A dominant pass rusher who tied for the FBS sack lead with 14.5 in 2025 and turned that season into a UDFA deal with real guaranteed money from the Chargers.
Nadame Tucker played college football at Houston before finishing his career at Western Michigan, where he exploded into one of the nation's premier edge rushers. Despite going undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft, his production earned him a notably strong free-agent contract from the Los Angeles Chargers.
Path to the league
Tucker began his college career with the Houston Cougars before transferring to Western Michigan, where his game came together as an outside linebacker and edge rusher. He went unselected in the 2026 NFL Draft and signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent.
Career highlights
Tucker's breakout 2025 season at Western Michigan made him one of the most productive pass rushers in the country. He was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year and won the conference's Vern Smith Leadership Award, cementing his standing as the league's top defender.
2025 season recap
Tucker finished the 2025 season tied with Texas Tech's David Bailey for the national lead in sacks with 14.5, headlining a dominant campaign that earned him MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. That production carried him to the Chargers as an undrafted free agent, where he signed a three-year, $3.14 million contract with $287,500 in guarantees, a notably rich deal for an unselected prospect.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Nadame Tucker
- SI: Chargers Threw Huge Contract at Another Undrafted Free Agent - Nadame Tucker
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- Western Michigan
- Hometown
- New York, NY, USA
- Age
- 26
- Status
- active
