Undrafted? No problem
Pats champion rookie free agents’ cause
During draft season the focus of the NFL world is primarily on the top prospects that are selected in the first round. But many of the players that make up NFL rosters have to wait until after the draft to find their new homes.
In fact, at the start of last season there were more undrafted free agents on rosters (481) than first- and second-round picks (480), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
And there’s no better team at turning undrafted players into future stars than the Patriots.
Over the last 10 seasons, undrafted players have logged nearly 54,000 snaps for the Patriots, the most in the NFL during that span. But it’s not just the sheer number of snaps that’s impressive, as the Pats also lead the NFL in games started (758) by undrafted players since 2007.
The prime example of the Patriots plucking an unknown commodity who went undrafted and turning him into a big contributor is cornerback Malcolm Butler. Along with his two Super Bowl rings, one of which he secured with a game-saving interception against Seattle, are the 2,088 snaps he amassed in the last two seasons to lead all Pats defenders.
Butler, who just signed his restricted free agent tender after being recruited by the New Orleans Saints, may be the best example, but he’s just one of many undrafted players that have found success with the Patriots.
Wide receiver Wes Welker never heard his name called on draft weekend. Neither did running back LeGarrette Blount. Or receiver Danny Amendola. Or receiver Chris Hogan. Or David Andrews, who was the starting center for the Patriots last season.
Welker was a role player for much of his first three seasons in the NFL during stints with the Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers. The pesky slot receiver found his way to New England via trade and ended his Pats career with the second-most receiving yards in team history (7,459), trailing only team legend Stanley Morgan.
Blount spent the better part of the last four seasons with the Pats and tallied 36 rushing touchdowns, the second most in the NFL in that time. Amendola just restructured his contract again to remain with the team and has been a solid contributor to two Super Bowl winners. Hogan had a breakout 2016 season capped off by his stellar performance in the AFC Championship Game (180 yards, two touchdowns). And Andrews has started 27 of the Patriots last 32 regular-season games.
The Patriots had three undrafted free agents they brought in last spring who played for the team en route to Super Bowl LI. Running back D.J. Foster (three games) and defensive tackle Woodrow Hamilton (two) played small roles, but in cornerback Jonathan Jones they may have found a diamond in the rough. Jones played in all 16 regular-season games and was a key contributor on special teams while showing promise at corner.
For the first time in the Bill Belichick era, the Patriots — at this point, a week out from the draft — don’t have a pick in the first two rounds.
That could change if the right trade winds blow.
But even if the Pats are shut out of the early rounds, don’t sleep on the players the team adds even after all the names have been called. Sometimes those guys can make a big impact.