Connecticut undfrafted free agents find landing spots
The 2024 NFL draft is complete. Four players with connections to Connecticut were selected.
Yale offensive lineman Kiran Amegadjie was taken in the third round by the Chicago Bears with the 75h overall pick. UConn offensive lineman Christian Haynes also went in the third round, with the 81st overall pick by the Seattle Seahawks.
On Saturday, Greenwich native Cornelius Johnson was taken in the seventh round by the Los Angeles Chargers, and former Yale captain Nick Gargiulo was selected by the Denver Broncos, also in the seventh round.
Here’s a look at where undrafted free agents have signed to pursue their NFL careers:
UConn’s Jackson Mitchell signs with Carolina Panthers:
Ridgefield’s Jackson Mitchell, who has been the face of UConn football in the Jim Mora era, has signed with the Carolina Panthers, according to the UConn football X (Twitter) account.
Mitchell’s 9.8 tackles per game was the 19th best in the FBS this past season. Mitchell had 438 career total tackles (186 solo), seven and a half sacks, three interceptions, six forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and two defensive touchdowns. He ranks third all-time in tackles for UConn.
Jackson was invited to the East-West Shrine Bowl. Mitchell had a team-leading 113 tackles (56 solo) with one sack, an interception, a fumble recovery and one forced fumble for a 50-yard touchdown last season.
Mitchell was ranked as the 28th best “off-ball linebacker” in the draft according to ESPN analyst Mel Kiper.
West Haven’s Jaden Shirden signs with Carolina Panthers:
Former St. Joseph standout Jaden Shirden has signed with the Carolina Panthers, according to the Monmouth football X (Twitter) account.
The West Haven native was one of the few FCS college football players to receive an invite
to the NFL draft combine.
A member of the 88th New Haven Register AllState Football First Team out of St. Joseph, Shirden went on to college at Monmouth where he has led the nation in regular season rushing yards in back-to-back seasons. Shirden rushed for 1,722 yards and 13 touchdowns on 206 carries as a sophomore and 1,478 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 221 carries this past fall as a junior.
Shirden was ranked the 36th best running back in the draft by ESPN analyst Mel Kiper.
E.O. Smith’s Rondell Bothroyd signs with Buffalo Bills:
Former New Haven Register 1st Team All-State defensive lineman Rondell Bothroyd signed a free agent contract with the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.
The E.O. Smith graduate and Manchester native was a honorable mention All-Big 12 selection this past fall at Oklahoma, playing in all 13 games while making 25 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one fumble recover, and a team-high eight quarterback hurries.
Bothroyd made 24.5 sacks and forced 10 fumbles in his high school career at E.O. Smith, and registered 45 tackles, 12.5 sacks and an interception as a senior.
Following graduation in 2018, Bothroyd went to Wake Forrest where he remained until he decided to transfer to Oklahoma for this past fall season.
Yale’s Mason Tipton signed by New Orleans Saints:
Yale wide receiver Mason Tipton, a key part of Ivy championships in 2022 and 2023, was signed as a priority free agent by the New Orleans Saints, according to a Yale release.
Tipton finished third all-time in career touchdown receptions (19), fifth in career receptions (132) and sixth in career receiving yards (2,067) at Yale.
He was a unanimous first team All-Ivy selection after leading the league with 10 TD receptions, which was sixth in the FCS and tied for the fourth most in school history. He was named to the New England Football Writers Association AllNew England team.
Tipton earned All-Ivy
recognition three times. In 2021, he was a second team All-Ivy selection when he led the Bulldogs with 570 receiving yards and three touchdowns and ranked seventh nationally with 21.1 yards per catch.
UConn’s Eric Watts signs with New York Jets:
UConn defensive end Eric Watts has signed as an undrafted free agent with New York Jets, according to a release from UConn.
Watts (6-foot-6, 274 pounds) started all 12 games for the Huskies this past season, making 34 total tackles (17 solo) while forcing two fumbles with a blocked kick. He had 6.5 tackles for losses, totaling 25 negative yards.
He has been a member of the UConn football team since 2019. As a junior during UConn’s 2023 season, Watts helped lead the Huskies to its first bowl game since 2015, compiling 49 tackles (19 solo) and leading the team with seven sacks and 10 tackles for a loss. He forced two fumbles and blocked two field goals that year.
Watts had attended the NFL combine where he ran a 4.67 40-yard dash, ranking tied for 11th among all defensive ends and was tied for 15th in the position at the 10-yard split drill with a time of 1.65 seconds. His vertical of 36.5 inches ranked seventh among defensive ends.
Pomperaug’s David Satkowski invited to Bears mini camp:
David Satkowski, a Stonehill offensive guard from Southbury who starred at Pomperaug High School, has accepted an invitation from the Chicago Bears to attend one of their rookie minicamps, either May 3-6 or May 10-13, according to stonehillskyhawks.com.
Satkowski was a threeyear starter on the Stonehill offensive line, moving to center last fall. A team captain, he started 30 of the 31 games, including the last 29 straight to end his career. Satkowski was a two-time AllNortheast Conference selection and was named a William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist by the National Football Foundation. The award considers both academic and athletic achievements and is often referred to as the ‘academic Heisman.’
Satkowski was a threetime All-SWC selection and CHSCA Class L AllState selection at Pomperaug.