Undrafted gem Nadame Tucker exploded for Western Michigan. Can he translate his game-wrecking talent to the NFL?
I've been on the Nadame Tucker beat for a minute here, so I feel uniquely qualified to explain to fans of the Los Angeles Chargers why the team spent more than teams usually do to sign undrafted free agent edge rusher Nadame Tucker.
I found Tucker the backwards way. Instead of looking at edge rushers the Chargers could be targeting in the draft, I wondered if there was anyone from Chris O'Leary's one season as the defensive coordinator at Western Michigan that he might want to bring with him. Tucker was the first, loudest and maybe only name that stood out.
In three seasons with the Houston Cougars, Tucker appeared in 13 games and totaled 10 tackles. He did not sack the opposing QB, not even enough to register a half-sack.
Tucker has given an immense amount of credit to O'Leary for bringing him to Western Michigan, coaching him individually, and building an offense that could take advantage of Tucker's pass rushing ability.
In his one season with the Western Michigan Broncos, Tucker appeared in 13 games. He piled up 55 tackles (21 tackles for loss!) and an astonishing 14.5 sacks.
The game tape is awesome:
Tucker was, in a phrase, a game wrecker. He showed off a smooth, natural ability to use his hands and leverage to get around offensive lineman and has enough strength to bull rush them when stymied.
There are four things now working against Tucker.
First, the track record. Doing what Tucker did in 2025 was enough to get him drafted, but now he has to prove that he can keep it up against much better competition. Other guys, who have performed at that level over multiple years against the highest level of college football competition, are easier to predict.
Second, Tucker is not a physical freak. He doesn't have the size or strength or speed of a 1st Round draft pick. He plays the same position as Akheem Mesidor but is shorter, with a smaller wingspan and hands, and is 10 lbs lighter. Mesidor is probably faster, too.
Tucker's gotten to where he is with work and IQ paired with skill, but when those things don't get him to where he wants to be, he can't rely on overpowering or running around an NFL offensive tackle.
Third, while he is able to adjust and make plays in the backfield, Tucker often had his ears pinned back to get to the QB even on early downs and could be taken advantage of by opposing rushing attacks. That'll be fine for now, when he's a part-time player at best, but he'll eventually want to try and become more balanced.
Fourth, competition. It's hard to make a roster as an undrafted free agent, even if the team gave the reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year $287,500 in guaranteed money to join forces with Chris O'Leary again. Depending on your view of the situation, there are somewhere between four and seven edge rushers on the depth chart ahead of Nadame Tucker. Hopefully, he can make the most of preseason reps and can make an impact on special teams in the interim.