Demone Harris had no idea how his next steps in football were going to unfold.
Harris, a former University at Buffalo standout and a Bishop Timon-St. Jude graduate, finished his final season at UB in 2017 and trained for a professional football career. The defensive end had workouts with the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers, but he didn鈥檛 hear his name called in the 2018 NFL draft.
Harris鈥 opportunity came later, because NFL teams still wanted to sign him as an undrafted free agent.
This year鈥檚 draft begins Thursday and continues through Saturday, and UB has had 15 players drafted by NFL teams in program history but only one since 2021: The Las Vegas Raiders selected defensive end Malcolm Koonce at No. 79 of the third round in 2021.
Shaun Dolac makes a catch during the University at Buffalo football pro day on March 13 at the Murchie Family Fieldhouse.
UB could have another draft pick. An released Friday projects Bulls linebacker Shaun Dolac going to the Bills as a fifth-round selection, at No. 173.
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The Bulls also have had several players who have joined teams as undrafted free agents in the last few years, including linebacker Joe Andreessen, who joined the Bills in 2024 after a rookie minicamp tryout; Cam Lewis, who joined the Bills in 2019, Ja鈥橫arcus Ingram, who joined the Bills in 2022; and running back Jaret Patterson, who signed with the Washington Commanders in 2021 and is now with the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Harris in April 2018. One of the unsung benefits of signing with a team as an undrafted free agent, Harris said, is that a player can choose which team he wants to sign with (particularly if more than one team inquires), rather than simply join the team that drafts him.
Since then, he鈥檚 played for the Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, Atlanta Falcons and Houston Texans, and helped the Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl in 2020.
鈥淎ll you need is your foot in the door, and your football will do the talking,鈥 Harris said. 鈥淜eep being yourself. What鈥檚 gotten you this far, keep on that same path and keep growing. Keep making yourself uncomfortable.鈥
UB running backs coach Jordan Johnson signed with the Bills in 2017 as an undrafted free agent and offers advice to the area鈥檚 NFL hopefuls: Focus on being a professional as you prepare for a professional career.
University at Buffalo running backs coach Jordan Johnson, left.
鈥淏eing a professional is an everyday job,鈥 Johnson said. 鈥淣o matter whether you鈥檙e on the field training, or off the field, make sure you鈥檙e eating the right foods, make sure you鈥檙e hanging around the right people and not the wrong crowds.鈥
Johnson also encourages setting lofty goals. The Bills cut Johnson at the end of training camp, and he soon entered coaching.
鈥淢y biggest issue was that my dream was to get to the NFL, but never to play in the NFL,鈥 Johnson said. 鈥淚 got there, but I didn鈥檛 play there, so manifest the things that you want. If you want to play in the NFL, manifest that: 鈥業 want to play in the NFL.鈥 鈥
Here鈥檚 a look at some players from UB or with ties to UB and Western New York who could be taken in late rounds, or who could join teams as undrafted free agents or training-camp invitees:
UB products
Shaun Dolac, linebacker: Dolac, a West Seneca East graduate, is likely the most intriguing prospect from UB. The consensus All-American was the nation’s leading tackler (168) in 2024 and wasn’t invited to the NFL scouting combine, but ran a consensus hand-timed 40-yard dash of 4.54 seconds at UB’s pro day in March. In addition to the recent fifth-round projection, grades Dolac .
Marcus Fuqua, safety: Fuqua was a third-team All-American in 2022 and had nine interceptions and 20 passes defended in five seasons at UB, including seven interceptions in 2022. His productivity from the pass-defense angle decreased in the last two seasons, but he has been a consistent tackler (244 in five seasons) and led a young defense this season.
UB, WNY ties
Cole Snyder, Eastern Michigan/UB/Rutgers, quarterback: Snyder, a Southwestern graduate, completed his final year of college football at Eastern Michigan in 2024, throwing for 2,684 yards and 15 touchdowns on 240 of 402 passing, with nine interceptions in 12 games. Snyder threw for 5,139 yards and 31 touchdowns in 25 starts in 2022-23.
Matt Jaworski, Fordham, defensive end: Jaworski is a St. Francis graduate who was the Patriot League defensive player of the year in 2024 and an Associated Press Football Championship Subdivision honorable mention All-America pick. He has a nose for getting to the passer, as evidenced by his 34 quarterback hurries and four pass breakups in 2024.
