COMMANDERS STRIKE GOLD: Louisville Star Ja’Corey Brooks Joins Washington as Undrafted Steal!

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It might have taken a few extra days, but Ja'Corey Brooks has found an NFL home.

After going unselected in the 2025 NFL Draft, the former Louisville wide receiver has signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Washington Commanders, the program announced Monday.

Brooks is the third former Cardinal to sign an undrafted free agent deal following the conclusion of the 2025 NFL Draft, following cornerback Corey Thornton and tight end Mark Redman. Three Louisville players were selected in this year's draft.

Coming over from Alabama in the previous offseason, the 6-foot-3, 195-pound pass catcher established himself as one of the best receivers in the ACC in his lone year as a Cardinal. His 1,013 receiving yards and nine touchdown receptions were both third in the conference, while his 61 receptions were 10th, earning First-Team All-ACC honors in the process.

Brooks is just the 11th Louisville player to log a 1,000-yard receiving yard season. He's also just the fourth Louisville player to have a 1,000-yard and nine-touchdown receiving season, joining Tutu Atwell, Deion Branch and Arnold Jackson - the latter of which did it twice.

He was limited to just three catches for 30 yards in nine games with the Crimson Tide last season due to a shoulder injury, but had proven himself in the past to be a valuable asset. During the 2022 season, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound receiver hauled in 39 receptions for 674 yards and team-best eight touchdowns for the Tide.

As a true freshman in 2021, Brooks caught 15 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns, including a game-tying 28-yard catch in the final minute of Iron Bowl to help keep Alabama's College Football Playoff hopes alive, and a 44-yard score in the CFP Semifinal vs. Cincinnati.