Former Colorado defensive end Keaten Wade was not one of the 257 players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, on Sunday, he was given a shot at making an NFL roster after receiving a rookie minicamp invite with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Wade will have a set of practices to impress the Chiefs' coaching staff and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. If the Chiefs like what they see, Wade could stay on the roster throughout OTAs and maybe even training camp.
Last season with the Buffs, Wade played and started in 12 games, finishing with 46 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, nine quarterback hurries, 2.5 sacks, two pass breakups and a forced fumble. He was arguably Colorado's top defensive lineman.
Wade played two seasons at Colorado, transferring from Kentucky after the 2022 season.
Keaten Wade is heading to KC❗️@KeatenWade x @Chiefs#ProBuffs pic.twitter.com/nEqpr5PquB
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) April 26, 2026
Wade joins a group of six former Buffaloes to sign with a team post-draft. Wade and quarterback Kaidon Salter are two of three players receiving rookie minicamp invites.
As a team, Colorado did not have any players selected in the seven-round NFL draft, but the program's success with undrafted free agents should be noted. In the last 11 seasons, CU has had at least one undrafted free agent make a final 53-man roster.
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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Keaten Wade invited to Chiefs rookie minicamp