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Commanders' UDFA looking to overcome odds and make roster
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- Commanders' UDFA looking to overcome odds and make roster
Last week, we looked at one Washington Commanders ' undrafted rookie who could make the team in 2026: former LSU wide receiver Chris Hilton Jr. The Commanders signed nine undrafted free agents and hosted several more at this weekend's rookie minicamp on a tryout basis.
Kicker Drew Stevens is another player with a solid shot at making Washington's roster. After all, he will directly compete with incumbent Jake Moody for the starting job.
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However, there is another undrafted free agent that fans should know about: defensive tackle Jeffrey M'ba.
M'ba is a 6-foot-5, 316-pound interior defensive lineman from SMU. A native of Gabon, M'ba grew up in France. After moving to the United States, M'ba enrolled at Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore for his senior year. He quickly became a sought-after recruit, but signed with Independence Community College due to academic transcript issues.
After two years at Independence, M'ba transferred to Auburn, where he played one year, then spent two years at Purdue, before finishing his college career at SMU. During his final college season for the Mustangs, M'ba recorded 42 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and five sacks. He went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft, and signed with the Commanders .
A player with M'ba's size and athleticism should've gone in the draft. He didn't because of his age. He's 27. That makes him a player to watch this summer for Washington.
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Here is NFL.com's Lance Zierlein's pre-draft evaluation of M'ba:
M'ba's evaluation will hit a wall with some teams due to his age (will be a 27-year-old rookie), but he'll be seen as a development prospect with intriguing power by others. Tight hips and a lack of take-on technique create inconsistencies with contact balance and anchor. M'ba does an admirable job of competing against blockers using brute force and determination. There will be lane-clogging potential as a rotational nose tackle if he improves his technique.
M'ba is still relatively new to football. He grew up playing soccer before trying football in France. During his teenage years, he gave football a chance, which led him to move to America to chase his dream.
Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports recently profiled M'ba 's journey, which he explains in detail.
The Commanders are expected to transition to a 3-4 defense in 2026. Every 3-4 defense needs a true nose tackle. Could M'ba force his way onto the roster? At the very least, could he show enough potential to convince Washington to keep him on the practice squad?
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The Commanders currently have Daron Payne , Javon Kinlaw , Johnny Newton, Tim Settle , Shy Tuttle , D.J. Davidson , and Ricky Barber at defensive tackle. If Washington does use a base 3-4, Payne and Kinlaw will line up at defensive end, with Settle likely manning the middle. There's an opportunity for M'ba to impress coaches and perhaps force his way onto the roster.
One thing to know about M'ba, he's faced long odds before, often overcoming them. Making an NFL roster is his latest challenge.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Jeffrey M'Ba is an undrafted free agent to know
