Seven NFL teams are holding rookie minicamps this weekend. The draft picks for those teams are getting their first official work as NFL players, but they aren’t the only players on the field.

Filling out the camp rosters are players who didn’t get drafted. Some of them have signed contracts as undrafted free agents, something like being a preferred walk-on at a college program. When rookie minicamp is over, they’ll stick around for the offseason program and prepare for training camp and their shot at sticking with the team when the regular season arrives.

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Another set of players faces an even more difficult road to the pros. They’ve been invited to rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. A few will impress coaches enough to be asked to stay for the offseason program. Most will go home after the weekend, or maybe head for the rookie minicamps next weekend for another tryout.

Every season, some of the undrafted rookies make it, and a few forge careers that last. Among the players from Alabama high schools and colleges who entered the NFL without being drafted (since the NFL Draft started in 1936), 13 have played in at least 150 regular-season games:

Al Del Greco, Auburn

248 games: The kicker caught on with the Green Bay Packers halfway through his rookie season in 1984 to start a 17-year career. Del Greco spent the final 10 of those seasons with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans, and he’s the franchise’s career leader in field goals, extra points and points.

Tony Richardson, Daleville High School and Auburn

234 games: The fullback spent his first season in the NFL on the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad before making his debut with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1995. He played in 16 NFL seasons, led the Chiefs in rushing with 697 yards in 2000, went to the Pro Bowl three times and blocked for eight 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

Dwight Stone, Florala High School

216 games: A wide receiver who spent his first two seasons at running back with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Stone built his 14-year NFL career on his ability as a kick returner and a special-teamer. He caught 154 passes – 107 from 1991 through 1993 with Pittsburgh, when he made 35 of his 52 career starts – and returned 186 kickoffs, including one for a 92-yard touchdown in the Steelers’ 37-34 victory over the Houston Oilers on Dec. 4, 1988.

Ed West, Colbert County High School and Auburn

211 games: After catching two touchdown passes at Auburn, the tight end caught on with the Green Bay Packers in 1984. He had six receptions for 54 yards as a rookie, but four went for touchdowns. In 14 NFL seasons – the first 11 with Green Bay – West had 237 receptions for 2,665 yards and 27 touchdowns.

Marcus Pollard, Valley High School

192 games: There was a good reason that Pollard wasn’t selected in the NFL Draft: He didn’t play football in college at Bradley. He did play basketball, though, and was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as a tight end in 1995. Pollard did not catch a pass in his rookie season. Over the next 12 seasons, he had 349 receptions for 4,280 yards and 40 touchdowns.

Dave Edwards, Abbeville High School and Auburn

181 games: Edwards is like the answer to a trick question. He wasn’t drafted – by the NFL. But Edwards did get picked by the Denver Broncos in the 25th round of the 1962 AFL Draft back when the leagues were competing for players. Edwards signed with the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys instead and began work as receiver before converting to outside linebacker. He debuted in 1963, became a full-time starter in 1965 and stayed at weakside linebacker for Dallas through the 1975 season, holding down a spot in the Doomsday Defense.

Chris Martin, J.O. Johnson High School in Huntsville and Auburn

178 games: The linebacker made the New Orleans Saints’ roster in 1983 and was a regular starter in six of his 12 NFL seasons – with the Minnesota Vikings in 1985 and 1986 and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1989 through 1992. Martin returned three fumbles for touchdowns during his career, including one for 100 yards in the Chiefs’ 42-7 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Oct. 13.

Josh Harris, Auburn

173 games: The long snapper is still adding to his game total. After 10 seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, Harris joined the Los Angeles Chargers in 2022. He was the long snapper for the NFC Pro Bowl team in 2021.

Mario Addison, Tarrant High School and Troy

170 games: It took the former high school quarterback a couple of seasons to find his footing in the NFL as a defensive end. Addison played for four teams in his first two seasons before running off seven straight years with the Carolina Panthers, during which he recorded 54 sacks. Addison played in 12 games with the Houston Texans in 2022 but is currently a free agent.

Woody Peoples, Ullman High School in Birmingham

168 games: After playing for Eddie Robinson at Grambling State, Peoples spent a season with the semi-pro Richmond Rebels and two years in the Army before joining the San Francisco 49ers in 1968. In his second season, he became a starter at guard and kept that status until his retirement, with his last game coming for the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XV. Peoples was a Pro Bowler in 1972 and 1973.

Steve McLendon, Carroll High School in Ozark and Troy

165 games: After one year on the practice squad and three seasons as a backup with Pittsburgh, McLendon joined the Steelers’ starting lineup in 2013. After seven seasons as starter that included a move in free agency to the New York Jets, McLendon was traded to Tampa Bay during 2020, and he helped the Buccaneers cap that campaign by winning Super Bowl LV.

Ronald McKinnon, Elba High School and North Alabama

157 games: The linebacker played on three NCAA Division II national title teams and won the 1995 Harlon Hill Trophy as the division’s best player, the only defensive winner in the award’s history. That didn’t get him drafted. McKinnon made the Cardinals, but he didn’t start a game and totaled seven tackles as a rookie. Then McKinnon spent the next nine seasons as the team’s starting middle linebacker, recording more than 1,000 tackles, including 157 in the 2000 campaign.

Zefross Moss, Holt High School in Tuscaloosa and Alabama State

154 games: Moss’ NFL career started by getting cut by the Dallas Cowboys. Later re-signed, he didn’t play as a rookie and was traded during training camp in 1989 to the Indianapolis Colts for a 10th-round draft choice. Moss didn’t start in his first season with Indianapolis, then started 137 games over the following 10 seasons for the Colts, Detroit Lions and New England Patriots.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.