Many UConn Football alums received phone calls this weekend as they begin their new chapter: the NFL.
The first Husky off the board was All-American wide receiver Skyler Bell, who was drafted by the Buffalo Bills with the 125th pick. The pick was raved by Carolina Panthers legendary receiver Steve Smith Sr., who said the Bills drafted his favorite receiver in the draft.
“Skyler Bell is a serious playmaker that can make an immediate impact in Buffalo,” he tweeted on Saturday.
The Athletic Football Show’s Dave Helman called Bell a “Ja’Marr Chase lite” in early April. Bell ranked second in the country in receiving yards with 1,278 during the 2025 season. He was also tied for third with 13 touchdown receptions and fourth with 101 receptions. Those stats helped Bell become a finalist for the Fred Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s top receiver.
Former UConn tight end Justin Joly, who ended up transferring to N.C. State, was picked in the fifth round with the 152nd pick by the Denver Broncos. Joly was named to the All-ACC first team after leading the Wolfpack with 49 receptions and seven touchdowns in 2025. He had nearly 2,000 receiving yards throughout his career and 15 total touchdowns.
“Joly is a good-sized athlete who can drop his weight at the top of routes and uncover with foot quicks and savvy,” The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote.
Those were the only two Huskies to be drafted, but others received phone calls after the draft.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, quarterback Joe Fagnano will attend the Baltimore Ravens’ rookie minicamp. This comes after one of the most decorated quarterback careers in the program. The former Maine Black Bear was terrific in the Huskies’ 2024 season, leading the team to its first bowl win since 2009 with a 27-14 win over North Carolina in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl. He was named the offensive MVP of that game.
His best season was his last, as he had fans giving Fagnano Heisman-level praise as he passed for 3,448 yards and 28 touchdowns while only throwing one interception.
“Fagnano is a fundamentally sound passer with fluid release velocity, although he will need to prove he can fit the ball into tighter windows at the next level,” Brugler wrote. “He offers reserve potential for an NFL depth chart.
Wide receiver Keelan Marion, who started his career at UConn before stops at BYU and Miami (Fla.), signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Atlanta Falcons. He finished his career with 1,871 receiving yards on 133 catches and nine touchdowns. However, he also showed his talents as a kickoff returner, returning for 1,174 yards and two touchdowns with most of his returns coming in his two-year stint at BYU. He had 57 receptions for 746 yards in his lone year at Miami, earning All-ACC honorable mention honors.
Edge rusher Nathan Voorhis, who started at UConn before playing at Bryant and Ball State, signed an undrafted free agent deal with the New York Jets, his favorite team growing up. In his only season at Ball State, Voorhis had 12 sacks and 17 tackles for loss which earned him a first-team All-MAC selection. In his FBS career (as Bryant is an FCS school), Voorhis finished his career with 88 total tackles (50 of which were solo tackles), 15.5 sacks and three forced fumbles (two at Ball State).
Storrs Central reported that linebacker Donovan Branch and tight end Louis Hansen would attend the Kansas City Chiefs’ rookie minicamp.
Branch played his entire career at Connecticut, finishing his career with 59 total tackles (33 of which were solo tackles), three pass deflections, five sacks and one forced fumble.
Hansen transferred to UConn from Michigan and was a trusty target for Fagnano and Nick Evers. He finished his collegiate career with 46 catches for 463 yards and four touchdowns.
According to Kohl’s Kicking Camps, kicker Chris Freeman will attend the Houston Texans’ rookie minicamp. The former Indiana Hoosier was a reliable kicker for the Huskies, going 43-for-52 on field goals in his final two seasons and a perfect 101-for-101 on extra points.
Storrs Central also reported that defensive back Devin Pringle accepted an invitation to attend the Chicago Bears’ rookie minicamp. In his lone season at UConn, the Bolingbrook, Il. native finished with 45 total tackles (29 of which were solo tackles), four pass deflections, one sack and one interception. He had a crucial interception late in the first half against Duke.
Kicker Noe Ruelas, who played for the Huskies before stopping at James Madison and UCF, earned an invitation to the Indianapolis Colts’ rookie minicamp., while also announcing on Instagram that he was invited to the Texans and Minnesota Vikings’ rookie minicamps. Ruelas, a West Hartford native, went 15-for-20 on field goals and 31-for-31 on extra points. He spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons with the Huskies before hitting the portal.
Wide receiver Cam Ross, who was at UConn from 2019 to 2023 thanks to redshirting and COVID-19 eligibility, signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Broncos. After his time in Connecticut, Ross transferred to James Madison and Virginia, where he spent one year at each stop. He finished his lengthy college career with 204 catches for 2,342 yards and 11 touchdowns.
And lastly, running back Devontae Houston, who spent his first three seasons with the Huskies before transferring to East Tennessee State, earned an invitation to the Falcons’ rookie minicamp. Houston had a promising 2022 season but was overshadowed by a crowded running back room. He finished his career with 2,405 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, with an impressive 1,008 yards and 12 touchdowns during the 2025 season.