A handful of undrafted rookies are already forcing their names into the conversation after the first week of NFL training camps, and a few of them are making real noise.
In Kansas City, offensive tackle Kahlil Benson has quickly gone from afterthought to one of the more interesting camp stories. Benson, a 6-foot-6, 321-pound lineman and national champion with plenty of experience, slipped through the draft in April before landing with the Chiefs on a successful rookie tryout in early May.
That didn’t stop him from turning heads once camp opened. “I think Kahlil is doing a great job,” teammate and left tackle Josh Simmons told reporters, per NFL.com.
All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones also said he has “nothing but respect” for Benson. For a player who arrived with little fanfare, he’s making the most of every rep and putting himself on track for a starting role right away.
The Chargers, meanwhile, have found two undrafted cornerbacks worth watching in Avery Smith and Rodney Shelley. Smith, a 5-10, 196-pound Toledo product, fits into a growing line of Rockets defensive backs finding their way to the league.
Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro corner Quinyon Mitchell has already set the standard, while safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and corner Andre Fuller entered the NFL as 2026 draft picks. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh recently pointed to Smith and Shelley’s growth, saying, “You can really see the progress with those young corners.”
ESPN’s Kris Rhim echoed that momentum in his notes from the fifth day of camp, writing that Smith - who led FBS in pass breakups with 25 over the past two seasons - “had one of his strongest days” with a deflection and interception, while Shelley, listed at 5-11 and 180 pounds, had “multiple pass breakups and was consistently in good position in coverage.”
Cleveland wideout Kole Wilson is another small but intriguing name pushing for a roster spot. At 5-7 and 177 pounds, Wilson has to win with quickness and burst, and that’s exactly what has stood out early.
He first caught attention during June’s mandatory minicamp with a deep reception in 7-on-7 work, and on Wednesday he added a strong catch in traffic on an intermediate route. The Browns used first- and second-round picks on KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston in the 2026 draft, so Wilson still has work to do if he wants to make the 53-man roster.
But he’s given the staff something to think about.
Green Bay’s J. Michael Sturdivant has also been making his case.
He never matched his redshirt freshman production over the final three years of college, but that hasn’t stopped him from stacking good days in camp. On Tuesday, he won a 1-on-1 rep against corner Keisean Nixon and continued a strong run as he competes for a possible WR4 role.
ESPN’s Ben Solak called Sturdivant, listed at 6-2 and 207 pounds, a player “who looks like a keeper” while he battles Savion Williams, Bo Melton and Skyy Moore for a spot on the active roster. Sturdivant has also worked as a gunner on special teams, which only adds to his value.
“The Packers' wideout depth is as thin as I can remember,” Solak noted.
In New England, linebacker Khalil Jacobs is making a push for a backup job behind entrenched starters Christian Elliss and Robert Spillane. Jacobs posted 47 tackles, including five for loss, and three sacks at Missouri in 2025, and he’s now trying to carve out a role in the Patriots’ linebacker room.
The Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed recently slotted Jacobs, who measures 6-1 and 227 pounds, as a third-stringer, but also wrote that veteran K.J. Britt, who signed for the veteran minimum in free agency, “needs to fend [him] off...for the fourth linebacker spot.”
In Other News...
Chargers Suddenly Have A Shot At A Trade They Rarely Make
The Chargers are only into the second week of 2026 training camp, but there is already a familiar front-office question hovering over the roster: whether a looming need on defense might push the team into a type of move it rarely makes. New coordinator Chris O'Leary is installing a system built off the previous scheme, which helps with continuity, yet the schedule ahead looks tougher and the club is still working through contract matters with edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu.
All of that has put a spotlight on the defensive line market, where Tampa Bay's Vita Vea has emerged as a name to watch. The Chargers have the cap space and the kind of roster need that makes the fit easy to see, and while no deal has been made, they are in the conversation for a player who could reshape the middle of the defense if general manager Joe Hortiz decides to act. [Read more 🡒]
Dave Portnoy Just Turned Up The Pressure On Justin Herbert
Justin Herberts quiet training-camp moment with fiance Madison Beer was supposed to be a harmless slice of offseason life, the kind of clip that spreads because it shows a star quarterback away from the huddle and the grind. Instead, it became part of a larger conversation around the Chargers when the video went viral and pulled fresh attention toward Herbert just as the team is trying to build momentum under the usual weight of expectations.
From there, Dave Portnoy added another layer of pressure by publicly crossing the Chargers off his Super Bowl list, a reaction that quickly sent fans into debate online. The response was split, with some treating it as harmless noise and others reading it as one more reminder of how closely Herberts every move is watched, especially when the Chargers are trying to prove they can turn talent into a real postseason threat. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Suddenly Have A Left Tackle Concern Fans Can't Ignore
Rashawn Slaters return to the field has been one of the more important developments of Chargers camp, which is why any interruption around him draws immediate attention. During practice, the left tackle briefly left with an apparent issue involving his left leg, a concern that carried extra weight because it is the same leg that kept him out for the 2025 season. For a team built around keeping Justin Herbert upright, even a short scare around Slater is the kind that settles in quickly.
In his absence, the Chargers leaned on Branson Taylor at left tackle, a notable sign of how the second-year lineman has started to earn trust. Taylors reps underline both the value of building depth on the offensive line and the reality that Los Angeles needs multiple answers ready if it wants to protect Herbert through a long season. For now, the bigger story is not just who steps in, but how much the Chargers can afford to ask of the position behind Slater. [Read more 🡒]