Maxen Hook, Jerjuan Newton, Lance Dixon and Anthony Torres all signed as free agents with NFL teams on Saturday.
Four Rockets Sign as Free Agents Following NFL Draft
4/26/2025 8:52:00 PM | Football
Maxen Hook, Jerjuan Newton, Lance Dixon and Anthony Torres continue their paths to the NFL
TOLEDO, Ohio – Following the conclusion of the NFL Draft on Saturday, four Toledo Rockets signed free agent contracts with NFL teams.
Safety Maxen Hook and linebacker Lance Dixon signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, where they will join former Rocket and 2024 first-round draft choice Quinyon Mitchell, as well as former Rocket linebacker Dallas Gant; wide receiver Jerjuan Newton signed with the Denver Broncos and tight end Anthony Torres signed with the LA Rams.
Hook, a native of New Palestine, Ind., earned All-MAC honors for the fourth time this past season, becoming only the third Rocket ever to achieve this feat. He earned first-team All-MAC accolades in 2022, 2023 and 2024, and third-team honors in 2021. He led the Rockets in tackles with 107 in 2024. For his career, Hook had 356 tackles, seven interceptions and 15 pass breakups. He also participated in Senior Bowl workouts but was not able to play in the game due to an injury.
Newton, a three-time All-MAC wide receiver, finished his Rocket career as Toledo's all-time leader with 32 touchdown receptions. He caught 206 passes for 2,942 yards in his career, both of which rank fifth all-time at Toledo. He was a first-team All-MAC selection as a senior, setting career highs in receptions (72), receiving yards (1,048) and touchdowns (11).
Torres caught 31 passes for 404 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior tight end in 2024. In 2023, he earned second-team All-MAC honors after catching 26 passes for 464 yards. Torres, who earned his MBA in leadership, had a 3.93 GPA in the University of Toledo Graduate School and was named First-Team Academic All-America.
Dixon played the 2024 season with Toledo following stints at Penn State and West Virginia. A starter in two games, Dixon was ninth on the team with 46 tackles, adding 6.0 tackles for loss, four pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
The four signees join teammate Darius Alexander as future NFL prospects. Alexander was selected by New York Giants as the first pick of the third round (65th overall) of the draft on Friday. Toledo has had 11 draft picks since 2017. Of the 10 Rockets on NFL rosters just prior to the draft, four began their careers as undrafted free agents.Â
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Safety Maxen Hook and linebacker Lance Dixon signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, where they will join former Rocket and 2024 first-round draft choice Quinyon Mitchell, as well as former Rocket linebacker Dallas Gant; wide receiver Jerjuan Newton signed with the Denver Broncos and tight end Anthony Torres signed with the LA Rams.
Hook, a native of New Palestine, Ind., earned All-MAC honors for the fourth time this past season, becoming only the third Rocket ever to achieve this feat. He earned first-team All-MAC accolades in 2022, 2023 and 2024, and third-team honors in 2021. He led the Rockets in tackles with 107 in 2024. For his career, Hook had 356 tackles, seven interceptions and 15 pass breakups. He also participated in Senior Bowl workouts but was not able to play in the game due to an injury.
Newton, a three-time All-MAC wide receiver, finished his Rocket career as Toledo's all-time leader with 32 touchdown receptions. He caught 206 passes for 2,942 yards in his career, both of which rank fifth all-time at Toledo. He was a first-team All-MAC selection as a senior, setting career highs in receptions (72), receiving yards (1,048) and touchdowns (11).
Torres caught 31 passes for 404 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior tight end in 2024. In 2023, he earned second-team All-MAC honors after catching 26 passes for 464 yards. Torres, who earned his MBA in leadership, had a 3.93 GPA in the University of Toledo Graduate School and was named First-Team Academic All-America.
Dixon played the 2024 season with Toledo following stints at Penn State and West Virginia. A starter in two games, Dixon was ninth on the team with 46 tackles, adding 6.0 tackles for loss, four pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
The four signees join teammate Darius Alexander as future NFL prospects. Alexander was selected by New York Giants as the first pick of the third round (65th overall) of the draft on Friday. Toledo has had 11 draft picks since 2017. Of the 10 Rockets on NFL rosters just prior to the draft, four began their careers as undrafted free agents.Â
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