An NC State linebacker who came back from a season-ending knee injury to lead every Power Four player in tackles in 2025 and earn All-American honors.
Caden Fordham joins the Buccaneers as an undrafted rookie linebacker after a breakout final season at NC State that erased any doubt left by a serious knee injury the year before. The Jacksonville native, son of former NFL offensive tackle Todd Fordham, turned a torn-down 2024 into the best season of any linebacker at the Power Four level in 2025.
Path to the league
Fordham attended The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida, and committed to NC State over offers from Louisville, Miami, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech. He played five seasons in Raleigh, working his way from a special-teams contributor into the middle of the Wolfpack defense before signing with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent on May 8, 2026.
Career highlights
Fordham's 2024 season ended after six games because of a season-ending knee injury, but he returned in 2025 to record 143 tackles, the second-most in the nation and the most by any Power Four player, along with 10.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions. The performance earned him first-team All-ACC and second-team All-American honors, making him just the fifth linebacker in NC State history to earn All-American recognition.
2025 season recap
Fordham's 2025 was the signature year of his career: 143 total tackles, 10.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks, three pass breakups, two interceptions and a forced fumble, capped by an MVP performance in the Gasparilla Bowl with 13 tackles and an interception. That workload made him one of the most productive undrafted free agents available after the 2026 draft.
Sources
- ESPN: Caden Fordham
- NC State Athletics: Caden Fordham
- Buccaneers.com: Caden Fordham
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- NC State
- Hometown
- Ponte Vedra, FL, USA
- Age
- 23
- Status
- active
