Zach Sudfeld

[JMC00]

I'm pretty sure Fells dropped more balls than he caught last season, and he wasn't anything special as a blocker. At best he's just a warm body.

Seriously.

He had 10 targets and 4 rec, played in 13 games, playing 293 offensive snaps. Couldn't have been that hurt if he was averaging 23 snaps a game on offense. The fact is the guy was primarily a blocker.

Hoomanawanui the same thing, 283 offensive snaps 7 targets, 5 rec, 14 games

There were major opportunities for these guys when Hernandez went out and then Gronk went out, but yet weren't used in that role. Hell Belichick even brought Kellen Winslow in the week after Hernandez got injured and he had as many snaps as Fells in that Ravens game.

 

[DocHoliday]

The bold is why this thread is essentially meaningless, save as a time killer. While some UDFAs make teams, there's generally very good reason why players make it through the draft unchosen, and all the vertical leap numbers in the world won't change that.

Well by all accounts he's not a bad player, he was just perpetually injured.

It's not just his measurables.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

The bold is why this thread is essentially meaningless, save as a time killer. While some UDFAs make teams, there's generally very good reason why players make it through the draft unchosen, and all the vertical leap numbers in the world won't change that.

Let me guess. You're not a udfa binkie groupie, are you?

Gawd I luv my summer camp binks.

Right until they get cut and left unsigned to the PS.

 

[Deus Irae]

Let me guess. You're not a udfa binkie groupie, are you?

Gawd I luv my summer camp binks.

Right until they get cut and left unsigned to the PS.

I'm not really a binkie guy, although I've got no problem with the thread. I just thought that Doc's post really reinforced the likely reality. People will love their binkies, and their binkies will become cuts or end of roster players. Even a UFDA success story like Kyle Love ends up summarily dismissed.

It's a great way to pass the time, but the measureables stuff gets really annoying:

"UFDA1 has the same measurables as Reggie White!"

Yeah, so did a thousand other players who never made a roster.

 

[Joker]

FDamers

do a search for NFL Undrafted Hall of Famers in Google, you pompous putz...stop talking down your bony nose to Patriot fans that have hopes for Patriot players...

List of top undrafted players in history of each of the NFL's 32 teams | Fox News

 

[Deus Irae]

Re: FDamers

do a search for NFL Undrafted Hall of Famers in Google, you pompous putz...stop talking down your bony nose to Patriot fans that have hopes for Patriot players...

List of top undrafted players in history of each of the NFL's 32 teams | Fox News

Have all the binkies you want. There's nothing wrong with killing time, and I do it here all the time, so I'm not sure where you get your notions about talking down. As Doc noted, the two TEs that so many here wanted kept around did nothing. The reality is that most UDFAs don't work out, and the measurables that people point to become meaningless, so I'm not sure what your issue here is. Then again, I'm not sure what your issues have been all offseason.

 

[Joker]

why don't you take another hiatus and meditate on that until enlightenment is yours...meanwhile I'll stick around here with all my "binkies" that I'm touting as all pros. Perhaps you can call up Wes Welker and ask HIM what he thinks of no good UDFA's....

 

[Deus Irae]

why don't you take another hiatus and meditate on that until enlightenment is yours...meanwhile I'll stick around here with all my "binkies" that I'm touting as all pros. Perhaps you can call up Wes Welker and ask HIM what he thinks of no good UDFA's....

And more irony....

 

[Joker]

why the edit?....stop flailing..I promise I'll leave you alone with your windmills

 

[Deus Irae]

why the edit?....

The rest was unnecessary in light of your posts. Watching you continue to spiral into mindless rants really wasn't in my plans for tonight. The floor's all yours.

 

[Joker]

Thanks...I'll listen to some music then...

 

[loosebearing]

I'm not really a binkie guy, although I've got no problem with the thread. I just thought that Doc's post really reinforced the likely reality. People will love their binkies, and their binkies will become cuts or end of roster players. Even a UFDA success story like Kyle Love ends up summarily dismissed.

It's a great way to pass the time, but the measureables stuff gets really annoying:

"UFDA1 has the same measurables as Reggie White!"

Yeah, so did a thousand other players who never made a roster.

I'm bored so I found a way to pass the time

Kyle Love was not summarily dismissed due to his football play - neither was Mike Wright both UDFA starters for one of the best teams in football. Same with Ben Jarvis Green-Ellis, Wes Welker, and Danny Woodhead. And the following UDFA's will "likely" be on this years roster (with at least 5 of them as starters):

WR Amendola / Jones

OL Connolly / Wendell / McDonald

RB Bolden / Blount

TE Ballard / Fells

DL Kelly / Armstead / Francis / Forston / Benard

LB Fletcher

DB Gregory / Arrington

LS Aiken

That's not counting any from this year (Grissom - Stankiewwitch - Sudfeld etc)
20 UDFA's is not the end of the roster. Now does each of these players have a weakness in their game - yes. But that is what the coaching staff is for. To get them to play to their strengths and avoid their weaknesses.

As Mike Reiss said of Tavon Wilson
"There isn’t one physical trait that stands out. He’s a solid player with the desired work ethic, but unlike 2013 top pick Jamie Collins (52nd overall pick) – who has uncommon athleticism that if harnessed could produce big results – Wilson doesn’t seem to have as high of a ceiling."
That describes all of the UDFA's
But enough of them make for good football players.

 

[spacecrime]

No way is he going on the PS if he has any promise. We lost two TEs that way two years ago. Thankfully they never amounted to anything.

Yeatman did, though as an OT.

 

[spacecrime]

why don't you take another hiatus and meditate on that until enlightenment is yours.......

He already is on hiatus for a lot of us:

This message is hidden because Deus Irae is on your ignore list.

BTW, thanks for replying to him w/o quoting him. The loophole in IGNORE is that when you quote they become visible.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Sudfield's emergence is important because of our health issues at the TE position. It also doesn't hurt that he has nearly identical size to Gronk and should be a good blocker, coming from a block-first system in Nevada. The question is can he become more than just a blocker and also make plays in the passing game?

A lot of opportunities out there for roster spots this season, especially at the WR/TE positions. Hopefully some feel good stories turn into positive contributors once the regular season rolls around.

 

[patchick]

I don't get how anybody could read this thread and think "OMG, those starry-eyed homers are about to put another UDFA in Canton based on minicamp!"

Go back and actually read it again. I see a request for information about a UDFA who has garnered praise for his receiving skills, wondering if he might have a chance to make the roster. (To make the roster, not the Pro Bowl. UDFAs make the roster every single year.) Then others note that he has NFL measurables, with the major exception of strength, and that the big question mark will be his blocking. Then somebody points out that young TEs are often claimed off waivers in this TE-starved league. Pretty crazy stuff, huh?

Could it be that we WANT our fellow posters to be irrational, and figure that wishing makes it so?

 

[Zeus]

No great hopes or expectations for Sudfeld on my part, but if you buy a ticket, there's a chance you could win the lottery. Just ask the Houston Texans (Arian Foster) and the New York Giants (Victor Cruz).

 

[Julius]

why the edit?....stop flailing..I promise I'll leave you alone with your windmills

+1 for the Don Quixote reference.

 

[supafly]

No great hopes or expectations for Sudfeld on my part, but if you buy a ticket, there's a chance you could win the lottery. Just ask the Houston Texans (Arian Foster) and the New York Giants (Victor Cruz).

Right. The fact is that there will be UDFA's and lower round draft picks on this team this year. That is a fact. The question is simply where those players will line up and who they will specifically be.

In my opinion Sudfeld's chances will not only be about his ability to pick up the playbook and show the usual good character and work ethic, it will also likely coincide with at least one other decision regarding the choice to keep Fells and/or Hooman.

The need is always there for a young, big TE; especially at a time when we have some health concerns with other players at that position. If Sudfeld is able to show much of anything at all, he has a decent shot at making the team in my opinion.

 

[goheels22002]

His pro day numbers compare to Zach Ertz who was the 3rd pick of the second round. Ertz was a little faster, Sudfeld more explosive (BJ but especially VJ) and quickness numbers about the same. Sudfeld had a very bad 225 rep of 11; I guess he has long arms which can make that drill tough (not sure how his arm length compares to Ertz) but Ben Volin's column on Sunday had blocking numbers which suggested he's a good blocker.

The main reason he was undrafted was very sporadic play due to injuries. Looks like he needs to get stronger but we may have a real sleeper here if he can stay healthy.

ERTZ

Height: 6050
Weight: 249
40 Yrd Dash: 4.68
20 Yrd Dash: 2.64
10 Yrd Dash: 1.63
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 24
Vertical Jump: 30 1/2
Broad Jump: 09'03"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.47
3-Cone Drill: 7.08

SUDFELD

Height: 6066
Weight: 253
40 Yrd Dash: 4.78
20 Yrd Dash: 2.80
10 Yrd Dash: 1.65
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 11
Vertical Jump: 37
Broad Jump: 09'05"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.41
3-Cone Drill: 7.08

Couldn't resist looking at GRONK's numbers :

Height: 6062
Weight: 258
40 Yrd Dash: 4.68
20 Yrd Dash: 2.68
10 Yrd Dash: 1.58
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 23
Vertical Jump: 33 1/2
Broad Jump: 09'11"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.47
3-Cone Drill: 7.18

At the same size the numbers aren't too dissimilar. Now, I'm not saying anything, but the numbers are interesting.

If Sudfeld can add a little strength, the Pats will be fine at TE this year despite all the crap with Hernandez and Gronkowski.