One of the treats of training camp each season is the emergence of the ultimate underdogs. These are the guys who signed with the team following the NFL Draft, after not being selected at all. Many of them receive little to no signing bonus and have next to zero room for error as the grueling offseason schedule wears on.
They eagerly anticipate preseason games as if they are the Super Bowl. For these players, the exhibition games represent a certain all-or-nothing proposition as to whether they will be able to continue chasing their dreams - or hanging up the cleats after getting oh so close.
There is never going to be any shame in not making it all the way to the active roster. These players represent the absolute cream of the crop in terms of athletic ability, and simply making it to an NFL training camp is an incredible accomplishment.
With all that said, it's been well documented at this point that the Cleveland Browns are not expected to be very good this season. The roster is flawed, as is any roster that compiles a 3-14 record. This very likely made Cleveland a high-priority target for undrafted free agents looking for a great opportunity to make a roster.
The Browns proved that when they had six undrafted free agents make the initial roster, then dropped cornerback Dom Jones and replaced him with a waiver claim: undrafted rookie running back Raheim Sanders. That was the second-most undrafted free agents to make a 2025 roster, behind the Minnesota Vikings.
Without further ado, here's the skinny on the six undrafted rookies who are set to debut for the Dawg Pound on September 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals:
Raheim Sanders measured in a 6'0" and 217 lbs at the Combine, where he ran a 4.46 40-yard dash. That speed coupled with a solid collegiate resume had the former South Carolina Gamecock projected to be a fifth or sixth-round pick. He ultimately signed with the Los Angeles Chargers after the NFL Draft, but he didn't crack the initial 53-man roster in L.A.
Ultimately, he finished his time at South Carolina with 581 carries, 3,111 yards, and 28 TDs. He was also a weapon in the pass game racking up 76 receptions, 771 yards, and five touchdowns. He turned in a decent preseason, posting 28 carries for 101 yards and two touchdowns, as well as five receptions for 29 yards.
The Browns were in desperate need of tailback depth due to the unresolved nature of the Quinshon Judkins situation. Currently, Sanders is the third back on the Browns' depth chart, slotting in behind Jerome Ford and Dylan Sampson.
For all the hype that fellow undrafted rookie receiver Luke Floriea received as a hometown product, it was Larvadain who was able to stay healthy and shine in the preseason. Larvadain measured in at 5'8" and 171 lbs at his Pro Day, where he turned in a solid 4.45 40-yard dash. He was an under-the-radar prospect who signed with the Browns immediately following the Draft.
His collegiate tenure was split up between three different programs. He started at FCS Southeastern Louisiana, where in two seasons he totaled 96 receptions, 1,252 yards, and seven touchdowns. His performance caught the eyes of some FBS programs, notably Miami (Ohio), where Larvadain transferred for his junior season. The rise in competition didn't seem to matter, as he racked up 42 receptions, 679 yards, and 6 TDs.
His success led him to another foray into the transfer portal, ultimately winding up in the SEC as a member of the South Carolina Gamecocks, where he was teammates with Raheim Sanders. Unfortunately for him, his usage tapered off and he posted 19 receptions, 223 yards, and a touchdown.
The Browns were clearly intrigued nonetheless, and Larvadain was the subject of rave reviews from training camp. He also performed admirably in the preseason, notching nine receptions, 94 yards, and a touchdown. Six of his nine receptions went for first downs. Additionally, he made a mark on special teams, returning 10 punts for 105 yards. Larvadain is listed as a reserve behind Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman, and Jamari Thrash on the Browns' depth chart.
Isaiah Bond is slightly different than his counterparts on this list. His reason for being an undrafted free agent was legal troubles that surfaced right before the Draft. After the legal issues were resolved, Cleveland swooped in and offered him a three-year, fully guaranteed contract - an extremely unusual agreement for any undrafted rookie.
Bond stands 5'11" and weighs 180 lbs and, at the Combine, he wowed scouts with a blazing 4.39 40-yard dash. Scouts compared him to former Top-10 pick Jaylen Waddle. Bond, however, had modest production in his collegiate career. In three seasons split between powerhouse programs Alabama and Texas, he totaled 99 receptions for 1,428 yards and five touchdowns.
There were no preseason reps to speak of, as his legal matters were not resolved until very late in the offseason. Ultimately, the Browns hope that Bond can add some home-run speed to the receiver room that featured very little in that department. Like Larvadain, he slots in as a reserve behind Jeudy, Tillman, and Thrash.
Much has been said about Adin Huntington being the kind of diamond-in-the-rough prospect that NFL franchises long for. The standout defensive tackle has every attribute teams are looking for athletically, as well as robust production at the college level. The one thing he doesn't have is prototypical height; he measured in at 6'1" and 281 lbs.
Huntington split his five-year college career among three programs, Kent State, Louisiana-Monroe, and Tulane. He totaled 139 tackles, 29 tackles-for-loss, and 15.5 sacks as a versatile defensive lineman with plus skills in every aspect of the game. He also forced seven fumbles. His preseason performance was extremely impressive, as he totaled 10 tackles, 2.5 sacks, three tackles-for-loss, and five quarterback hits in three games.
We should've taken notice when defensive line Coach Jacques Cesaire mention Huntington first among young standouts in camp. All things considered, Huntington finds himself in the defensive line rotation with Shelby Harris and Mike Hall Jr. behind starters Mason Graham and Maliek Collins.
Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (EMA) is a prospect cut from the same kind of cloth as Adin Huntington. An undersized linebacker (5'11", 227 lbs), he had great production between Oregon State and USC. As a Beaver and Trojan, EMA totaled 254 tackles, 19 tackles-for-loss, 7.0 sacks, and five interceptions.
Mascarenas-Arnold initially seemed like a long shot to make the roster, particularly with veterans Jordan Hicks, Devin Bush, Jerome Baker, Mohamoud Diabate, Winston Reid, and Nathaniel Watson ahead of him on the depth chart - fellow rookie Carson Schwesinger a second-round pick, notwithstanding.
The war of attrition took its course: Hicks retired, Bush got into legal trouble, Watson suffered a season-ending injury, and Reid himself suffered an injury and was placed on injured reserve (IR) with a designation to return. EMA took advantage of his preseason reps, logging 17 tackles and three tackles-for-loss, and earned a spot on the initial 53-man roster. Expect to see him active and engaged on special teams when Week 1 rolls around.
Last but not least is Donovan McMillon, a safety who split his four-year college career between Florida and Pittsburgh. McMillon joined the franchise and had competition to gain a role on the roster, but it was evident from the start that the Browns needed some new special-teams standouts to replace the departed D'Anthony Bell and Tony Brown II.
Enter McMillon. His scouting report reads like a prototypical special teams menace:
Good size and testing numbers but inconsistent instincts and execution. While McMillon looks the part, he’s rarely in sync with routes and the quarterback in coverage. He will need better consistency as a run stopper and tackler in the open field, too. His best chance is to make his way up from a practice squad and find a starring role on special teams.Lance Zierlein
McMillon's college career saw him total 250 tackles, three tackles-for-loss, one interception, and nine passes defensed. While he still has room to grow to become a full-time contributor, he is the kind of player that is worth an investment and evidently the Browns' brass agreed. McMillon also stood out in the preseason, racking up 11 tackles and two passes defensed.
Currently, the Browns carry five safeties. Other than McMillon, they have incumbents Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman, flanked by established veterans Rayshawn Jenkins and Damontae Kazee. The onus is on McMillon to soak up as much information as he can from these mentors, if he wants to achieve the kind of career they've had.
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