Matt Bryant had a long career in the NFL, but it took years before the Place Kicker made it to the premier league of American Football.

After plating in the Arena League and NFL Europe, Bryant finally made it to the NFL in 2002 with the New York Giants.  Bryant bounced around through the 2000s, playing for Frankfurt (Europe), Indianapolis, Miami, Tampa Bay, and Florida (UFL) before landing in Atlanta in 2009.  It was as a Falcon that he would have his greatest success.

Bryant plied his trade for the Falcons for ten seasons, going to the Pro Bowl in 2016, in a year where he led the NFL in Points.  He also had the highest Field Goal Percentage in 2011 and was third in two more seasons.  At the time of his retirement, Bryant was 12^th all-time in Field Goals (397).

Undrafted from Utah State in 2006, Donald Penn signed with the Minnesota Vikings but saw no action.  The Tampa Bay Buccaneers scooped him up, and he made their team in 2007,  starting 12 Games at Left Tackle.

Penn was entrenched as their starter from then until 2013, going to the Pro Bowl in 2010.  He moved on to Oakland in 2014 and had a second and third Pro Bowl as a Raider.  Penn’s career ended with a final year in Washington, and he retired with 189 Starts in 194 Games.  Not bad for an undrafted Aggie! 

Over a 12-year career, Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie had flashes of brilliance where he was twice named to the Pro Bowl.

A First Rounder from Tennessee State, DRC’s first stop was the Arizona Cardinals, where he was an All-Rookie in 2008 and Pro Bowler in 2009.  After a decent 2010 season, Rodgers-Cromartie was traded to Philadelphia, though a move to the nickel position was not a good fit for him.  

After a year in Denver (2013), where he helped the Broncos win the AFC Championship, Rodgers-Cromartie went to the Pro Bowl again in 2015 when he played for the New York Giants.  He finished his career with a year in Oakland and one in Washington, with Rodgers-Cromartie recording 30 career Interceptions.

Despite playing for a college juggernaut like Penn State, Linebacker Cameron Wake was not drafted in 2005.  He signed with the New York Giants as a Free Agent, but failed to make the team, but he continued to work out and hope for an opportunity, but it took a detour to Canada to get him to the NFL.

Wake made the B.C. Lions in 2007, and in the next two seasons, he was named the CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player in both of them.  The NFL could not ignore that, and he signed with the Miami Dolphins, who were one of several teams interested in the former Nittany Lion.

Wake was a back-up as a 27-year-old NFL rookie, but he became a regular starter on the edge the year after and was one of the top pass-rushers over the next nine seasons.  Going to five Pro Bowls, Wake was a First Team All-Pro in 2012, and he had five 10-plus Sack years, peaking with 15 in 2012.  

Age caught up to Wake, and his final season in Tennessee (2019) was sub-standard compared to what he did before, but he accumulated 100.5 Sacks, an incredible accomplishment considering when he made it to the NFL.