Don't overlook the UDFA's
 

I was just reading a study in the Pro Football Weekly Draft Guide before I filed it. Sorry no link.

It was on the impact of UDFA's on NFL teams. The study was done for the 5 years 2004 through 2008 season. It showed that there is an average of 5.5 UDFA on all NFL 53 man rosters.

The Colts led with 12, Dallas had 10 and the Patriots 5.

I guess you can draw your own conclusions from this. But those player that the Patriots signed as UDFA's this year cannot be dismissed as just TC practice players.

Re: Don't overlook the UDFA's.
 

Hopefully Pat Pachall can be one of them. :)

Re: Don't overlook the UDFA's.
 

round by round roster:

Patriots roster by draft round - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

UNDRAFTED PLAYERS (22)
Robbie Agnone
Eric Alexander
Kyle Arrington
Leigh Bodden
Dan Connolly
Adrian Grady
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
Gary Guyton
Brian Hoyer
Darnell Jenkins
Mark LeVoir
Bret Lockett
Brandon McGowan
Marques Murrell
Rob Myers
Stephen Neal
Ron Ninkovich
David Patten
Wes Welker
Ryan Wendell
Pierre Woods
Mike Wright

Re: Don't overlook the UDFA's.
 

As far as potential to make the roster, special teams is the most traveled. I like Dane Fletcher and Buddy Farnham as special teamers. We have all heard that Buddy can make people miss and his agility numbers back that up. Dane is a TBC clone so I think he can pressure punters and cover kickoffs. I shouldn't count out Ross either.

Re: Don't overlook the UDFA's.
 

2010 Patriots Undrafted Rookie Signings

Monday, April 26, 2010

Dane Fletcher, DE/OLB, Montana State (6-2/250)
Fletcher looks to be a 3-4 OLB with the Patriots, and is the Big Sky leader in sacks. Great pickup by the Patriots, and we think he'll make the opening-day roster.

Bryan Anderson, WR, CMU (6-5/215)
Anderson has 4.58 speed, which, combined with his impressive size is nothing to sneeze at. A good blocker as well, Anderson has a chance of making the roster.

Sergio Brown, S, Notre Dame (6-1/204)
Safety with good athleticism and 4.45 speed. It is very crowded at safety, so he will have to try and make the practice squad.

Kyle Love, DL, Mississippi State (6-1/315)
Stout defender that looks to be a backup nose tackle. Another crowded position to try and earn a roster spot.

Ross Ventrone, S, Villanova (5-8/190)
A legacy pickup, as Raymond was once a Patriot himself. Hard-worker that plays bigger than his size.

Pat Paschall, RB, North Dakota State (6-0/210)
Smart, instinctive runner that will have a heckuva time trying to unseat one of the Patriots veteran RB's. Ran a poor 4.69, but looks faster on tape.
YouTube - North Dakota State running back Pat Paschall
Pat Paschall, North Dakota State, NFL Draft - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

John Wise, OL, Illinois (6-5/275)(Wrestler, Tryout)
It worked with Stephen Neal, so Coach Belichick is going back to the well. Wise played DL for Western Illinois in the 2004-2005 season.

Terrence Johnson, CB, California PA (5-10/190)

Buddy Farnham, WR, Brown (6-0/185)
http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-...mp-tryout.html

Re: Don't overlook the UDFA's.
 

I won't ignore the UDFA's as I consider various roster possbilities. I just don't think we'll have any.

The complete list has been posted, but I would think that we will have more than our share of uDFA's with at least: Arrington/Lockett, Bodden, Guyton, Hoyer, LeVoir, McGowan, Neal, Ninkovich, Welker, Woods and Wright.

It doesn't follow that any of our current rookie UDFA's will make the 53, or will be likely to do so. The norm for patriots is one or two rookie UDFA's, but we usually don't have 12 draftees. Our long-shot binkies were drafted in the 6th and 7th round. There is plenty to choose from.

Last year, we had one of our rookie UDA's on the roster. That was no surprise. Most of us through that Hoyer had a reasonable chance at a roster spot as soon as we was signed. He was not a surprise to make the roster.

Sure, Paschall has a chance to unseat the mighty Green-Ellis, if we choose to keep five running backs. I think it more likely that we will keep four, and sign a veteran free agent if Morris is released.

Re: Don't overlook the UDFA's.
 

So if I'm not mistaken, these bold ones are the players who saw quite a bit of playing time last season (but not going to highlight people who will most likely do nothing this year like Springs):

FIRST ROUND (9)
Logan Mankins
Laurence Maroney
Jerod Mayo
Brandon Meriweather
Randy Moss (MIN)
Shawn Springs (SEA)
Fred Taylor (JAX)
Ty Warren
Vince Wilfork

SECOND ROUND (8)
Ron Brace
Darius Butler
Patrick Chung (not too sure but highlighted him anyway)
Alge Crumpler (ATL) (borderline but not highlighting him--we have 2 decent rookies, probably)
Kevin Faulk
Matt Light
Sebastian Vollmer
Terrence Wheatley (less so than Wilhite, but I'm not highlighting either because McCourty is taking over as nickelback)

THIRD ROUND (5)
Shawn Crable (might contribute this year but has shown exactly zero proof that he can play so far)
Bruce Davis (PIT)
Nick Kaczur (I don't see him starting this year)
Tyrone McKenzie (we have Spikes now, otherwise I'd highlight)
Brandon Tate (out of all the players who have done nothing, I expect Tate to do the most as we don't have a ton of WR depth)

FOURTH ROUND (6)
Sam Aiken (BUF) (I want him gone to be honest but he has done quite a bit on ST, am I right?)
Stephen Gostkowski
Rich Ohrnberger
James Sanders
Isaiah Stanback (DAL)
Jonathan Wilhite (see what I put for Wheatley--Wilhite will probably be dimeback)

FIFTH ROUND (6)
George Bussey
Dan Koppen
Sammy Morris (BUF)
Jeff Rowe (CIN)
Matthew Slater (special teamer but I don't expect him to make the roster this year)
Thomas Williams (JAC)

SIXTH ROUND (4)
Tom Brady
Jake Ingram
Myron Pryor (showed more promise than Brace did, he'll probably see a moderate amount of time)
Adalius Thomas (BAL) (good riddance! :singing:)

SEVENTH ROUND (3)
Tully Banta-Cain
Julian Edelman
Darryl Richard

UNDRAFTED PLAYERS (22)
Robbie Agnone
Eric Alexander
Kyle Arrington (you guys seem to be very high on him as a ST player)
Leigh Bodden
Dan Connolly
Adrian Grady
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
Gary Guyton (thanks to Spikes he'll most likely have to compete with McKenzie for the spot as third ILB)
Brian Hoyer (I see him being a decent backup and almost a lock for the 53 man roster, but for obvious reasons, I'm not highlighting)
Darnell Jenkins
Mark LeVoir
Bret Lockett
Brandon McGowan
Marques Murrell
Rob Myers
Stephen Neal
Ron Ninkovich
David Patten
Wes Welker
Ryan Wendell
Pierre Woods (not too sure about this guy)
Mike Wright

Why is BB so bad at drafting in the third round?

Re: Don't overlook the UDFA's.
 

he got a starting tackle from the 3rd, and we have no idea about tate or mckenzie yet.

Re: Don't overlook the UDFA's.
 

I think Paschall could unseat one of BJGE, Taylor, or Morris.

I'd rather BJGE and Paschall than Morris (age 33) and Taylor (age 34).

Re: Don't overlook the UDFA's.
 

^^ummm..When on the field, Morris is our best RB.