The long road from undrafted free agent to NFL roster
In short: Brevyn Spann-Ford’s journey to the Dallas Cowboys is a masterclass in persistence. After being overlooked in the 2024 NFL draft, he navigated years of collegiate development and training camp hurdles to secure a spot on one of the league's most prominent rosters.
Spann-Ford’s path to professional football began in St. Cloud, Minnesota, where he balanced athletics at Technical Senior High School. While he was a multi-sport athlete—averaging 13.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in basketball—he ultimately chose to commit to the University of Minnesota for football, turning down offers from several other programs including Missouri and West Virginia.
His collegiate career was defined by steady progression rather than immediate stardom. He spent his first year in 2018 redshirting, playing only four games without recording a statistic. It wasn't until 2019 that he recorded his first catch—a 12-yard touchdown against Illinois. His reliability improved during 2021, as he tallied a touchdown plus 296 yards on 23 catches across ten matches.
The pinnacle of his collegiate growth occurred in 2022, where he recorded his best single-game performance by hauling in seven passes for 95 yards against Wisconsin. Despite this production, he entered the professional ranks as an undrafted free agent following the 2024 draft. His ability to make the Cowboys' 53-man roster out of training camp marked a significant achievement for a player without a draft pedigree.
Spann-Ford’s professional breakthrough arrived on November 24, 2025, when he scored his first NFL touchdown in a comeback victory against the Philadelphia Eagles. His value was soon solidified by the organization; on September 10, 2026, he signed a three-year contract extension securing his role with the team through the 2029 season.
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