Agent: Drew Ott remains a free agent with NFL options

IOWA CITY — Former Iowa defensive end Drew Ott remains unsigned and continues to weigh his NFL opportunities, agent Neil Cornrich told The Gazette on Monday.

'He's very fortunate, it's been very flattering, the interest in Drew,' Cornrich said. 'He'll have a number of options and at the same time, he's going through the rehab process. He's very optimistic.

'Some teams are pushing a little, but he'll have options, which is a wonderful thing.'

Ott, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 277 pounds, went undrafted over the weekend. He recorded 7.5 tackles for loss, including five sacks, in only six games last year. Ott was limited to parts of just six games last year after suffering a gruesome dislocated left elbow in the second game and a torn ACL in his right knee in the sixth game. He had surgery for both injuries in November.

Ott, a native of Trumbull, Neb., attempted to reclaim a fifth season of eligibility, but the NCAA denied his request just two weeks before the NFL draft. In his Iowa career, Ott recorded 15.5 sacks and 26 tackles for loss. He was named a permanent team captain at Iowa and was a second-team all-Big Ten selection in 2014.

'Drew Ott, you know, the question of the (fifth) year and the medical and everything, I think he's late draftable, and I think he's been hurt a little bit regarding the uncertainty of his status,' NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock told The Gazette before the draft.

Before Ott's ACL injury, he started 30 of 31 consecutive games at Iowa.

'I expect him to be a productive player in the NFL following up on his very productive and durable career at Iowa,' Cornrich said.

Several former Iowa players agreed to terms as undrafted free agents over the weekend. They include kicker Marshall Koehn (Miami), wide receiver Tevaun Smith (Indianapolis), defensive back Jordan Lomax (L.A. Rams), fullback Adam Cox (Atlanta), guard Jordan Walsh (Atlanta), defensive end Nate Meier (Chicago) and tight end Henry Krieger Coble (Denver). Center Austin Blythe, also a Cornrich client, was drafted by Indianapolis in the seventh round.

Blythe (6-3, 290) was one of two centers drafted by the Colts this weekend. Ryan Kelly (6-4, 311) of Alabama was chosen in the first round. Both were finalists for the Rimington Award, which goes to the nation's best center. Kelly won the award last December.

Monday, the Colts waived center Khaled Holmes, who started seven games last year. Both are capable of playing guard or center.

'It's a tremendous opportunity because both are tremendous athletes and can play multiple positions,' Cornrich said. 'It's far too hard to predict exactly what will happen, but I think both are very fortunate. It's a tremendous organization.'

After Blythe was selected, Mayock touted Blythe's 45 consecutive starts and three consecutive state high school wrestling titles at Williamsburg.

'He's one of those Iowa offensive linemen,' Mayock said on NFL Network. 'They churn out nothing but solid technicians in Kirk Ferentz's offensive line. He'll play in the league — I don't care what round — but he'll play in the league a bunch of years.'

HAWKEYES IN THE NFL (OFFICIAL ON TEAM ROSTERS)

Baltimore — G Marshal Yanda, DL Carl Davis

Cleveland — G Conor Boffeli, LB Christian Kirksey

Houston — TE C.J. Fiedorowicz

Indianapolis — C Austin Blythe, WR Tevaun Smith

Tennessee — DL Karl Klug

Denver — C James Ferentz, LS Casey Kreiter, CB B.J. Lowery

Dallas — LB Anthony Hitchens

N.Y. Giants — G Adam Gettis, LB James Morris

Philadelphia — OL Matt Tobin

Washington — G Brandon Scherff

Detroit — T Riley Reiff

Green Bay — T Bryan Bulaga, DT Mike Daniels, DB Micah Hyde

Minnesota — LB Chad Greenway, S John Lowdermilk

Atlanta — DT Jonathan Babineaux, DE Adrian Clayborn, DB Charles Godfrey

Tampa Bay — TE Brandon Myers

Arizona — CB Shaun Prater

L.A. Rams — OL Andrew Donnal, DT Louis Trinca-Pasat

UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS (UNOFFICIAL)

Miami — K Marshall Koehn

L.A. Rams — DB Jordan Lomax

Atlanta — FB Adam Cox, G Jordan Walsh

Chicago — DE Nate Meier

Denver — TE Henry Krieger Coble

Kansas City — RB Jordan Canzeri (tryout this week; New Orleans the following weekend)

l Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman@thegazette.com