Being an undrafted free agent is a tough gig. You have to fight your way up from the bottom, and the margin for error couldn't be any slimmer. Most fall by the wayside onto practice squads or are released from the league entirely. But a select few perform well above expectations to book their roster places.
There is a long way to go and a lot of hard work ahead, but one Carolina Panthers undrafted rookie has come from nowhere to stake a leading claim for involvement.
The Panthers are running a developmental staff under head coach Dave Canales.