DG170 - Part 1

We interrupt our regularly scheduled dread gallery to bring you a different regularly scheduled dread gallery. In other words .....

I'm still planning to do two more college basketball dread galleries, but they're on hold for now because it's time for our annual DG featuring another class of NFL rookies with dreads. I try to finish this DG before the preseason gets too far underway because some of these guys aren't going to be around for long, and I want you to be able to say hello to them before it's time to say goodbye. Most of these rookies, however, will make it at least through the entire preseason, and the rookies that are 2017 draft choices most likely will make their teams' opening day rosters. Right now this year's class includes 30 players that were drafted; but I'm undecided on whether a couple of draftees have dreads or not, so that total could increase to 32.

2017 marks the 14th straight year at least one player with dreads has been picked in the 1st round of the draft - a streak that started when Larry Fitzgerald was picked #3 overall in 2004. And not just the 1st round; in all 14 years at least one player with dreads was taken in the first half of the 1st round, including at least one in the top 8 in 11 of the 14 years. Six times during those 14 years a player from a team in the SEC was the first player with dreads picked, with Vernon Hargreaves (Florida) being the most recent (2016).
This year the ACC moves into sole possession of 2nd place on that list. When the Los Angeles Chargers picked former Clemson WR Mike Williams in the 1st round on Apr. 27, he became the third player from an ACC school to be the first player with dreads taken in the draft, joining Vernon Davis (Maryland) in 2006 and Jonathan Cooper (North Carolina) in 2013 (Hopefully Williams will have a better career than those two and won't end up on the ex-dread list like those two did).

Fittingly Williams, who wore jersey #7 at Clemson, was the #7 overall pick in the draft; and he's the first player from Clemson to be the first player with dreads picked. Former Clemson WRs Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins were both picked in the 1st round recently; but Watkins was the second player with dreads picked in the 2014 draft, and Hopkins was the fourth in 2013.

After Williams was selected, three other players with dreads were picked in the 1st round. Former Ohio State S Malik Hooker was picked 15th by the Indianapolis Colts; your defending NFC champion (and Super Bowl choker) Atlanta Falcons took former UCLA DE Takkarist McKinley at #26; and with the 31st pick the San Francisco 49ers picked former Alabama LB Reuben Foster (the three along with Williams are pictured in the mosaic above). Very interestingly all four of the 1st round draftees with dreads were picked despite the fact they have injury issues; but the Chartgers, Colts, Falcons, and 49ers are convinced those issues are minor and won't prevent their guys from being the star players they expect them to be.

Alabama was the college team that had the most players with dreads drafted (big surprise, right?), with Foster being the first of three. Five schools tied for 2nd place with two players with dreads picked - Miami, Ohio State, Tennessee, UCLA, and Washington - and 17 schools had a single player with dreads taken.

Crazily enough, the two players that led off my draft preview were selected back-to-back late in the 3rd round. The Houston Texans picked former Texas RB D'Onta Foreman 89th overall, and the Seattle Seahawks took former UCF CB Shaquill Griffin with the 90th pick. Now what would be really crazy is if Foreman and Griffin's twin brothers get picked back-to-back next year. Earlier in round 3 two other players featured in my draft preview were picked - Larry Ogunjobi by the Cleveland Browns and Alvin Kamara by the New Orleans Saints - two of the 9 players with dreads picked in that round.

Joining the 30 players with dreads drafted in the training camps are 54 players with dreads who signed with teams as free agents after the draft. So the 2017 class of rookies with dreads stands at 81 (84 minus three players who have cut off their dreads since being drafted) one week into the preseason. The 81 are split almost exactly evenly between the two conferences. So in Part 2 of DG170 we'll look at the rookies with dreads on teams in the NFC. And here in Part 1 we'll feature the AFC, leading off with the AFC team with the most rookies with dreads .....

1. ..... the Houston Texans, who have five in training camp, two of whom are draft choices. The Texans understandably took a QB with their pick in the 1st round; and hopefully the player Deshaun Watson will be handing off the ball to the most over the next few seasons will be the team's 3rd round pick, RB D'Onta Foreman, shown here carrying the ball during an OTA practice in May. The Texans envision Foreman using his 233-pound body to run over defenders - the same way he did during his 2016 junior season at Texas, during which he rushed for 2,028 yards and 15 TD in only 11 games and won the Doak Walker Award.

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2. The first of two players with dreads drafted from Big 12 schools, D'Onta Foreman stretches at practice on May 31 (left photo) and does a drill under the guidance of his new position coach, Charles London, during minicamp on June 14 (right photo). I don't know if D'Onta was a Texans fan growing up; but I'll bet his family sure is glad the Texans drafted him. His alma mater, Texas City HS, is just 40 miles from NRG Stadium, so they won't have far to go to see him play.

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3. D'Onta Foreman along with the rest of the Texans running backs listen to what Charles London has to say at OTA practice on May 31, including another rookie with dreads. Wearing jersey #44 is .....

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4. ..... former Wisconsin Badger Dare Ogunbowale, who, like Foreman, is a player featured in my draft preview. It's too bad they're both on the same team. Hopefully there will be room on the roster for them both. I was mildly disappointed that he didn't get drafted; probably because he's not all that fast was the reason why. But he knows a thing or two about working his way up from the bottom, and I wouldn't be surprised at all if he's on the field on opening day.

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5. The ability to catch the ball (which this may or may not be a picture of from May 31) is definitely something Dare Ogunbowale is good at. That and his ability to elude defenders in the open field are what will give him a chance to make the team. Ogunbowale scored 15 career TD for Wisconsin. I'd be thrilled if he scored even one for the Texans.

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6. At 6-4. 225 pounds, free agent LB Dayon Pratt should have the speed needed to excel on special teams - even if he's not excelling at stopping FB Jay Prosch on this play (photo above) during an OTA practice in May. Pratt didn't play that much during his first three seasons for East Carolina before totaling 2.5 sacks and 7 TFL as a senior in 2016.






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7. The Texans have two rookie CBs with dreads, including 5th round draft pick Treston Decoud, who had 2 INT and 10 PBU during his 2016 senior season for Oregon State. The 6-2, 206-pounder is the last of 6 players with dreads drafted from the Pac-12; and one article about him I browsed through described him as one who includes a lot of trash talking as part of his game.

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8. Due to my lack of coverage of college football the last couple of seasons, I didn't realize until I started working on my draft preview that Dee Virgin had transferred from UT-Chattanooga to West Alabama. A theft charge got the 2-time All-SOCON CB dismissed from the team, so he had to go down to Division 2 to be eligible for his senior year. He's a better DB than a thief, no doubt, although if he plans on making the team, he's going to have to cover better than on this play (right photo) on June 6. 

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9. Dee Virgin goes up against someone with dreads even longer than his during this drill on May 23. Denzel Rice (#22) already has done what Virgin is hoping to do - earn an NFL job after playing college ball at an FCS school. 
By the way, I have to apologize for having so many photos with reduced dreads. This one in particular would have been awesome if Virgin and Rice had their dreads flowing at full blast. But most players have their dreads reduced at least some of the time during these offseason practices, so I don't have any choice.

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10. Malik Hooker gets the blue carpet treatment from the Colts (left photo) after flying on a private jet from his hometown of New Castle, PA (where he watched the draft) to Indianapolis the day after he was picked in the 1st round (15th overall) by the Colts; later at his media session (right photo) Hooker talks about how he wished it had been the Steelers who drafted him but that Indy is OK (just kidding; he didn't really say that). Hooker, who was a redshirt sophomore at Ohio State last season, is the first defensive player with dreads picked in this year's draft as well as the first of three Big 10 players with dreads drafted.
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11. Offseason surgery on his hip and his groin excused Hooker from participating in any of the summer practice sessions. Here he's on the field at rookie minicamp on May 13 just wandering around and watching along with Coach Pagano. In his only season as a starter at Ohio State Malik finished tied for 2nd in the FBS - and led all players with dreads - with 7 INT, three of which he returned for touchdowns.

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12. One of the perks of being a rookie with the Colts is the free visit to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Malik Hooker enjoys the view (left photo) on the rookies' trip there on May 17. A week later Hooker was at the Indianapolis Indians' baseball game to throw out the first pitch along with LB Jabaal Sheard (right photo), who signed with the Colts as a free agent during the offseason.
As a team the Colts had just 8 INT in 2016 - second fewest in the league. Obviously they drafted Hooker to help increase that number. He has been practicing on a limited basis so far in training camp but is expected to be ready to go at full speed when the season begins.

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13. Deyshawn Bond shows his stuff at rookie minicamp on May 13, going up against DT Grover Stewart, the Colts' 4th round pick, in the left photo. A 4-year starter at center in college at Cincinnati, the 6-1, 299-pound Bond signed as a free agent with his hometown team after not being drafted. The O-line hasn't exactly been a strength for the Colts lately, so the opportunity certainly is there for him to earn a spot on the team. 

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14. Mo Alie-Cox tries to figure out who to block on a special teams play during practice in rookie minicamp on May 12. As you might already know, Alie-Cox is attempting to earn a roster spot as a TE after having not played football since high school. The 6-6, 260-pounder was a key player in basketball in college at VCU; but all during his career there it was suggested he probably was going to have a better chance of playing in the NFL than the NBA.

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15. Mo Alie-Cox shows he knows what to do once the ball is in his hands. It's not going to be fun for DBs to try to tackle him. As a mentioned in my draft preview, Alie-Cox was eligible for the 2016 draft (but was not drafted), so he was able to sign as a free agent before the 2017 draft.

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16. Mo Alie-Cox pulls down a one-handed catch during practice on May 18. Mo was considered a longshot to make the team as a rookie. Unless he stood out in camp he probably was going to end up on the practice squad; but unfortunately it looks like not even that is going to happen. A leg injury (of undisclosed severity) left him unable to practice, and the Colts decided to put him on waivers. They could have then put him on injured reserve; but apparently he wasn't standing out enough, because instead they reached an injury settlement with him - meaning that he's a free agent again. Once he's healthy he can sign with anybody; and hopefully he will, because playing in the NFL, as hard as it is, is still better than playing basketball in a foreign country.

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17. You can count on one hand the number of catches made by Colts WRs with dreads other than T.Y. Hilton since he joined the team in 2012. Maybe Chris Briggs can change that this season. Technically Briggs, here making a catch at mandatory minicamp on June 13, is still a rookie even though his senior season in college was in 2015. After tearing his ACL late that season, he didn't sign with any NFL team last year. The Seahawks signed him this offseason but let him go right after their rookie minicamp before the Colts picked him up in June. He didn't have very many catches during his college career. But he's 6-5, 220 pounds, and the Colts want to see what he's got. 

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18. Chris Briggs and Malik Hooker have a good time as the Colts rookies spend the day together on June 27, including a visit to the Indianapolis Zoo. If you look closely enough, you can see that the background image Briggs is using on his phone is the same one as photo #17. With Erik Walden no longer with the Colts, Briggs will have the longest dreads on the team - but only if he makes the team, which at this point is doubtful.

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19. Five players with dreads were picked in the final round (7) of the draft, and former Minnesota CB Jalen Myrick was the first of them. The 5-11, 200-pounder, shown in both photos performing at the NFL Combine on Mar. 6, no doubt boosted his draft stock with his blazing 4.28-second 40-yard dash, which you can see on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxIUF-HEhXI

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20. With his dreads slightly less reduced than at the Combine, Jalen Myrick wastes no time signing his contract after being picked by the Jacksonville Jaguars, putting his name on the paper one day before the start of rookie minicamp on May 11.

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21.  And Myrick is on the field for workouts the next two days, doing various exercises. Hopefully Jalen is going to turn his dreads loose at some point this season. He had 5 INT with the Gophers during his college career and, with his speed, spent a little time returning kicks. Maybe he can fill that role for the Jaguars.
That hurdle that says "First Place" on it is out of place on any field the Jaguars are practicing on. They haven't finished 1st in their division since 1999, when they went 14-2 and lost the AFC title game on their home field to the wild card Titans. Hopefully Jalen will be on the team when the drought ends.

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22. The only other player with dreads in camp with the Jaguars is DT Kevin Maurice, who didn't have dreads until his senior season at Nebraska. Maurice, a 6-3, 300-pounder, was not invited to the Combine, and he didn't participate at Nebraska's pro day due to injury; so the only photo I have of him with his helmet off is this one, where he is greeted by DT Calais Campbell at OTA practice on May 26. Having Campbell take you under his wing is a very good thing, and hopefully Maurice, who was signed after a tryout at rookie minicamp, can learn a thing or two or three from the two-time All-Pro that will help him make the team.

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23. The AFC South was tied with the AFC West for 1st place with 14 rookies with dreads; but the tie was broken when Jayon Brown decided to cut his dreads off. Drafted in the 5th round by the Tennessee Titans, Brown, the 6-0, 226-pound former UCLA LB, has his dreads reduced as he stretches during his first practice at rookie minicamp on May 12 (left photo); but those dreads were gone by the time he came back for OTA practices later in the month, as you can see (right photo) as he signs autographs next to rookie DT DeAngelo Brown after practice on June 6. That left the Titans with just two rookies with dreads, DeAngelo Brown and .....

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24. ..... Denzel Johnson (left photo). I already posted photos of Johnson (from TCU pro day on Apr.7) and Brown (from Louisville pro day on Mar. 30) in my draft preview. But since their dreads were so impressive, here are a couple more. Both signed with the Titans after not being drafted.

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25. The Titans website has hundreds of photos from their offseason practices, but I couldn't find a single one where Brown is featured in a solo shot. In the right photo you can see him waiting for the snap during rookie minicamp on May 12. And on the left the 6-0, 302-pounder watches a practice rep alongside his fellow D-linemen on May 31. Brown had 22 career TFL at Louisville, including 13 last year when he was named 3rd team All-ACC.

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26. Denzel Johnson, a 6-0, 198-pound S, waits for the signal to start (left photo) then backpedals (right photo) during a routine drill for DBs at practice on May 24. Johnson had totals of 1 INT (a pick six), 14 PBU, and 4.5 TFL in his junior and senior seasons for the Horned Frogs, in both of which he earned All-Big 12 honors.

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27. It's good to see that Denzel Johnson already has a good understanding of the rules. It's not pass interference as long as you don't you don't turn or twist the receiver before the ball arrives. Hopefully he's not turning or twisting TE Phillip Supernaw during this play on May 23.
The Titans already have two safeties with dreads, Da'Norris Searcy and free agent signee Johnathan Cyprien. But with dreads like his, it'll be disappointing if Johnson doesn't make it three.

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28. The Cleveland Browns have three rookies with dreads, tied for the most in the AFC North. As mentioned in my draft preview, DT Larry Ogunjobi didn't get his dreads started until after he played in the Senior Bowl in late January. Fortunately he was drafted in the 3rd round by the Browns; so there are plenty of photos of him with his helmet off, including this one at the Combine on Mar. 5 at the start of the drill where they want to see how quickly D-linemen can get up off the ground and get moving.

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29. Larry Ogunjobi spends some time with new teammate Myles Garrett at their first practice on May 12. Garrett, of course, was the first player picked in the entire draft; and with him being a DE, he and Ogunjobi figure to be spending a lot of Sunday afternoons lined up side-by-side on the Browns' D-line in the seasons ahead. In the left photo it looks like Garrett is showing Larry a few tricks of his trade, tricks that helped him get 31 sacks in just three seasons for Texas A&M. Ogunjobi had 13 sacks and 49 TFL in his four years with UNC-Charlotte.

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30. Larry Ogunjobi shows a few of his tricks to a youngster (right photo) as the Browns' rookies conducted a camp on June 20. Actually all that's happening is that this kid is finding out exactly how strong he'll need to be if he plans on playing for the Browns one day. Two weeks earlier Ogunjobi says a few words as the rookies attend the groundbreaking of a new, artificial-turf football field at Cleveland John Marshall HS. In addition to being the first of the 9 players with dreads drafted in round 3 Ogunjobi was the first of two players with dreads drafted from CUSA and the first ever player (dreads or not) drafted from UNC-Charlotte, a program that played its first game in 2013 when he was a freshman.

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31. The notorious Gregg Williams, the Browns' new defensive coordinator, walks off with the 6-2, 305-pound Ogunjobi after OTA practice on May 24. Williams: "You know, Larry, the only problem with you is you're too nice. But don't worry; before I'm through with you you'll be a mean, nasty, bounty-collecting S.O.B., you can count on that."

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32. Tramon Williams is no longer with the Browns; but they will have a couple of chances to still have a CB with dreads on the roster this season. One of them is J.D. Harmon, whom you probably noticed standing in the background in photo #30. He hasn't had dreads very long either, getting them started sometime between Kentucky's pro day on Mar. 8 and here at rookie minicamp on May 12. The 6-0, 196-pounder had 7 career INT in 4 years at UK.

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33. An incredible eight players from the Michigan Wolverines defense were 2017 draft choices; but surprisingly Channing Stribling was not one of them. Stribling, a 6-2, 188-pound CB, fields a question during an interview (left photo) on his first day of practice on May 12 and makes the catch during OTA practice (right photo) on May 24. Channing had 4 INT and 12 PBU during his 2016 senior season to earn 2nd team All-Big 10 honors; and I'll be disappointed, but probably not as much as he'll be, if he doesn't make the team.

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For a while it looked like the Browns were going to have three chances to have a CB with dreads this season, but .....

34. Howard Wilson likes the view - of himself - either before or after his first practice with the Browns on May 12, but evidently not enough to keep his dreads for a second season. In his first season with dreads Wilson earned 1st team All-AAC honors while playing for the Houston Cougars, which convinced the Browns to draft him in the 4th round; but unless that June 26 photo on his Instagram account (link below) is some sort of an optical illusion, these dreads are long gone now.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVzZjCZg4DA/?taken-by=hwilson_6

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35. Howard Wilson (#35), Channing Stribling, and J.D. Harmon chill with a couple other DBs at the end of practice on May 12. In football one man's misfortune is another man's opportunity; and the broken kneecap Wilson suffered during practice in early June certainly will improve the chances of Stribling and Harmon to make the team.

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36. The Baltimore Ravens have three rookies with dreads, tied for the most in the AFC North. Former Alabama LB Tim Williams is very happy to be one of them. Williams is all smiles during his first weekend with the Ravens - during his media session on May 5 (left photo) and at practice on May 7 (right photo). He's happy he didn't fall any further than the 3rd round of the draft, which is where the Ravens picked him. He's happy to be the second of three players with dreads named Williams to be drafted; and he's happy to be the second of three Crimson Tide players with dreads to be drafted. But what he's the most happy about is that he no longer will have Coach Saban telling him he can't let his dreads hang out loose.

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37. A blocking dummy with arms. What will they think of next? Obviously this drill is meant for you to practice stripping the ball from the QB while you are sacking him - something that Tim Williams apparently needs to improve on, as he had only 2 FF during his 4 years with the Crimson Tide. The 6-3, 245-pound Williams was a 2nd team AP All-America last season, and his ability to rush the passer should have landed him in the 1st round of the draft. But he's one of those guys who seems destined to torpedo his own career (see link below). If he ever shapes up, he could have a great career; but he also could have a brief, suspension-filled career and nobody would be surprised.
http://gridironnow.com/alabama-linebacker-not-that-one-expected-to-fall-on-draft-weekend/

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38. Of the five WRs with dreads drafted, two have very short dreads; so it's going to be up to some undrafted free agents to step up if this year's class of rookies is going to have any WRs with sick dreads - guys like Quincy Adeboyejo. After making 7 TD catches for Mississippi as a junior in 2015, the 6-3, 197-pound speedster incredibly scored only 1 TD last season.

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39. Quincy Adeboyejo makes a sliding catch during a practice at mandatory minicamp on June 15. After not being drafted, Q had plenty of free agent offers. He said one of the reasons he chose the Ravens was that his position coach would be Bobby Engram, who coached him at the East-West Shrine Game in January. Another reason probably was opportunity. The Ravens' current roster includes only three WRs who had more than 10 catches last season (in the NFL, that is); so they're in search of a few more good men. Early reports indicate that Adeboyejo is doing well in training camp so far, so he has a real chance to be in uniform on opening day.

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40. Jaylen Hill for some reason cut off his dreads for his senior season at Jacksonville State; now it looks like he's growing them back. Hill (black t-shirt) mans his station on June 7 as the Ravens rookies serve a meal to the homeless at the Helping Up Mission in Baltimore. A 5-10, 186-pound CB, Hill came to rookie minicamp as a tryout player and impressed enough to be signed to a contract.
Next to Jaylen in the white t-shirt is WR Tim White. I don't know whether he has his hair braided or if those are reduced dreads. Until I see dreads I can't welcome him to the house yet; but I'll keep an eye out because he did have dreads for a while while he was in junior college and at Arizona State and because he - like Quincy Adeboyejo - is putting in a strong bid to make the team.

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41. Sorry, but I couldn't find any on-the-field photos of Jaylen Hill where you can see his dreads. Here Hill and Tim Williams have front row seats while listening to a speaker as the Ravens rookies and Redskins rookies have a rookie symposium together on June 16 at the Under Armour Performance Center in Baltimore. That's right, Tim, pay attention. These things are designed to try to help people like you learn how to make the right decisions off the field, so that you can have a happy, prosperous, and trouble-free career.

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42. With Western Michigan finishing the 2016 season playing in (and losing) the Cotton Bowl after going 13-0 in the regular season, their pro day on Mar. 16 drew more attention than usual. One of the attractions was DE Keion Adams, shown here running his 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds. It must have been fast enough, because .....

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43. ..... The Pittsburgh Steelers decided to spend their 7th round draft choice on him. They envision the 6-2, 245-pound Adams as a pass-rushing LB in their 3-4 defense. On his first day of practice on May 12 Keion tries to slap the blocking dummy out of the way (left photo) in a pass rush drill and watches a rep alongside his new position coach, Joey Porter, and LB T.J. Watt, the Steelers' 1st round draft pick. In his final two college seasons Adams had a total of 13 sacks and 28 TFL, including a MAC-leading 18 TFL in 2016, when he was named 2nd team All-MAC.

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44. Here are a couple more shots of Keion Adams, from rookie minicamp on May 14. He's the last of the 30 players with dreads drafted, going to the Steelers with the 248th pick (out of 253). The Steelers lost four players with dreads who were free agents this offseason, so I'm counting on Keion to make the team. But Lindy's preview magazine apparently doesn't like his chances, commenting about Adams: "Rookie will need time to develop, possibly on practice squad." Hopefully he'll prove them wrong.

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45. Just like the Browns and Ravens, the Steelers also have three rookies with dreads, tied for the most in the AFC North. In addition to Adams there are two free agents. I know they didn't sign Christian Brown to carry the ball; so I don't know what the 6-3, 295-pound DE is doing (left photo) during rookie minicamp on May 13. Under the encouragement of D-line coach John Mitchell, Brown hits the sled (right photo) during a drill at mandatory minicamp on June 15. From the same hometown (Fort Myers, FL) but not the same high school as Sammy Watkins, Brown a total of 4 sacks and 9 TFL in his final two seasons at West Virginia. Johnny Maxey made the Steelers roster last year as an undrafted rookie, so nothing's impossible.

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46. Phazahn Odom is just getting his dreads started after not having them during his 5 years at Fordham. Odom, a 6-8, 251-pound TE, warms up at practice on May 14 (left photo) and greets a guest (right photo) after the Steelers' annual rookie luncheon on May 31. A star basketball player in HS, Odom has the potential to be an outstanding pass-catching TE; but his blocking is going to need a lot of work.

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As far as I can tell, none of the 25 rookies in camp with the Cincinnati Bengals has dreads, which in this day and age is almost unbelievable.
And the number of players with dreads on the Buffalo Bills roster continues to dwindle. At least a half dozen players with dreads that were on the Bills' roster at the end of last season aren't anymore, with only one free agent signed to replace them. And as far as rookies with dreads go, none of the Bills' 19 rookies has dreads.
In fact, there are very few rookies with dreads in the entire AFC East - only 5, which are the fewest of any of the divisions.

47. The only rookie with dreads with the New York Jets is WR ArDarius Stewart, shown here on the second day of the team's rookie minicamp on May 6. If I had done an All-America with dreads team for 2016, the 5-11, 204-pound Stewart probably would have been on it. He had 54 catches for 864 yards and 8 TD for Alabama in his first season with dreads, after which the Jets picked him in the 3rd round of the draft. 

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48. Stewart was injured during rookie minicamp and had surgery on his thumb; so he missed all of the offseason practices after that; but he was able to participate in the Play 60 Character Camp the Jets held on June 19.
Stewart likens himself to former Steelers WR Hines Ward - you know, good at running after the catch, good blocker, good as a kick returner, even a good passer (he was 2 for 2 for 36 yards last season); so he may be on the field often in his rookie season.

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49. Josh Augusta, the only rookie with dreads with the New England Patriots, is interviewed as the Patriots rookies meet the media at Gillette Stadium on May 23. Augusta tells this reporter that since he has dedicated himself to refraining from eating so much pizza, he has been able to slim down a little bit.

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50. Seriously, Josh Augusta, shown here in both photos at mandatory minicamp in June, probably would have been drafted had his weight not ballooned up close to 400 pounds during his career at Missouri. Sleep apnea, a thyroid issue, and pizza were to blame. But now that he's down to 335 pounds - that's what is says on the roster listed on the Patriots' website - he has a chance to be a good D-lineman - and a steal - for the Patriots.

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51. Unless you saw him close up, you might not have known that former Oklahoma State DT Vincent Taylor had dreads while he performed at the Combine on Mar. 5. With reduced dreads on top of already short dreads, he made them very difficult to notice. Taylor was a 1st team All-Big 12 selection in his first season with dreads in 2016.

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52. That's better ..... It's a lot easier to see Vincent Taylor's dreads here as he smiles at his media session (left photo) on his first day of practice on May 5 and during a break at OTA practice on May 31 (right photo). The 6-3, 310-pounder was picked by the Dolphins in the 6th round, making him the last of the four D-linemen with dreads drafted. He totaled 22 TFL and 12 sacks during his sophomore and junior seasons for Oklahoma State, after which he declared for the draft. The Dolphins hope he'll continue to provide that kind of pressure up the middle while playing on Sundays.

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53. The Dolphins have three rookies with dreads - one more than the other three AFC East teams combined. In addition to Taylor there are two undrafted free agents, one of whom is former Michigan RB De'Veon Smith, shown here getting a mouthful of field turf while having his flexibility measured at the Combine on Mar. 3. A 5-11, 221-pounder, Smith increased his rushing totals in each of his four seasons at Michigan, including 846 yards (4.7 per carry) and 10 TD as a senior in 2016.

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54. If  De'Veon Smith makes the team, he'll find a lot of dreads other than his in the running backs meeting room. In fact, five of the six RBs on the Dolphins' preseason roster have dreads. Gathered around their position coach, Danny Barrett, at minicamp on June 13 are Jay Ajayi (barely visible, with orange headband), Damien Williams (black headband, with Ajayi's arm around his shoulder), Smith, and Senorise Perry (front right). And Kenyan Drake (not in this photo) has dreads now too.

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55. A teammate of Quincy Adeboyejo (photos 38 and 39) at Ole Miss the last two seasons, Damore'ea Stringfellow also went undrafted - which only made the chip he had on his shoulder after not being invited to the Combine (see article on link below) even bigger.
http://scout.com/college/ole-miss/Article/Rebel-wide-receiver-Damoreea-Stringfellow-had-a-chip-on-his-shou-74915132
I don't know how he's doing in practice; but making the game-winning 99-yard TD catch in the 4th quarter in his first preseason game probably won't hurt his chances.

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56. There certainly was no shortage of dreads - or in the variety of dreads - at minicamp on June 13. Damore'ea Stringfellow signs an autograph after practice, a practice at which members of both the Liberty City Warriors youth team and the Miami Northwestern (HS) Bulls were in attendance as guests of the Dolphins. Hopefully one day having Damore'ea's autograph will actually be important.

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57. A teammate (I'm not sure who, but he's definitely not a rookie) helps out Damore'ea Stringfellow and De'Veon Smith with a special teams drill at practice on June 13. Hopefully they're taking the advice to heart, because excelling on special teams is a must for undrafted rookies if they plan on being on the field on opening day.
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Moving on to the AFC West, the division that boasts the most undrafted rookies with dreads. 11 of the 14 rookies with dreads in the AFC West were not drafted, including all four in camp with the Oakland (soon to be Las Vegas?) Raiders.

58. A teammate of Quincy Adeboyejo and Damore'ea Stringfellow at Ole Miss, 6-4, 282-pound DE Fadol Brown tries to show he has what it takes during pass rushing drills at the Rebels' pro day on Apr. 3. If nothing else, you can say Brown was consistent, totaling 5.5, 4.5, and 5.5 TFL in his three seasons as a Rebel after playing his freshman season at FIU. Fadol is wearing the same #7 T-shirt he wore at the Combine; but he had his dreads reduced at the Combine, so I'm not posting any photos of him from there .....

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59. ..... But I have no choice but to include photos of Brown with reduced dreads after he signed with the Raiders, because he had them reduced in every offseason practice. These two are from workouts on May 16 (right photo) and May 18, the week before OTA practices began. Right now Brown has the second longest dreads on the Raiders defense - behind Reggie Nelson. Let's hope that's still true one month from now.

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60. In the running for the longest dreads on the Raiders offense is none other than former Arkansas WR Keon Hatcher, making a catch at OTA practice on May 25 (right photo) and running after the catch (left photo) during rookie minicamp on May 7, as special teams assistant coach Tracy Smith takes notice. Hatcher's college career included a few kickoff returns, 19 TD catches, and at least two plays on which a defender grabbed his dreads to tackle him.

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61. The Raiders have another rookie WR with dreads - 6-2, 204-pound speedster Isaac Whitney, shown making the catch during workouts (without helmets) on May 15 and at minicamp on June 13. Whitney had only 11 total catches during his two seasons for USC (after transferring from junior college) but, according to the USC-themed blog Conquest Chronicles, he "had an incredible showing at this year's USC pro day." He'll need some more incredible showings in the preseason games if he plans on wearing the silver and black this fall.

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62. The Raiders have another rookie WR with dreads. Here's 6-4, 224-pound Ishmael Zamora, in both photos stretching on his first day of practice on May 5. Zamora declared for the draft with two seasons of eligibility remaining at Baylor, but he wasn't drafted despite a fine sophomore season in which he had 63 catches for 809 yards and 8 TD in 10 games .....

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63. ..... Zamora only played 10 games because he was suspended for 3 games for some really disturbing off-field activity - and that baggage is likely the only thing that kept him from being drafted.
The Raiders have a 9-0 record the last two seasons whenever Seth Roberts makes a TD catch; but despite that, one article I read thinks the signing of Zamora will spell the end of Roberts' time with the team. We'll see.

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64. Isaac Whitney, Keon Hatcher, and Ishmael Zamora listen to words of wisdom from their position coach, Rob Moore at minicamp on June 14. "Play like me and you'll make the team," says Moore, who had 9,368 yards receiving, 49 TD catches, and two Pro Bowl appearances in his 10 NFL seasons (five with the Jets, then five with the Cardinals). Words of wisdom indeed, but they're easier said than done.
There's nothing I can do about it, but I don't like it that Zamora, Whitney and Hatcher are all on the same team. I mean, there's practically no chance all three will be on the opening day roster; whereas, if they were on different teams, they all might make it. It's too bad it has to happen like this.

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65. DT Tyrique Jarrett gets his 340 pounds moving in drills on May 13 (left photo) and June 1 (right photo) after signing as a free agent with the Denver Broncos. The Broncos may have the world's best secondary, but in 2016 they were one of only five teams that allowed more than 2,000 yards rushing. With his size, maybe Jarrett, who had 8.5 career TFL in his 4 years with the Pittsburgh Panthers, can help them improve.
Jarrett is one of three rookies with dreads with the Broncos - all defensive players and all undrafted.
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66. Former Miami Hurricanes S Jamal Carter finishes up a drill at the Combine on Mar. 6. Carter led the team in tackles in his senior season at the U, his only season as a starter. For his career he had only 2 INT and 10 PBU, but the 6-1, 218-pounder is considered to have a better than average chance to still be with the Broncos on opening day.
A few years ago the Broncos had another S with dreads named Carter - Quinton Carter, whose career was cut short by injury. Jamal's dreads aren't nearly as long right now as Quinton's were, but maybe they will be by the time his NFL career is done.

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67. And speaking of long dreads, former Ravens WR Marlon Brown is hanging out with the Broncos these days. Jamal Carter watches the 6-foot-5 Brown go up to make a catch in front of him (left photo) at OTA practice on June 5.
The Broncos may have the world's best secondary; but they're much less talented at S than at CB, so there is a real opportunity for Jamal to make the team; but let's hope he doesn't have his dreads reduced when the Broncos host the Chargers on Monday night in Week 1.

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68. As he arrives for rookie minicamp on May 11, CB Dontrell Nelson is dressed so that you have no doubt that he played his college ball in the AAC for the Memphis Tigers, where he was part of a team that had three winning seasons in a row (2014-16), the first Memphis team to do that since DeAngelo Williams was on the team (2003-05). Nelson had 5 career INT, including one pick 6, in his 4 years with the Tigers.

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69. Dontrell Nelson, a bit on the skinny side at 6-1, 170 pounds, gets beat for a reception by WR Hunter Sharp on this play (right photo) at OTA practice on June 1 and has his work cut out for him as he tries to stop elusive WR Isaiah McKenzie in the open field (left photo) on June 7. Nelson will have his work cut out for him making the team too. CB is the most talented position on the Broncos' roster.

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70. For those of you who can't get enough of reduced dreads, here's Dontrell Nelson working on his press coverage technique in a drill with CB Bradley Roby on June 7. It's a long shot the two will still be teammates on opening day. Maybe Dontrell will be able to find a home somewhere else in the league.

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71. Former Toledo RB Kareem Hunt reaches out to make a catch at the NFL Combine on Mar. 3. Hunt rushed for nearly 5,000 yards during his career with the Rockets; and in his 2016 senior season he showed he can catch too, finishing with 41 receptions for 403 yards. And that's important because .....

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72. ..... If you want to be a RB with the Kansas City Chiefs, you need to be a threat as a receiver just as much as you are when taking handoffs. The Chiefs drafted the 5-11, 216-pound Hunt in the 3rd round - the first of 2 players with dreads from the MAC drafted. The last time the Chiefs drafted a RB with dreads, he turned into one of the best players they've ever had. But if Kareem scores only as half as many of the 64 TD that Jamaal Charles scored, the Chiefs would be more than happy.
As I mentioned in my draft preview, Hunt had his hair in loose braids during most of his career in college; but as you can see in the right photo, as he meets the media at rookie minicamp on May 6, (and in photo #71), it certainly looks like he has dreads now.

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73. Is there room for two rookie RBs with dreads on the Chiefs' roster? I hope so. Here at rookie minicamp on May 8 Kareem Hunt is assisted by Devine Redding as he works on his blocking during a drill. Redding is one of four undrafted rookies with dreads with the Chiefs.

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74. Devine Redding give returning kicks a try at OTA practice on June 7, something the 5-8, 205-pounder did not do during his three seasons at Indiana. But after skipping his senior season with the Hoosiers and then being snubbed in the draft, he'll do anything to make the team. 

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75. Devine Reding tries to cool off at minicamp on June 14. If you're one of those who have followed his career, you already know that these dreads, as long as they are, aren't anywhere close to as long as they were when he was a freshman at IU. But he realized that having dreads hanging down to the bottom of the number on the back of your jersey probably isn't the wisest thing when you're getting the ball 20 times every game. With shorter dreads as a sophomore and junior, Devine scored 18 total TD and rushed for over 1,000 yards twice. Hopefully he'll be making some more house calls this season.

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76. On June 23 the Chiefs rookies tried their hands at golf on a visit to a local driving range, at which their 5th round draft, LB Ukeme Eligwe, had his hair in these beginner dreads. He has since untwisted them and gone back to normal hair; but it might be worth keeping an eye on him in the future.

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77. I'm not sure, but I don't think that CB JR Nelson had dreads at all during his 5 years at Montana, in the last two of which he was a starter. But he certainly did at Montana's pro day on Mar. 13 (left photo) and has had them since signing with the Chiefs. In the right photo the 6-2, 176-pounder signs an autograph at an event on June 9 during which the Chiefs rookies meet and greet the Chiefs' rookie season ticket holders.
Hmm. You don't see a lot of pro days with piles of snow shoved off to the side. Nelson missed half of his senior season after testing positive for marijuana after a 2015 FCS playoff game. I'm sure he's learned his lesson. The NFL.com draft profile of Nelson says that he needs to get stronger; so if he's not good enough to make the team, I'm hoping the Chiefs keep him on the practice squad.

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78. Former Auburn WR Tony Stevens makes a catch (left photo) and slaps five with TE Emanuel Byrd (right photo), who has since been released, during the Chiefs' rookie minicamp. Stevens mostly sat on the bench during his first 3 seasons at Auburn, but in his senior year the 6-4, 198-pound speedster was the leading receiver on a team that completed just 14 passes per game, finishing with 31 catches for 487 yards and 3 TD.

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79. When veteran TE Orson Charles, who no longer has dreads, signed with the Chiefs in early June, Tony Stevens gave up jersey #85 and happily moved into jersey #1. He'll be even happier if he has to change numbers again - once the regular season starts. (FYI: you probably already know, but WRs are only allowed to wear jerseys numbered in the 10's and 80's during the regular season). According to an article I saw, Stevens was a Terrell Owens fan growing up. No doubt he'd be thrilled to duplicate Owens' numbers during his 1996 rookie season - 35 catches for 520 yards and 4 TD - in his rookie season (or any season). But don't bet on it.

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80. Kareem Hunt and Tony Stevens sign autographs, with WR Marcus Kemp in between, at the rookie event on June 9 (same one as photo #77). With a big contribution from Hunt, and maybe a little one from Stevens, the Chiefs could contend for the NFL team with the most TD scored by players with dreads in 2017. I'd be disappointed if they don't. 

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81. Having just signed with the Chiefs after training camp was already underway, former Wisconsin WR Robert Wheelwright, shown here watching practice on Aug. 3, is even a longer shot than Tony Stevens to be with the team on opening day. Like Stevens, the 6-2, 202-pound Wheelwright for whatever reason just didn't live up to expectations in college. Hopefully, already being released by the N.Y. Giants after just three days (at the end of their rookie minicamp in May) has impressed on him that he's going to have to pick his game way up if he plans to play football for a living.

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82. After being impressed with his performance at Clemson pro day on Mar. 16, Steelers Coach Tomlin speaks with WR Mike Williams: "Nice job, son. We'd love to have ya, Mike; but we ain't trading up to get you. Sorry."
Having advanced to the AFC championship game last season, the Steelers had the 30th pick in the 1st round of the draft; and although it was surprising that Williams got picked as early as he did, it would have been even more surprising if he had still been available for the Steelers at #30. The Steelers already have three WRs with dreads anyway; so I'm actually glad they didn't get him.
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83. The thing is though, the Chargers didn't really need a WR either; but evidently they liked Williams so much that they took him with the 7th pick in the draft. Mike finds a helmet he likes and a chin strap that fits right on May 11, the day before his first practice. In addition to being the first player with dreads picked, he was the first of 5 players with dreads from the ACC to be drafted.

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84. Mike Williams, 6-4 and 220 pounds, takes off on a route on his first day of practice during rookie minicamp on May 12 at San Diego, where they held all of their offseason practices before moving to their new home in Costa Mesa in the southern suburbs of Los Angeles. Unfortunately for Williams it would also be his last day of practice.

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85. Hopefully some day soon Mike Williams will join Travis Benjamin (#12), Geremy Davis, and his other WR teammates in participating in practice, instead of just watching it, as he does here at mandatory minicamp on June 13 and as he has every day since his first practice. Williams is dealing with what the Chargers have been calling a mild herniated disc in his back (there's been no word on how and when he was injured) and has been held out of practice while getting treatment. They're hoping he'll get healthy enough that he won't have to undergo surgery. Hopefully this injury truly isn't all that serious, and hopefully I'm wrong; but I've got a bad feeling about this, and I think it might be 2018 before Williams plays his first game for the Chargers.

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86. The Chargers have one other rookie with dreads, and, oddly enough, he could give Mike Williams a word or two of advice about herniated discs - S Rayshawn Jenkins, shown in both photos at his first practice on May 12. Jenkins, a 6-2, 220-pounder, had to redshirt in 2014 at Miami after suffering a herniated disc during the offseason. Jenkins was a teammate of Jamal Carter (photos #66-67) at the U and don't be surprised in they bump into each other on some special teams plays this season. Jenkins had 9 INT and 15 PBU during his college career.

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87. Rayshawn Jenkins makes it official. He's a Charger - for life, he hopes - signing his contract on May 17 after being drafted by the Chargers in the 4th round, their first defensive player picked in the draft this year. After Malik Hooker, Rayshawn was the only other safety with dreads drafted.

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88. When free agent S Tre Boston signed with the Chargers and wanted to keep the #33 jersey he wore for the Panthers in his first three NFL seasons, Rayshawn Jenkins temporarily moved out of 33 and into jersey #3. Once the regular season begins, Jenkins will be wearing a number in the 20's, 30's, or 40's, as mandated by the league for all DBs. With Jenkins and Boston joining Jahleel Addae, Dwight Lowery, and Dexter McCoil, the Chargers could - probably won't, but could - play the 2017 season will all of their safeties having dreads. Wouldn't that be something?
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This concludes Part 1 of dread gallery #170. Check out Part 2 for all the rookies with dreads in the NFC.