Former Kentucky wide receiver Josh Ali didn’t get to work out in front of NFL teams at UK’s Pro Day in April 2022, undergoing knee surgery after a car accident in December. His professional future seemed limited to the CFL, USFL or XFL routes — making an NFL roster highly unlikely.
And then the Atlanta Falcons invited him to rookie minicamp before signing with the team’s practice squad on August 31. He was later elevated to the active roster in Weeks 17 and 18, making his NFL debut and earning one target on 14 total snaps across two games.