An undrafted defensive back who rose from Oregon to Western Kentucky's secondary, Kahlef Hailassie has spent his early NFL years bouncing between practice squads while chasing a full-time role.
Kahlef Hailassie is a defensive back who transferred from Oregon to Western Kentucky, where a strong pro day pushed his draft stock up before he ultimately went unselected. He has since worked his way through several NFL organizations, most recently landing with Minnesota.
Path to the league
Hailassie began his college career with the Oregon Ducks in 2018 and 2019 before transferring to Western Kentucky, where he played in 2021 and 2022 and earned second-team all-conference honors as a senior. A strong showing at Western Kentucky's pro day raised his draft buzz, but he ultimately went undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
Hailassie signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent on a three-year deal worth $2.705 million in May 2023, but was cut in final roster cuts. He was claimed by the Cleveland Browns, where he appeared in 10 games with one start, recording eight tackles, including one for loss, and a pass deflection.
2025 season recap
Hailassie joined Minnesota in January 2025 and briefly played for Jacksonville in September 2025 before returning to the Vikings' practice squad that November. He signed a reserve/future contract with Minnesota on January 5, 2026, securing his spot with the organization heading into the following season.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Kahlef Hailassie
- Pro Football Reference: Kahlef Hailassie
Statistics
2025 season and career▶Defense · career
| Year | Team | GP | TOT | SOLO | SACK | INT | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | browns | 9 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Safety
- Group
- defense
- College
- Western Kentucky
- Hometown
- Elk Grove, CA, USA
- Age
- 25
- Status
- active
