UMass football: Several Minutemen get chances to go pro
AMHERST — Although former members of the UMass football team who put their name into the NFL Draft didn’t hear their name called over the course of the three-day event, several of them still received an opportunity to play football at the next level.
A handful of Minutemen earned invitations to teams’ Rookie Mini Camp, and one UMass player signed with a team as an undrafted free agent following a stellar Pro Day about a month ago.
The one UMass player to sign? Jakobie Keeney-James. He picked up a contract offer from the Detroit Lions and signed it after the draft came to a close on Saturday. That may not come as a surprise to people who followed UMass closely in 2024. Keeney-James was unquestionably the Minutemen’s best receiver, tallying 839 yards and six touchdowns on 50 receptions – all team-highs.
Keeney-James’ proved he could play with NFL talent when UMass traveled down to Athens, Georgia to take on powerhouse Georgia in late November. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound receiver torched the Bulldogs for over 100 yards and a touchdown. If scouts didn’t believe in Keeney-James after that, they certainly did at the Minutemen’s Pro Day in late March, when Keeney-James put up eye-popping numbers that would have been among the best at the NFL Draft Combine had he been invited to participate.
Outside of Keeney-James’ contract with one of the best teams in the NFL, many other UMass players are going to have a shot at making an NFL roster or practice squad during Rookie Mini Camp. Tight end Dominick Mazotti (Chicago Bears), line backer Macklin Ayers (Cleveland Browns) and defensive back Isaiah Rutherford (Las Vegas Raiders) all earned invitations to camp, while former UMass star running back Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams (Carolina Panthers) also was invited to participate in Rookie Mini Camp.
The dream of hearing their names called on Draft Day may not have been fulfilled, but these UMass players can still see their goal of playing on Sundays accomplished.
UMass head coach Joe Harasymiak has his coaching staff finalized and moving along tremendously, but he wasn’t quite done with his off-field staff until earlier this week when he hired a pair of individuals to his recruiting staff. Emma Kimble hops on board as the team’s Director of Football On-Campus Recruiting and Administrative Operations, while Caleb Holfoth joins the program as the Director of High School Recruiting.
Before joining UMass, Kimble served as Fordham’s Assistant Athletic Director for Football Operations, which came after four years as the Rams’ Head Football Manager and Assistant Director. Kimble managed day-to-day football operations, “including team travel, budget oversight, player and alumni relations and staff supervision,” according to UMass Athletics.
Holfoth was a sales representative with FirstDown PlayBook in 2024 and 2025 before joining the Minutemen, and he also served in a recruiting quality control role with the Syracuse football program in 2023.
From April 16 to April 25, the spring transfer portal was wide open for Division 1 football players to seek new homes prior to the start of summer camp in a couple of months.
Several names put their names in the portal looking to exit Amherst, including notable players like wide receiver Sterling Galban, running backs CJ Hester (committed to Michigan) and Brandon Campbell and corner back Jalen Harrell. Offensive lineman William Jones, safety Jadrian Gibbs and wide receiver Keshawn Brown are among a few other Minutemen in the portal as of Wednesday afternoon.
With how good UMass’ wide receivers looked in the spring game, it’s no surprise a couple of guys from that position group decided to try their luck elsewhere this season. Competition for playing time is going to heat up in the summer.
Based on what Harasymiak said earlier this spring about having difficult conversations with guys who weren’t all in, it’s clear some of them received the message loud and clear.
“So if you haven’t been working very hard, and you think you’re just coasting through, that’s not what’s going to happen,” Harasymiak said back on April 17. “You’re not going to be here.”
Daily Hampshire Gazette
