College football: Two Army signings raise NFL free agent offers to five

WEST POINT – A talented senior class for Army football has netted two additional NFL free-agent contracts, raising the total to five Black Knights signed in the past week.

Linebacker Arik Smith was the latest to be offered, with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Wednesday. Nose guard Nolan Cockrill received an offer from the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Following the conclusion of the NFL Draft on Saturday, Cedrick Cunningham (Colts), Malkelm Morrison (Raiders) and Zach Harding (Jets) were offered.

Smith may have the top-end chance to make the NFL. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound linebacker excelled for three seasons for the Black Knights. Over the past three years, Smith has posted 83, 78 and 86 tackles and combined for 10 sacks. Smith posted a tackle in all 41 game appearances over four seasons, denied a solo stop only twice during that stretch. He saved his best for the showcase games, making 30 stops in three matchups with Navy, seven stops against West Virginia in the 2020 Liberty Bowl and 12 tackles in his final collegiate game, the 2021 Armed Forces Bowl win over Missouri – he was named the MVP of the bowl.

Smith was also named the 2021 Defender of the Nation, an award presented to an outstanding football player from one of the military academies.

Last season, Cockrill posted 40 tackles, including seven-and-a-half for lost yardage. He also posted 2 1/2 sacks. Like Smith, Cockrill was one of the team's co-captains.

All NFL clubs will conduct offseason workouts in the latter half of this month and early June. West Point graduation is May 21.

Should the clubs sign them for 2022 rosters, they would be eligible to apply for a deferment of their five-year military obligations upon approval by the Pentagon. West Point 2021 graduate and linebacker Jon Rhattigan made the roster of the Seattle Seahawks and posted 10 solo tackles in 14 games; he recently signed an extension.

Long shunned by the NFL due to military obligations, more and more Army football veterans have been finding their way into rookie camps and onto NFL rosters in recent years. Alejandro Villanueva, a 2011 grad, may be the most celebrated, having just retired from a successful career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. Brett Toth, a 2018 grad, tried out with the Arizona Cardinals, was a late cut and signed as an offensive tackle with the Philadelphia Eagles. Elijah Riley, a 2020 grad, played five games at defensive back with the Eagles in 2020 and one contest in 2021 before joining the Jets. Linebacker Cole Christiansen saw action in seven games over the past two seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers.

kmcmillan@th-record.com

Twitter: @KenMcMillanTHR

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Pair of signings raise Army NFL free agent participation to five