving Kentucky as a four-year starter, he started in 38 straight games to end his collegiate career and was voted a team captain twice.

At the NFL Draft combine, Cox's production score hindered his overall prospect grade, but an 86 on his athleticism score earned him the second-best figure of any center in the draft.

Cox's length and inconsistency with his hands hurt his stock as a prospect and resulted in him being undrafted, but the big man was given a chance by the Texans to show why he deserves a spot on their 53-man roster.

Up next, linebacker Dumas-Johnson signed with the Green Bay Packers, joining fellow former Wildcat Carrington Valentine in Wisconsin.

Dumas-Johnson joined Kentucky as a transfer from Georgia and immediately became a locker room leader, being named to the All-SEC third team and starting in every game he played in. He was on the watch list for Comeback Player of the Year.

“Pop” was injured during the NFL Draft combine and unable to work out, something that surely hurt his stock, but he still graded as the eighth-best overall linebacker with a strong athleticism score.

Ultimately, his inability to work at the combine and inconsistency during the 2024 season led to his name not being called during the seven-round draft, but he will still have a shot to make it on a 53-man roster with the Packers.

Finally, Childress also made headlines in the NFL, signing with the Dallas Cowboys as a UDFA.

Childress, a defensive back, came to UK out of Texas State, hailing from Houston. A two-year starter in Lexington, Childress was also a team captain in 2023-24. Across his college career, Childress amassed 12 tackles for loss along with three sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 17 pass breakups.

After not hearing his name called during the draft, Childress was quick to sign with Dallas, giving him an opportunity to earn a spot on the Cowboys’ 53-man roster. Dallas did not draft a safety during the seven-round draft.

It is also worth mentioning that UK safety Kristian Story received a mini-camp invite from the Atlanta Falcons, but has not officially signed as a UDFA.

While the reality of UDFAs is that most will not ultimately make a 53-man roster — and the chances are even lower for mini-camp invitees — for five former Cats that did not hear their names called in Green Bay over the weekend, there is still hope for an NFL career in the future.