Villanova Football: Hayek, Watkins Highlight Rookie Minicamp Invitations

Villanova football didn’t see a player selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, even with FCS All-American Isas Waxter II expected to end up as a late round pick, but that hasn’t stopped a handful of Wildcats alumni from inking big league contracts as undrafted free agents.

Waxter, who racked up seven tackles for loss, 19 passes defensed and three interceptions across 46 collegiate games, was the headliner, signing with the Seattle Seahawks after the conclusion of the draft.

Other Villanova football products to receive a chance at fulfilling their NFL dreams (via invitations to their respective teams’ rookie minicamps, set to take place over a weekend in early May depending on which team is conducting)  include defensive lineman Chuck Smith and wide receiver Jaaron Hayek, who both signed with the Kansas City Chiefs; quarterback Connor Watkins, who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and linebacker Brendan Bell, who received an invite to the New Orleans Saints’ minicamp, per a report from David Szczepanski of Villanova Sports Network.

Undrafted free agents face an uphill battle to catch on with an NFL team, whether with a roster spot or as a member of the practice squad: offseason rosters expand to 90 players, but teams must slim those down to 53 shortly before the regular season starts… and an invitation to a rookie minicamp doesn’t guarantee one of those 90 spots to begin with.

Villanova to the Pros

Smith spent the 2024 season with Villanova football as a graduate transfer out of Wofford, a 6-foot-3, 280 pound edge rusher who racked up nine sacks during his collegiate career, adding four tackles for loss and a forced fumble last season.

Hayek initially entered the draft in 2024 and signed with Kansas City following their minicamp last May, but an offseason injury prevented him from battling for a roster spot during training camp. Now, he’ll get another chance to prove he belongs with the Chiefs.

A 6-foot-1, 200 pound receiver, Hayek logged 2,744 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns in his five year Wildcats’ career.

Watkins is a dual threat quarterback with 27 rushing and 50 passing touchdowns across parts of six seasons with Villanova, his final three as the starter. 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, his rushing ability  could help him stick around in Tampa through reps on the scout team.

Bell notched 16 tackles for loss in 2024 and 34 in his Wildcats career, along with 283 total tackles. He also sacked the quarterback 6.5 times, doing a bit of everything as a 6-foot-2, 230 pound middle linebacker.