The Kansas football program had several draft hopefuls heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, but no Jayhawks were selected until Day 3 during the sixth round. Running back Devin Neal and offensive guard Bryce Cabeldue were the only KU alumni taken this year.
Perhaps the most surprising player not picked was Cobee Bryant. Some mock drafts had him projected in the fourth or fifth round, but he resorted to an undrafted free agent (UDFA) contract with the Atlanta Falcons instead. The unanimous First Team All-Big 12 cornerback expressed his frustrations online following the draft:
"Crazy if you think 26 corners better than me 💔💔💔 wild bro n [I know] I worked my a** off 💯💯," Bryant posted on Instagram.
Cobee Bryant speaks on going undrafted pic.twitter.com/HTVzhipXO2
— Not Bijan (@InBijanWeTrust) April 27, 2025
Cobee Bryant heartbroken after not being taken in NFL Draft
Bryant was clearly expecting to hear his name called at some point, as was the rest of the Jayhawk fanbase. Despite concerns about his size, it was quite shocking to see seven rounds fly by without a team taking a chance on the former Jayhawk. NFL.com analyst Chad Reuter listed Bryant as the third-best undrafted cornerback in the UDFA pool.
Nobody can fault Bryant for being emotional here. A known vocal presence, the Alabama native improved his draft stock with a strong performance at the East-West Shrine Bowl. Scouts praised his leadership and trash-talking at the event, claiming he was not afraid to back down from a challenge.
Bryant spent all four collegiate seasons at Kansas and graduated as one of the program's best defensive backs in school history. He finished with 13 interceptions (third all-time) and was named a Second Team All-America by the American Football Coaches Association in 2024.
In addition to Bryant being snubbed, projected mid-round pick Logan Brown was not drafted. While Neal and Cabeldue were the only Jayhawks to represent the school in the draft, Bryant can still prove his doubters wrong if he makes Atlanta's 53-man roster.