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2026 NFL Draft: Dallas Cowboys sign multiple UDFAs from Texas schools

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh04/25/26griffin_mcveigh

Right as the 2026 NFL Draft ended, a frenzy began in the world of undrafted free agents. The Dallas Cowboys have already capitalized on two guys, all of whom are considered in-state products.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Cowboys will sign SMU wide receiver Jordan Hudson and TCU tight end DJ Rogers. Both of them played their college football in the Lone Star State. In the case of Hudson, he is a native of the Dallas area as well, getting to play for the hometown team. A pretty special moment for both guys, coming together after being college rivals.

Hudson actually began his career at TCU before entering the NCAA transfer portal. He flipped sides of the Iron Skillet and put together a nice run on the Hilltop. This past season saw Hudson catch 61 passes for 766 yards and six touchdowns. The first two were career highs for him but failed to match the seven TDs from 2023.

As for Rogers, he played in 13 games last year for TCU — starting in 12 of them. He was incredibly consistent for the Horned Frogs, having at least one catch in 12 games. In total, Rogers went for 319 yards and two touchdowns on 34 receptions.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Jordan Hudson

Before the NFL Draft took place, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com produced a scouting report on Hudson. His overall projection turned out to be spot on, saying there was a chance the SMU wide receiver turned into an UDFA. However, this should give Cowboys fans a good idea of who will be fighting for a roster spot in the coming months.

“Hudson’s steady production at SMU mirrors what shows up on tape. He’s built for boundary “X” receiver work, but he wasn’t often tested by quality press or sticky man coverage. He flashes the athleticism to run a more robust route tree. However, his technique needs refinement, and his lack of speed prevents him from separating at an NFL-caliber level.

“He’s above average at tracking and adjusting to 50/50 balls, but he will see a high rate of contested tries. He’s an underrated “add yards” option, as he’s shown he can slither and slam his way into extra yardage. Hudson is a consistent, competitive finisher who needs to prove he can create pro-level throwing windows to settle in as a WR4/5 option.”