Undrafted Temple WR earns Eagles minicamp invite after working with Hurts

Opportunities in the NFL don't always arrive with fanfare. Sometimes, they show up as a simple message. Be ready. That's exactly what happened for Kajiya Hollawayne, according to Mike Garafolo, who has accepted an invitation to attend the rookie minicamp with the Philadelphia Eagles. For most undrafted prospects, that moment represents the beginning of a long climb. For Hollawayne, it comes with a unique twist. Leading up to the draft, Hollawayne wasn't just working in isolation. If you remember, Garafolo also reported shortly after mid-month that he was invited to sharpen his craft alongside Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith during throwing sessions.

That allowed him to gain some exposure to NFL-level preparation and expectations before ever stepping into a professional building. He received a message one day to show up ready for work. It seems he was. Now, he'll get to prove himself again under the watchful eye of the Eagles' coaching staff.

Preparation meets an Eagles opportunity

Hollawayne's path isn't common, but it matters.

In 2025, during his only season at Temple, Hollawayne started all 12 games as a wide receiver. He caught a touchdown in each of the team's first two games. His best performance came against Navy, where he recorded a career-high nine receptions for 146 receiving yards, including a 46-yard catch. He followed that game with five more receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown at Charlotte, where he also served as a game captain. At Tulsa, he set another career high with 10 receptions and three touchdowns, becoming the first Temple player to achieve three touchdown receptions in a single game since Jaden Blue did so in 2020 at Memphis. Temple was 4-0 in games where he scored a touchdown, and he earned a letter for his performance.

Prior to his stop at Temple, Hollawayne was originally recruited as a quarterback by UCLA in 2021 but switched to wide receiver after his transfer. He played one season at Grambling State and then one at Riverside Community College.

Philadelphia has built a reputation for finding contributors in unexpected places. Minicamp invites can turn into training camp opportunities. Training camp opportunities can turn into roster battles. And sometimes, those battles produce real contributors. It’s a long shot opportunity, but it’s a real one. The challenge ahead. Philadelphia's wide receiver room is crowded. The expectations are high, and the margin for error is slim. None of that changes the assignment, and for Hollawayne, the coming assignment is simple. Show up. Compete. Stand out. That’s all he can control. He didn’t hear his name called during the draft. He heard something else instead, an opportunity, and sometimes, in Philadelphia, that’s all you need to get started.