A Dubuque Senior Graduate, UNI Wide Receiver is Now in the NFL

Yesterday, I was thrilled to write about Jack Plummer, a Louisville quarterback with Dubuque roots, who was signed by the Carolina Panthers after the 2024 NFL Draft. Today, a listener named Keith informed me that another Dubuque native has been signed by an NFL team as an undrafted free agent.

First things first, a little background: after the 250+ players are selected in an NFL Draft, players who weren't drafted (along with their respective agents) are free to engage with NFL teams about signing "undrafted free agent" (UDFA) contracts. Because these signings happen so swiftly, it's hard to keep track of them all...

That being said, don't let this name get lost in the shuffle. Dubuque native Sam Schnee was signed by the Tennessee Titans shortly after the conclusion of the 2024 NFL Draft. Schnee grew up in Dubuque, attended Dubuque Senior High School, and was a wide receiver for the Northern Iowa Panthers for six seasons.

In 2023, Schnee caught 57 balls for 1,039 yards and six touchdowns. In 2022, he caught 48 balls for 764 yards and 3 touchdowns. He ends his UNI career with 2,231 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Schnee joins a crowded wide receivers room for Tennessee, who currently has veteran (and likely future Hall of Famer) DeAndre Hopkins, former Falcons/Jaguars receiver Calvin Ridley, and up-and-comer Treylon Burks. That said, in a game that is becoming more and more offensively driven, there should be a place for Schnee at least on the Titans' practice squad.

The Titans are in something of a retooling mode following a disappointing 6-11 season that saw longtime head coach Mike Vrabel dismissed mere days into the offseason. Tennessee hired Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan (Champaign, IL native, I'll add) to be the new head coach. Callahan is a rookie head coach, but his father is Bill Callahan, one of the greatest offensive line coaches ever. Bill followed his son to serve that roll for the Titans.

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Per CBS Sports, Sam Schnee is the only Northern Iowa player to be signed by an NFL team as an undrafted free agent. Khristian Boyd, a defensive tackle for the Panthers from 2018 - 2023, was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round this year too.

READ MORE ABOUT QB JACK PLUMMER FROM DUBUQUE SIGNING WITH THE CAROLINA PANTHERS.