The 3 best NFL undrafted free agents in Kentucky football history
By Josh Yourish
. Doug Kotar. . Doug Kotar, RB. player. 1974 UDFA. NFL career: 1974-81. Doug Kotar, RB. 2. 31
In 1973, Kotar’s final season at Kentucky, Sonny Collins ran for 1,213 yards on 224 carries and Mike Fanuzzi got 111 attempts out of the backfield. So, Kotar’s 431 yards on 110 carries were considerably overshadowed and his lack of production knocked him off draft boards.
Once Kotar got to the NFL, he settled into a familiar role as a backup. He started just seven games but was still second on the team in rushing yards with 396 and four touchdowns as a rookie. Over his seven seasons with the Giants, Kotar’s best year was 1976 when he ran for 731 yards and caught 36 passes for 316 yards. It was the only season of his career with 1,000 scrimmage yards.
Kotar was never dominant in the NFL, but he was a serviceable running back in a rotation and produced well in his few seasons as the featured runner for New York.