Two former football players received a rookie camp invitation from two different NFL teams after the draft.
Linebacker Bryson Gates and wide receiver Carl Whitley both declared for the draft but didn’t hear their names called in the seven rounds. Gates, however, received a call from the Oakland Raiders, and Whitley heard from the New Orleans Saints, inviting them to their respective rookie camps as undrafted free agents.
The NFL began its rookie camp practices May 5 and will continue to have a transition process until late July, when training camp starts.
Gates and Whitley are only trying out for the teams, with the goal of making the actual rosters for training camp by late July.
They will have until July 22 to make the team and sign on before they are otherwise cut from the 53-man roster.
In Gates’ four years as a Wildcat, he made 142 career tackles, 9.5 sacks and 25.5 tackles for a loss.
As a junior college transfer, Whitley spent two full seasons with ACU. He hauled in 52 receptions for 681 yards and seven touchdowns.
When reaching out to Gates and Whitley for a comment this week, we were unable to receive a response from them.