Jacob Roberts is a linebacker who fought his way to the NFL through a detour in the Canadian Football League after going undrafted in 2024.
Roberts didn't make his freshman football team in eighth grade and later had to transfer from North Carolina A&T to Wake Forest just to finish his college career on a bigger stage. When the 2024 NFL Draft passed him by, he went north to the CFL's Calgary Stampeders before finally landing a multi-year deal with the Vikings.
Path to the league
Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, Roberts starred at Mallard Creek High School after initially failing to make his freshman team. He began his college career at North Carolina A&T, where he won defensive MVP of the 2019 Celebration Bowl, before transferring to Wake Forest for his final season in 2023.
Career highlights
At Wake Forest, Roberts earned Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week honors after a 13-tackle, three-sack performance against Old Dominion, and he finished the season with 83 combined tackles and six sacks in 12 games. He went undrafted in 2024 despite solid combine numbers, including a 4.68-second 40-yard dash.
2025 season recap
Roberts spent 2025 with the CFL's Calgary Stampeders, where he posted a team-high 93 tackles, four sacks and a forced fumble across 18 regular-season games. That performance earned him a multi-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings, which he signed on January 7, 2026, wearing number 48.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Jacob Roberts (Canadian football)
- ESPN: Jacob Roberts
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- Wake Forest
- Hometown
- Charlotte, NC, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
