UDFAs to Keep an Eye On

[DH523]

New England has had moderate success with undrafted free agents in recent years (including Law Firm, Brandon Bolden, and Pierre Woods).

Curious to see who is on the radar of you guys and who you would like to see NE take chances on. Can be any position.

Guys I'm Keeping an Eye On
- DE Craig Roh [Michigan]: Listed at 6'5 271. Ran "just" a 4.93 40 but was decently productive (26.5 TFL in 51 Games). He flashes versatility having played OLB, DE, and DT/NT. Minor concerns that he may be an underachiever.
- OLB Travis Long [Washington State]: Listed at 6'4 243. Ran a 4.76 40 and has experience as a DE in a 4-3, Cover OLB in a 4-3, and Rush OLB in a 3-4. Very productive career (20.5 Sacks, 42 TFL) but has the label of "tweener" to him.
- CB Aaron Hester [UCLA]: Listed at 6'2 198. Ran a hot 4.47 but a "slow" 7.26 cone. Has the size to be a CB/FS type. Just 5 INT but 72 solo tackles the past 2 seasons.

 

[Mark Morse]

I'd add Luke Marqurdt OT 6'8" 312 Auzuza Pacific Coached by Mathew Slater dad for All Pro Jackie Slater (He may get drafted and not last until UDFA).

Mike Hermman QB Rensselaer Poytechnic Institute 6' 5" 258 runs 4.75 threw for over 9000 yards in D3 and ran for another 3000. 4 year starter and two time Offensive player of the year in his conference. Could be a TE or LB.

Garrett Gilkey OT 6' 6" 312 Chadron St (Woodheads school). He got a combine invite so I think he may get drafted.

Cody Davis S Texas Tech 6'2 210 ran a 4.3 at the Super Regional combine over the weekend. Detroit is having him in for a private workout.

 

[dliverey]

DE/OLB: Eric Martin (Nebraska) 6-1, 245
40 time: 4.53 VJ: 30.5
10 yard: 1.61 Broad Jump: 10 foot
Bench: 21 20 yard shuttle: 3.97
3 cone: 6.69

FB/TE: Kyler Reed 6-2 @ 225
40 time: 4.47 20 yard shuttle: 4.00
Bench: 19 3 Cone: 6.62
VJ: 41
Broad: 10.07

Source: NFL Draft Scout

 

[EwanSellars]

Walter Stewart DE Cincinnati

Caraun Reed DT Princeton

Mike Catapano DE Princeton

Quanterus Smith DE WKU

Joe Kruger DE Utah

Nigel Malone CB Kansas State

Sam Mcguffie RB Rice

 

[Patriot Missile]

Robbie Rouse RB Fresno St.

His size will be a turn off to almost every team. He's listed as 5'7 190. But his production was eye popping. 4168 rushing yards 33TD's. Also had 110 receptions for 794 yards and 5 scores.

Honestly I'm not sure if he makes it to UDFA but according to the great and powerful Bleacher report he does. I think he is more like a late 6th or early 7th myself.

NFL Draft 2013: Most Talented Players Who Will Not Be Selected | Bleacher Report

 

[Jimke]

Last year, the Patriots appeared to change their philosophy and targeted
several high end UDFAs. They ended up with Bolden, Francis, Forston, and
Zusevics.

I believe that under the new CBA all teams are allotted the same amount
of guaranteed money for UDFAs. With very few draft picks, I hope the
Patriots use the same strategy this year.

 

[manxman2601]

So many that I think can be contributors at some stage:

William Campbell, DT, Michigan
Kapron Lewis-Moore, DT, Notre Dame
Jake McDonough, DT, Iowa State

All fit the 6'4+", 300lbers that BB has been looking at this year


Derrick Washington, RB, Tuskegee

Big upside 3 down RB


John Boyett, S, Oregon
Malcom Bronson S, McNeese State

Injured safeties

Jordan Kovacs, S Michigan

Perfect fit intangibles-wise as a safety for the Patriots

Jake Knott, LB, Iowa state

Injured coverage linebacker

Armonty Bryant, DE, East Central

Small school passrusher with ideal Patriots measurables

Brandon Hepburn, LB, Florida A&M

LB with perfect Patriot intangibles.

Re Hepburn:

Hepburn lettered in football and wrestling at North Rockland High School in Thiells, N.Y. In his senior season, he earned the Journal News Scholar Athlete award after amassing 132 tackles, eight sacks and one interception. Hepburn was also a member of the National Honor Society and the Science Honor Society. His older sister Yvana is a hurdler for the USF women's track team. He walked on to the Florida A&M football team while carrying a full academic load in biochemistry. During a summer internship, he successfully found a way to kill certain cancer cells in rats using copper-loaded nano particles. Hepburn dreams of owning a biochemical company so he can lead research that will eradicate deadly diseases.

Brandon Hepburn Draft Profile

Smart kid!

 

[Big-T]

Lawrence Okoye?

Had a workout with the 49ers and Saints already. Got a feeling his sheer athletic ability might get him drafted at some point though.

 

[dryheat44]

Brandon Hepburn, LB, Florida A&M

LB with perfect Patriot intangibles.

Re Hepburn:



Brandon Hepburn Draft Profile

Smart kid!

I admire the kid (who wouldn't?), but this seems like perfect non-Patriot intangibles. BB wants kids who eat, drink, think, talk, sleep, smoke, and f@ck football...not someone who wants to expand his life experiences portfolio before moving on to his real calling in biochemistry.

 

[manxman2601]

I admire the kid (who wouldn't?), but this seems like perfect non-Patriot intangibles. BB wants kids who eat, drink, think, talk, sleep, smoke, and f@ck football...not someone who wants to expand his life experiences portfolio before moving on to his real calling in biochemistry.

If I'm BB and I want him, i'm saying to him "play ten years with us, earn lots of money and then go and set up your biochemistry company". That'll win his commitment. The guy is also very religious (in a good way) and a team captain. I have no doubts that if he committed to the Patriots, it wouldn't be a hobby. I do get what you are saying though - the same thought occurred to me.

 

[captain stone]

So many that I think can be contributors at some stage:

William Campbell, DT, Michigan
Kapron Lewis-Moore, DT, Notre Dame
Jake McDonough, DT, Iowa State

All fit the 6'4+", 300lbers that BB has been looking at this year


Derrick Washington, RB, Tuskegee

Big upside 3 down RB


John Boyett, S, Oregon
Malcom Bronson S, McNeese State

Injured safeties

Jordan Kovacs, S Michigan

Perfect fit intangibles-wise as a safety for the Patriots

Jake Knott, LB, Iowa state

Injured coverage linebacker

Armonty Bryant, DE, East Central

Small school passrusher with ideal Patriots measurables

Brandon Hepburn, LB, Florida A&M

LB with perfect Patriot intangibles.

Re Hepburn:



Brandon Hepburn Draft Profile

Smart kid!

Good list, and I'd add UNH's Jared Smith to the DTs.

Edit: and also Jeff Baca, OG - UCLA. He's more straight-line than laterally fast, but his long arms
could neutralize a defender before he had a chance to go around him.

Nathan Williams, LB - Ohio State. Bill could give Urban a call to see how well his coverage ability
has been after microfracture surgery 1-1/2 years ago.

Ray Ray Armstrong, SS - Miami (FL). He can take all the booster $$ he wants in the pros.

Vernon Kearney, CB - Lane College. The next white CB?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Last year, the Patriots appeared to change their philosophy and targeted several high end UDFAs. They ended up with Bolden, Francis, Forston, and Zusevics.

I believe that under the new CBA all teams are allotted the same amount
of guaranteed money for UDFAs. With very few draft picks, I hope the
Patriots use the same strategy this year.

IIRC, they're actually allotted the same amount of aggregate signing bonus, and I believe that they're limited to $25K signing bonus on any one player,

Also, since they must sign UDFA rookies, per the CBA, to three-year deals, the major leverage is—as it is for drafted players—how much of the contract is guaranteed.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Vernon Kearney, CB - Lane College. The next white CB?

 

[patfanken]

These are all great possibilities, the Pats have done MORE than just OK in choosing their UDFA. IIRC, at least one has made the final roster the last 4 years like BJGE, Love, Fletcher, Francis, Boldin, etc Given all the draft picks the Pats usually have, that's quite the success. This year with just 5 picks, we need do an equally good job.

My pick is ANOTHER Armstead. That British track start who ran a 4.8 forty at 295. That's the top guy on my UDFA list.

 

[manxman2601]

Vernon Kearney, CB - Lane College. The next white CB?

Killed it on his pro day. Very interesting. Thanks for reminding me.

 

[Get it shawtaay]

Here's two front seven guys to keep your eyes on that haven't been mentioned.

DT Michael Brooks (East Carolina) - Brooks is an athletic interior lineman, who was a nose tackle in conference-USA but projects to be a 3-tech in the pros. With Myron Pryor, Kyle Love, and Brandon Deaderick all to be free agents, he offers depth at the DT position. Gets by on sheer effort at the c-USA level and would need to get coached up behind the scenes, especially to play with better bend, but he has NFL upside. Impressive pro day suggests explosive ability.

LB/DE Pai Pai Falemalu (Hawaii) - Falemalu is an explosive but undersized edge player who was a leader on his college squad. He has untapped upside as a hybrid LB/DE if he can develop his one-dimensional game and put on some weight. Really good pro day numbers.

 

[ATippett56]

NFLDraftScout Rank - 281st overall

Jared Smith, DT - New Hampshire

Jared Smith, DT, New Hampshire, NFL Draft - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

New Hampshire Pro Day: New Hampshire held its in pro day on March 19 in front of representatives of five NFL teams, namely the Chiefs, Saints, Raiders, Patriots, and Eagles.

 

[captain stone]

Yikes. I saw his pic here:
Vernon Kearney, CB, Lane, NFL Draft - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com,
and just ass-umed that he was who I thought he was.

After further research, he is of course who you thought he was. Thanks. Still worth a UDFA signing.

 

[EwanSellars]

These are all great possibilities, the Pats have done MORE than just OK in choosing their UDFA. IIRC, at least one has made the final roster the last 4 years like BJGE, Love, Fletcher, Francis, Boldin, etc Given all the draft picks the Pats usually have, that's quite the success. This year with just 5 picks, we need do an equally good job.

My pick is ANOTHER Armstead. That British track start who ran a 4.8 forty at 295. That's the top guy on my UDFA list.

his name is lawrence okoye not sure what you mean by another armstead

 

[Off The Grid]

Vernon Kearney, CB - Lane College. The next white CB?

Yikes. I saw his pic here:
Vernon Kearney, CB, Lane, NFL Draft - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com,
and just ass-umed that he was who I thought he was.

After further research, he is of course who you thought he was. Thanks. Still worth a UDFA signing.

Props for admitting your ~ extremely understandable ~ Error.

That was ~ one might say ~ very white of you.