April 24 in Pats History: Matt Light retires, and the player in the East-West Shrine game logo

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Today in Patriots History
Matt Light Retires; Jim Massey; Mike Esposito​

April 24, 2012:
The Patriots officially placed 33 year old LT Matt Light on the reserve/retired list. After being selected in the second round of the 2001 draft Light played his entire pro football career with the Patriots, serving as quarterback Tom Brady's blind side protector. Light was a first-team All-Pro in 2007 and a member of the AFC Pro Bowl team in 2006 and '07. He played his college football at Purdue, where he was left tackle for another future Hall of Fame quarterback: Drew Brees.




Happy 73rd birthday to Jim Massey
Born April 24, 1948 in McMinnville, Oregon
Patriot CB, 1974-1975; uniform #47

Massey had an unusual path to the NFL. He went to tiny Neah-Kah-Nie High School (enrollment of 230 students) on the north Oregon coast. He enrolled at the University of Oregon but felt out of place at such a comparatively large school. Massey then transferred to Linfield College, which was an NAIA school (now Division III). He rushed for 1,709 yards and scored 21 touchdowns, earning the nickname "The Mule" for his toughness

The Rams drafted Massey in the tenth round (251st overall) but he was cut after the sixth preseason game. He spent one season with the CFL's BC Lions and then signed with the Patriots in April of 1974; he played in one game but then went on IR with an ankle injury. Massey was a standout on special teams, playing in all 14 games in 1975 with one start. He missed all of '76 with another injury and retired in 1977. After returning to school to get his masters, Massey worked as a data processing manager.

Linfield Wildcats Hall of Fame member Jim Massey

Wildcatville: Jim Massey's NFL experience




One other pro football player born on this date with a New England connection:

Happy 68th birthday to Mike Esposito
Born April 24, 1953

Esposito was born in Everett and grew up in Wilmington. He went to Boston College and set school records for single season rushing yards, career rushing yards and touchdowns. The Falcons drafted Esposito in the 7th round (159th overall) in 1975. He played for the Falcons until 1978, primarily on special teams and as a fullback, appearing in 42 games with two touchdowns.

A photo taken at a hospital prior to the 1974 East-West Shrine Game with Esposito in it is still used today as the game's official logo.

Michael Esposito - Boston College Athletics, Varsity Club Hall of Fame

Ex-Wilmington High football star's invention is on the level | Lowell Sun

Story Behind the Logo | Shrine Game

After all of these years, Mike Esposito is still a very big deal in Wilmington - The football career and story of the greatest Wildcat player

 

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April 24 Drafts
Willie McGinest, two convicts and ... ​

April 24, 1988: Day One (rounds 1-7) of the NFL Draft, from the New York Marriott Marquis
Apparently the Louisiana/Mississippi regional scout had quite an influence on Raymond Berry.

• RB John Stephens, NW Louisiana State (round 1, #17)
• ILB Vincent Brown, Mississippi Valley St (round 2, #43)
• OT Tom Rehder, Notre Dame (round 3, #69)
• NT Tim Goad, North Carolina (round 4, #87) [pick from trade with Bucs for either an '87 5th, or Darryl Haley; conflicting info]
• Traded rights to Rich Gannon to Minnesota, for a 4th (#97) and 11th round pick
• WR Sammy Martin, Louisiana State (round 4, #97)
• K Teddy Garcia, NE Louisiana State (round 4, #100)
• G Troy Wolkow, Minnesota (round 5, #115) [this pick was received from Raiders for Brian Holloway, 9/2/87)
• Traded 5th round pick (#127) to Washington, for a 1999 4th (Maurice Hurst)
• TE Steve Johnson, Virginia Tech (6th round, #154)
• WR Darryl Usher, Illinois (7th round, #181)

April 24, 1989: Day Two (rounds 6-12) of the NFL Draft, from the New York Marriott Marquis

• RB Eric Mitchell, Oklahoma (round 6, #165) [from trade down previous day with Oakland]
• LB Eric Lindstrom, Boston College (round 7, #178) [part of 1979 Brian Holloway trade with Oakland]
• (7th round pick traded previous year to San Diego for Thomas Benson)
• CB Rodney Rice, BYU (round 8, #210)
• S Tony Zackery, Washington (round 8, #223) [from trade down previous day with Oakland]
• RB Darron Norris, Texas (round 9, #240)
• C Curtis Wilson, Missouri (round 9, #247) [from 1988 trade down with Minnesota]
• DT Emanuel McNeil, Tennessee-Martin (round 10, #267)
• RB Tony Hinz, Harvard (round 11, #294)
• LB Aaron Chubb, Georgia (round 12, #324)

April 24, 1994: Day One (rounds 1-3) of the NFL Draft, from Marriott Marquis in NYC

• LB/DE Willie McGinest, USC (round 1, #4 overall)
• WR Kevin Lee, Alabama (round 2, #35)
• Pats trade their 3rd wound pick (#70) and a 5th (#137) to San Diego for a 3rd (#78) and RB Marion Butts
• DT Ervin Collier, Florida A&M (round 3, #78) [pick from traded above]
• C Joe Burch, Texas Southern (round 3, #90) [one of two picks (Todd Rucci) received from Miami in Irving Fryar trade 4/1/93]

Fortunately for the Pats, Willie evolved from what for a while looked to be a bust into a great player; out of those twelve players from the '94 draft, he and Max Lane (drafted next day in 6th round) were the only noteworthy additions.



April 24, 2005: Day Two (rounds 4-7) of the NFL Draft

• 4.133 -- S James Sanders, Fresno State
• Pats trade out, sending 5.145 and 6.206 to Detroit for a 2006 4th
• 5.170 -- LB Ryan Claridge, UNLV (compensatory pick for Ted Washington)
• Pats trade up, sending 6.195 and 7.246 to Green Bay for 6.175
• Pats trade down, sending 6.175 to Oakland for 7.230 and 2006 5th
• 7.230 -- QB Matt Cassell, USC
• 7.255 -- TE Andy Stokes, William Penn (compensatory pick for Bobby Hamilton)

April 24, 2010: Day Three (rounds 4-7) of the NFL Draft
4.113 -- TE Aaron Hernandez, Florida
5.150 -- P Zoltan Mesko, Michigan
6.205 -- C/G Ted Larsen, NC State (compensatory for Heath Evans)
Pats trade up, sending 7.229 and 7.231 to Washington for 7.208
7.208 -- OT Thomas Welch, Vanderbilt
7.247 -- DT Brandon Deaderick, Alabama (compensatory pick for Jabar Gaffney)
7.248 -- DT Kade Weston, Georgia (compensatory pick for Larry Izzo)
7.250 -- QB Zac Robinson, Oklahoma State (compensatory pick for LaMont Jordan/Lonie Paxton)



April 24, 2020: Day Two (rounds 2-3) of the NFL Draft

• 2.37 -- S Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne
• (2.55 previously traded to Atlanta for WR Mohamed Sanu)
• Pats trade up, sending 2.71 and 3.98 to Baltimore for 2.60 and 4.129
• 2.60 -- OLB Josh Uche, Michigan
• 3.87 -- OLB Anfernee Jennings, Alabama
• Pats trade up, sending 3.100, 4.139 and 5.172 to Houston for 3.91 and 5.159
• 3.91 -- TE Devin Asiasi, UCLA
• Pats trade up, sending 4.125, 4.129 and a 2021 6th to the Jets for 3.101
• 3.101 -- TE Dalton Keene, Virginia Tech

 

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April 24, 1998: Patriots sign free agents Jim Murphy Jr., Kato Serwanga, Scott Dragos and Terry Billups.

Serwanga was a safety who had three interceptions, three sacks and 82 tackles for the Pats in 31 games for the Pats, and played in the NFL through 2003. Dragos is from Rochester Mass and went to BC; he didn't stick with the Pats but did play for a couple years with Chicago. Billups spent a brief amount of time on the Pats practice squad, and appeared in a couple games for the Patriots in '99.