With the 2024-2025 college football season ending, the 2025 NFL draft process is on the horizon. Over the past several years, UConn has sent players to the pros, and this year is no different. After an impressive 9-4 campaign and winning the 2024 Wasabi Fenway Bowl, 13 Huskies declared for this season’s NFL draft.
Jordan Wright:
The Huskies acquired Jordan Wright over the 2024 off-season, and he impacted UConn’s defense. The senior racked up 46 total tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery. In his time with Kansas State University from 2022-2023, the defensive back struggled to get playing time. The Tennessee Native performed in six matches, combining for eight total tackles between 2022 and 2023 seasons. Compared to the 2024-2025 campaign, Wright participated in every contest and made game-changing plays. For example, in this season’s , Wright scooped up a goal line fumble and returned it for a 96-yard touchdown to secure the victory. The transfer put on a breakout year performance that draft stock.
Malik Dixon-Williams:
Unlike Wright, Malik Dixon-Williams spent all four years with the Huskies. The defensive back racked up 255 tackles, two forced fumbles and seven interceptions for 68 yards. In 2024, the Orlando native had a career-high of three interceptions for a combined total of 31 yards. The senior suffered a broken hand prior to the beginning of this , forcing him to miss the first two contests, per The Hartford Courant. Dixon-Williams returned in week three against Duke and led the defense for the rest of the season. The safety is currently projected to get picked up in the late rounds, according to NFL spin zone.
TJ Sheffield:
TJ Sheffield transferred from Purdue to Connecticut over the 2024 offseason. The wide receiver hauled in 54 throws, averaging about nine and a half yards for a total of 505 yards and three touchdowns. Receiving was not the only job for the senior, as he gained 241 yards off punt returns.
Brett Buckman:
UConn picked up Brett Buckman from Delaware after the 2022 season, adding more depth to the 2023 offense. The wideout caught 46 passes for a career-high 488 yards and two touchdowns. Fast forward to 2024, the senior’s production declined, as he only appeared in four matches. The senior snagged a combined total of seven balls for 91 yards.
Jayden McDonald:
Jayden McDonald became a Husky in 2024 after spending four years with Troy. The linebacker put on a stellar performance and led Connecticut in total tackles this year. McDonald took down 125 opponents, sacked the quarterback three and a half times and snatched one interception. The redshirt senior nearly broke the UConn FBS school record against UMass after posting 20 tackles, but came up one short. The star defender earned a spot on the 2024 G5 Second Team Defense with these stats.
Tui Faumuina-Brown:
Tui Faumuina-Brown stayed with the Huskies all four years. The linebacker increased his numbers each season, and 2024 was no different. The senior put on a career-high showing with 91 total tackles, four and a half sacks, one forced fumble and even an interception. By the end of the season, Faumuina-Brown achieved All-New England status.
Christopher Fortin:
Christopher Fortin joined Connecticut in 2021 and only participated in six games. The offensive lineman saw an increase in playing time over the next three years. Fortin participated in all 13 matches in the 2024 campaign and added one tackle to his resumé.
Valentin Senn:
Before coming to UConn, Valentin Senn started at Colorado as a second-team offensive tackle in 2020. Heading into 2021, like Fortin, he barely saw action on the field, with only three competitions recorded. The script flipped starting in 2022, as Senn took the starting role and participated in every contest. Prior to the 2024 season, the senior sat on the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 watchlist.
Chase Lundt:
Unlike Fortin and Senn, Chase Lundt got put into the lineup right away in 2021 after redshirting in 2019. Within four years, the senior engaged in all but one game. On the brink of the 2024 season, the offensive lineman was named to the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl and 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 watch lists. By the end of the year, Lundt received 2024 All-New England, 2024 G5 First Team All-American and got invited to the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Jack Barton:
Jack Barton joined the program in 2024 after spending two seasons with Furman. The senior provided more depth in the defensive lineman position as he participated in nine games. Barton racked up 24 total tackles, a sack and one fumble recovery. The defensive player earned an invite to the 2025 FBS All-Americans Tropical Bowl after a solid college career.
Dal’Mont Gourdine:
Dal’Mont Gourdine committed to the Huskies in 2019 but became a redshirt. Each season, the senior put up double-digit tackles. This past season, the defensive lineman took down 27 players and got to the quarterback once.
Jelani Stafford:
Jelani Stafford came over from Youngstown in 2022 after struggling to get playing time. The senior made a jump at UConn in 2022 and never looked back. The defensive lineman totaled 39 tackles in the 2024 season and performed in all 13 matchups. With the season on the horizon, Stafford was listed as a player to watch for the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl 1000.
Jayden Simon:
Connecticut acquired Jayden Simon over the 2024 offseason with one season of eligibility left. The defensive lineman jumped from Colorado in 2021 to Tulsa in 2022 and 2023 to becoming a Husky. The senior made an appearance in nine clashes and made 23 combined tackles for UConn.