New England has made an annual habit of holding on to at least one undrafted free agent (UDFA) who had to wait out seven rounds of the draft before booking a plane ticket. Below, we review some of the guys reportedly signed by the Pats who might want to check out properties in the Foxboro area.

Plus, at my reader’s request (note the singular), a return of high school fun facts!

The Zach Pack: Nevada’s Zach Sudfeld (6-7, 253) offers another big target at tight end for Patriots camp, potentially giving Rob Gronkowski some rest.

Why undrafted: Sudfeld had only 11 bench reps at his pro day, a low output for a tight end. He was also injured plenty at Nevada, missing both the 2008 and 2011 seasons. The NCAA granted him a sixth year of eligibility.

Why invited: He showed decent speed (4.84 40) and good quickness (7.00-second 3-cone) at his pro day. Was third on the Wolf Pack in receptions with 45, averaging 13.3 yards per catch, and led the team in TD grabs with eight.

High School Fun Fact: Sudfeld lettered in football, track and field, basketball and tennis at Modesto Christian High in California.

Run As Fast As You, Ken: Wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins (6-1, 193) out of Cincinnati will get a once-over this spring as New England continues to revamp their pass-catching corps.

Why undrafted: While Thompkins had some production for the Bearcats, his stats won’t wow many – 34 catches, 541 yards, two touchdowns. Also had a mere eight reps on the bench at the combine.

Why invited: Some quick math on the above stats (or, for us English majors, a quick glimpse at his player page) shows he averaged 15.9 yards per reception. Thompkins also ran a 4.46-second 40 and had a 6.88-second 3-cone drill, solid numbers, both. Also had a decent game vs. Rutgers, and heaven knows, all roads to Foxboro go through Rutgers.

High School (and College) Fun Fact: While attending Miami Northwestern in Florida, Thompkins fell in with a bad crowd and got arrested a few times. He didn’t consider playing football again until, inspired by his younger brother Kendal going to the Miami Hurricanes, he went to El Camino Community College for two years and became a co-captain on the gridiron.

Original Cincy: Running back Quentin Hines (5-10, 194) out of Akron (and other places – see below), offers depth as a smaller back and return option for the Patriots.

Why undrafted: Hines has had a – shall we say – interesting go of it, attending Cincinnati (three years), Murray State (spring semester) and Akron (one year). Did little for the Zips, averaging fewer than three carries per game.

Why invited: Averaged over 5.5 yards per carry. Plus, wowed at his pro day, running a 4.40-second 40, leaping a whopping 42.5-inch vertical and an eye-opening 11.5-foot broad jump. Seriously – take a 10-foot hoop, lay it down on the ground, and jump 18 inches beyond it. Ridiculous.

High School Fun Fact: Hines rushed for 1,491 yards and 21 TDs as a senior at Mt. Clemens High in Detroit. He also ran the 100-meter dash in 10.6 seconds.

For Those About To Walk, We Saluki: Well, apparently the rumors of Southern Illinois longsnapper Jason Stegman coming to Foxboro turned out to be false. Such a shame: we really liked that reference.

Morris The Cat: Nittany Lion cornerback Stephon Morris (5-8, 188) will compete for a special teams slot while hoping to add depth to the Patriots’ defensive back group.

Why undrafted: Height-wise, Morris leaves a bit to be desired. He also tallied zero interceptions last year.

Why invited: Myriad reasons. First, he had five pass breakups, five passes defensed, and 1.5 sacks. Second, he ran a 4.35-second 40 at his pro day. Third, with former Pats offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien now at Penn State, the locals must have gotten a solid heads-up.

High School Fun Fact: Morris was a three-year football captain at Eleanor Roosevelt High in Greenbelt, Maryland, where he played corner, running back and kick returner.

Look, Kids: Big Ben! Tennessee fullback Ben Bartholomew (6-2, 245) could become the prototypical run-blocker that New England has lacked since Fred McCrary in 2002.

Why undrafted: It seems that coaches always believe they can fill the fullback spot with players from other positions, from tight ends to offensive linemen to linebackers. Also, Bartholomew had exactly two carries his entire college career.

Why invited: Maybe the above sentence isn’t such a bad thing, as it means the man’s a devoted blocker. Bartholomew did catch 11 passes for 102 yards last year and filled in at tight end. His 4.75-second 40 is noteworthy considering his size, and his 30 bench reps mean he can take on NFL linebackers.

High School Fun Fact: At Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Bartholomew won the state shot put championship (51 feet, two inches) and the state wrestling championship (215-pound division) in 2007.

Jonesing For One More Knight: Cornerback Brandon Jones (6-0, 191) out of – big surprise – Rutgers, joins about sixty thousand other Scarlet Knights in Patriots camp.

Why undrafted: Jones probably got overlooked playing alongside Logan Ryan and some other more notable defenders, most of whom live in Foxboro now. He also had some injury issues in school. Posted a mediocre 40 time (4.56 seconds).

Why invited: The big reason begins with an “R” and ends with an “-utgers.” But Jones did start for two years on a strong defense and had five interceptions and nine pass break-ups in 2012. Also showed some quickness in his pro day drills (4.08 20-yard shuttle, 6.76 3-cone drill). Strong special-teamer.

High School Fun Fact: At Winslow Township High in New Jersey, Jones played both sides of the ball his senior year, picking off eight passes and returning two for touchdowns while notching 47 receptions for 997 yards. Also averaged almost 17 yards per punt return.

A Sandwich Is A Sandwich, But A Stankiewitch Is The Deal: Center Matt Stankiewitch (6-3, 302) out of Penn State could add some insurance to the interior line, a needy part of the Patriots’ roster.

Why undrafted: Scouts viewed this as a meh year for centers. Not a huge guy (relatively speaking). Displayed little speed at his pro day, running a 5.42-second 40.

Why invited: Oh, where to begin? Stankewitch led Penn State’s offense, which – again, due to the Coach O’Brien connection – had a lot of similarities to what he’ll see in Foxboro. Had 27 bench reps at the combine, a respectable O-line number. Was named All-Big Ten First Team by conference coaches. Started at center for the past two years and played guard as a sophomore.

High School Fun Fact: Playing center and D-line for Blue Mountain High in Pennsylvania, Stankiewitch was named the Berks Inter-County League Offensive Lineman of the Year and the Reading Eagle All-Anthracite Defensive Player of the Year.

In The Midnight Hour, We Cried Moe, Moe, Moe: Missouri wide receiver T. J. Moe (5-11, 204) will fill out an ever-growing field of pass-catchers for the Patriots, likely in a flanker role.

Why undrafted: At the combine, Moe ran a 4.74-second 40. Though he bettered that at his pro day (4.62), he may have fallen off some lists. Had only 40 receptions for 399 yards in 2012. Also, judging by this past offseason, flanker doesn’t seem like a coveted slot in the NFL. (Literally.)

Why invited: The guy’s got quicks, with a 3.96-second 20-yard shuttle and a 6.53-second 3-cone drill (for comparison, Julian Edelman had 3.92 and 6.62, respectively). Let’s wrap up this part with NFL.com scout Gil Brandt’s quote from Missouri’s pro day: “Moe has very good hands and reminds you a lot of Wes Welker.”

High School Fun Fact: Moe played QB at Fort Zumwalt West High in Missouri, where his senior year he passed for – if you have a hat, hold onto it – 2,557 yards and 31 touchdowns and ran for – seriously, hold on – 2,029 yards and 30 touchdowns.

A Serious Load Of Bull: Defensive tackle Cory Grissom (6-1, 306) out of South Florida could help inject some youth into an aging interior defensive line.

Why undrafted: At 6-1, Grissom’s a bit undersized (a funny word to use for a 300-pounder, but still). Though he did well for the Bulls, the Big East football conference doesn’t receive much national attention. None of his combine numbers stand out.

Why invited: Coach Belichick loves him some South Florida football. Grissom made the All-Big East Second Team, and he excelled against solid competition (including two sacks vs. Florida State).

High School Fun Fact: Grissom lettered in football for three years and wrestling for two years at Troup County High in LaGrange, Georgia.

Elvis Was A Hero To Most, But He Never Meant It To Me: Ah, had to go with a little Public Enemy there. Here’s hoping Missouri offensive tackle Elvis Fisher (6-5, 296) gets to mean something to Foxboro fans.

Why undrafted: Fisher hurt his knee last September and missed several games. That setback came after having been granted a hardship year due to a season-ending knee injury in 2011.

Why invited: Started all 40 games at left tackle over his first three years. Ran a respectable 5.13-second 40 at his pro day. Served as team captain for the Tigers over the past two seasons. A little underweight, but could be a rewarding project.

High School Fun Fact: While at St. Petersburg Catholic High in Florida, Fisher was ranked number 53 on the Super Prep list of the U.S.’s top offensive tackles.

His Game Is Afoot: Punter Ryan Allen (6-2, 215) of Louisiana Tech will compete with Patriot Zoltan Mesko throughout the preseason. Allen gives coaches and players a different look at a special teams position.

Why undrafted: He’s a punter. No offense. (Get it?)

Why invited: Allen won the Ray Guy Award as the best college punter in the nation the past two years in a row. If you’ve ever heard Coach Belichick talk about Ray Guy, you understand his interest. Averaged 48.4 yards per punt and notched an 85-yarder at New Mexico State, the longest anywhere in 2012.

High School (and College) Fun Fact: Allen only played two years of football but lettered twice as a kicker and punter at West Salem High in Oregon. He redshirted at Oregon State in 2008 but left there after riding the pine as a backup in 2009.

As Tough As Ford Knocks: Clemson tight end Brandon Ford (6-3, 245) looks like a smaller hybrid type who could demonstrate some versatility in New England’s offense.

Why undrafted: A combine snub, Ford failed to wow at his pro day, running a 4.74-second 40 and benching 225 pounds 17 times. Size-wise, he looks like a ’tweener, though he did gain 10 pounds after the season.

Why invited: An All-ACC First Team pick by both coaches and media, Ford had eight touchdown receptions in 2012 and caught 40 passes for 480 yards. Also excelled against tough competition, catching five passes for 51 yards against Auburn and four for 69 at Florida State.

High School Fun Fact: Besides playing football at Hanahan High in South Carolina, Ford was MVP of the basketball team and also ran the 100- and 200-meter events for the track squad.

Just In The Time Of Nick: Michigan State offensive guard Chris McDonald (6-4, 300) joins brother (and current Patriot lineman) Nick in Foxboro. After the position got overlooked during the draft, New England has bolstered it in rookie free agency.

Why undrafted: Similar to Stankiewitch’s situation, this draft never had a big run on interior linemen as teams seemed less than overwhelmed by available centers and guards.

Why invited: First and foremost, we have to assume that the Pats like what they’ve seen in his brother. For his part, the younger McDonald started his last 30 games in a row at right guard and earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. He also had a noteworthy pro day, running his first 40 in under five seconds and benching 225 pounds 31 times.

High School Fun Fact: McDonald played both offensive and defensive line at Henry Ford II High in Sterling Heights, Michigan. His 22 career sacks broke the school record.

Offensively In Kline: Kent State offensive guard Josh Kline (6-3, 307) jumps on the rookie free agent O-line bandwagon. Coach Dante Scarnecchia is driving, so behave yourselves.

Why undrafted: Julian Edelman notwithstanding, Kent State has never been a hotbed of NFL draft activity. Add to that the aforementioned note of interior lineman getting picked later, and Kline’s quiet Saturday afternoon makes sense.

Why invited: Named to the All-MAC Second Team, Kline helped the Golden Flashes (definitely a Top Ten mascot) become the nation’s 11^th-ranked rushing offense. He also garnered attention at his pro day, running the 40 in 5.06 seconds, the 20-yard shuttle in 4.59 seconds, and putting up 225 pounds 25 times. Also showed position flexibility by playing right tackle his junior year.

High School Fun Fact: Besides excelling in football at Mason High in Ohio, Kline also posted a 45-1 record wrestling his senior year, winning the state title.

The Place That Launched A Thousand Hits: Troy has had a number of solid defenders enter the league; safety Kanorris Davis (5-9, 211) hopes to add his name to that list.

Why undrafted: Davis played the season as a linebacker and looks to make the transition to safety. His lack of both size and top-line speed (4.57 40) have set him back.

Why invited: If the dude played linebacker at 5-9, you know he’s tough. Showed some athleticism with a 37.5-inch vertical and a 7.07-second 3-cone drill. Made the All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team with 62 solo tackles on the season. Had an impact on special teams.

High School Fun Fact: For his career at Perry High in Georgia, Davis tallied 398 tackles, 24 sacks and eight forced fumbles. He was a two-time all-state selection.

Here Comes Dewayne Again: At 6-2, 345 pounds, defensive lineman/condominium Dwayne Cherrington of Mississippi State seems memorable. New England has gone with smaller, speedier D-linemen of late; Cherrington could add some bulk to the inside.

Why undrafted: Teams seeking faster defenses these days have less of a demand for Cherrington’s services. He ran a very slow 40 at 5.57 seconds. Failed to open eyes on the stats page with just 24 tackles last year for the Bulldogs.

Why invited: The Patriots drafted Vince Wilfork in 2004. Time to inject some youth into the position and see if Cherrington can hold down the middle. His 36 bench reps show he might prove up for the challenge.

High School (and College) Fun Fact: Cherrington attended Central Gwinnett High in Georgia and played both sides of the ball at Holmes Community College in Mississippi.

A Cup Of Joe With The Patriots? Maryland defensive lineman Joe Vellano (6-1, 306) hopes to stick around Gillette a while. He adds another penetrating interior presence to New England’s 4-3 defense.

Why undrafted: Vellano lacks what scouts call length, which I believe is a fancy way of saying he’s not all that tall. Doesn’t have a ton of straight-line speed: ran a 5.35-second 40. Was listed at 285 pounds in his college program.

Why invited: The stout pass-rusher was named to the All-ACC First Team by both coaches and the media. He compiled 61 tackles, including 14 for loss (six sacks). At his pro day he demonstrated some quickness for his size (4.47-second 20-yard shuttle, 7.58-second 3-cone). Also had 27 bench reps.

High School (and College)Fun Fact: Vellano captained his team at Christian Brothers Academy in Albany, NY. After being named an All-American his junior year in college, Vellano and his father Paul (Maryland class of 1974) became the first father-son duo to each receive such an honor in ACC school history.

Which of New England’s UDFAs will you be rooting for this summer? Comment below.

You can email Chris Warner at [email protected] or tweet @cwarn89

We at Boston Sports Media Watch couldn’t do much without the actual Boston sports media, so we figured we’d get a few of our locals involved in a New England draft review.

Joining Bruce Allen and Chris Warner in the discussion are Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston’s Patriots blog, Chris Price of WEEI.com’s It Is What It Is blog, and Chad Finn of Boston.com’s Touching All The Bases.

A brief rundown of this past weekend’s picks/moves…

THE BIG TRADE

New England traded their first-round pick (29^th overall) to Minnesota for a second (52), third (83), fourth (102) and seventh (229), setting in motion an array of selections that must have warmed the cockles of Bill Belichick’s heart.

THE SMALL TRADE

The Patriots traded running back/returner Jeff Demps and pick 229 to Tampa Bay for running back LaGarrette Blount.

THE PICKS

Round Two (52): Jamie Collins, Southern Mississippi DE/OLB

Round Two (59): Aaron Dobson, Marshall WR

Round Three (83): Logan Ryan, Rutgers DB

Round Three (91): Duron Harmon, Rutgers DB

Round Four (102): Josh Boyce, TCU WR

Round Seven (226): Michael Buchanan, Illinois DE

Round Seven (235): Steve Beauharnais, Rutgers LB

We’re going to avoid overall grades here, but we’ll stick with a school premise, rating the moves like we would the condition of a textbook. (Note to our younger readers: a textbook is like an analog website.)

Here’s what rates, and how:

EXCELLENT

Bruce Allen: Trading out of the first – If Ron Borges and Tony Massarotti hate something the Patriots do, I know they did the right thing. Also, the more I read and hear about Dobson, I’m going away from my initial impression, which was Taylor Price, and towards someone who might be able to actually get on the field and be a threat. Physically and skill-wise he fits the bill. Belichick raved about his smarts and recall, so that encourages me too.

Man, I also love the Boyce pick, maybe even more than Dobson. His profile seems to remind me of David Givens, a strong, physical, tough receiver with smarts. Sounds like he could even potentially pick up some of Aaron Hernandez’s routes should the TE go down during the season.

Chris Warner: After watching how the weekend shook out, I put the big trade in this category. Sometimes we roll our eyes when we hear the term “value” tossed around, but it’s difficult to imagine any one player having as much potential impact in Foxboro as Collins, Ryan, Boyce and Blount (via trade). Moving down surprised no one, mostly because it made a lot of sense.

Mike Reiss: The double-dip at receiver. We don’t know if Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce will pan out, but personally am intrigued by the “redo” at the position. Both have physical traits that can be cultivated, and while there has rightfully been talk about the team’s struggle to draft and develop receivers, now it’s up to the coaches and I think they are excellent (Bill Belichick, Josh McDaniels, Brian Daboll and Co.).

Chris Price: Josh Boyce. I love the choice of Boyce in the fourth round. I talked to his high school coach (Boyce was on the same high school team with RG3), and he said that if Boyce doesn’t become a star in the league, he’d buy me a steak. I’m used to talking to high school coaches who love to inject a little hyperbole when it comes to their players who make the league, but this is different. (He did add that if Boyce had some better quarterbacking play in 2012, he would have been a first- or second-rounder.) A physical combine freak who also graduated in three years? And in the fourth round? Why not? Only question with Boyce is that he might be too smart for his own good.

Aaron Dobson. Anyone who can make a catch like he did against East Carolina last year deserves some attention. A big physical receiver who has some positional versatility, he’s the tallest receiver ever drafted by Bill Belichick, which I think represents a traditional change in approach, at least when it comes to how the Patriots identify their wide receivers. (At 6-foot-3, technically, he’s the same size as P.K. Sam.) Belichick also raved about his smarts as soon as he came off the board. Based on the fact that the receiver position is in a state of flux right now, he’s going to get plenty of chances. In the short term, his best course of action might be to jump on a plane to California, take a cab to the USC campus and wait for Tom Brady to show up.

Chad Finn: Aaron Dobson wasn’t one of the wide receivers who was most often projected as a potential Patriot in this draft, at least in my recollection. But man, you read about his attributes – intelligence, the ability to stretch the field despite not being a true burner, dependable hands, disciplined route-running, a knack for the spectacular ­– and it’s easy to envision him as the receiver who will end the Patriots’ less than glorious recent history of drafting receivers in this round. And anyone who might make us forget about Chad Jackson works for me.

Trading the No. 29 pick for four selections – including second-, third-, and fourth-round selections – was a no-brainer, even if it meant we’d have to spend Friday morning listening to a cacophony of sports radio callers caterwaul about Belichick’s (exaggerated) willingness to trade down in the draft. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but a word of warning: I remember every single one of you who complained when he passed up Sergio Kindle to take Rob Gronkowski three years ago. Every single one.

Jeff Demps is this year’s winner of the Michael Bishop Award as the player whose hype-to-contribution ratio is the most out of whack. Had to figure once he revealed that football wasn’t entirely his priority over track that he might be sent on his way. To get LaGarrette Blount, a big back who has had NFL success, in exchange seems like a worthwhile lottery ticket at worst and a coup at best.

GOOD

Chris Warner: Though it took me by surprise, I appreciate the Collins pick. The Pats needed to grow more athletic at linebacker and he fits that description, running a 4.59-second 40 and leaping a ridiculous 41.5 inches at the combine. The Pats should be able to utilize his versatility. Also, as much as I liked Markus Wheaton (and I know I’m not the only one), taking Dobson makes a lot of sense. A speedy, lanky outside receiver who happens to hail from Marshall? Why not? While I have some questions about Boyce’s consistency, his eye-popping athleticism gets him here, as well as the Pats going all out to address the outside receiver position. Finally, Beauharnais and Buchanan seem like better-than-average seventh-round defense/special teams pickups.

Bruce Allen: I too was a bit surprised by the Collins pick, though I shouldn’t have been, and have no right to be. I purposely stayed away from really getting immersed in this draft, simply because we never can predict what the team is going to do. That said, after hearing Lou Merloni mutter angrily for months about getting a “damn coverage linebacker” – even though Matt Chatham has said there is no such animal – this looks like a pick somewhat in that vein. Physically, Collins reminds me a bit of Gary Guyton, but Guyton, for all his speed, could not cover anyone. Collins has experience in the secondary, and his speed and athleticism both as a pass rusher and a pass defender has me intrigued. Buchanan seems like exactly the type of player you use a seventh-round pick on. Good potential, needs work, some trouble in the background, but has promise.

Mike Reiss: Logan Ryan. While I had them pegged for an interior offensive lineman at that point (83rd) – and thought Tennessee’s Dallas Thomas would have been a good fit before he was nabbed by the Dolphins – Ryan is a tough player who adds depth at a critical position. Can never have enough cornerbacks, Aqib Talib is a free agent after the season, and there should be immediate special teams contributions.

Chris Price: Steve Beauharnais. Talk to people associated with the Rutgers program, and while they acknowledge he’s not blessed with the greatest physical tools, they all praise his leadership, his character and his approach to the game. He’s certainly not going to take reps away from Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes or Dont’a Hightower. But he could provide depth at the spot and find a role on special teams, potentially battling with someone like Tracy White for playing time, while working into the mix as a possible option as an occasional option as a coverage linebacker.

Chad Finn: The Patriots drafted 27.3 percent of last season’s starting Rutgers defense. Of their three new Scarlet Knights, the one with the most potential to contribute immediately is the first one selected, No. 83 overall choice Logan Ryan, a bright, instinctive cornerback with 4.45 speed.

Loved this comment from No. 103 overall pick Josh Boyce, a wide receiver from TCU: “I’m really smart so I think I can pick up things pretty quick.” The confidence is encouraging. But I’m going to wait Tom Brady tells us he’s smart and is picking things up pretty quick before believing we’ll see much of him on Sundays this year.

Steve Beauharnais doesn’t have the ideal measurables, but he was the unquestioned leader of the Rutgers defense, and at the very least the 235th overall pick should fill the Tracy White role on special teams, with his intelligence and instincts giving him a chance to be something more.

FAIR

Chris Warner: In terms of Ryan, I understand the coach’s love of Rutgers players – after all, he helped raise one. Still, do they need another Scarlet Knight corner who’s primed to convert to safety next year? New England gave up more long passes than most other teams; seems like a speedier backfield defender would be in order. I’d also use the word “fair” – meaning both so-so and reasonable – to describe the Demps/Blount trade. Once Demps started favoring track, he became Dead Man Sprinting. Would have been interesting to see a pick at 229, but at least the Pats get a past producer in Blount.

Bruce Allen: I guess I’ll lump the Rutgers duo in here together, though I like adding depth to the secondary. With Harmon, the first thing I heard from several media was that they had nothing on him, he wasn’t even in their draft books. Well, rather than saying the Patriots are reaching, I think it illustrates the point about what an inexact science the draft is. Every year undrafted players come in, make rosters, and some become huge stars. Simply put, it’s impossible to put a definite evaluation on every player eligible for the draft. The Patriots do their own evaluation, and obviously don’t subscribe to the outside draft publications. So when I hear a borderline media type state with 100% certainty that this was an awful pick, and that even if he turns out to be a good player it was poor pick, I just have to laugh. I also heard the question about why is Greg Schiano passing on all his former players, but Belichick is gobbling them up. Something that occurred to me was that perhaps Harmon was taken where he was because Tampa was up before the Patriots’ next pick. Who knows? Maybe Beauharnais was taken in the seventh so that the Patriots wouldn’t have to compete with Tampa for him as an UDFA? If they’re taking someone where they are, I’m guessing they have a reason for it.

Mike Reiss: Trading for LeGarrette Blount. As a player, there’s plenty to like, and the value of the trade was more than reasonable. The “concern” is the non-football stuff with Blount. In one breath, we can praise some of the Patriots’ picks because they are players who do things the right way (Duron Harmon), but if we’re going to do that, we have to be consistent and mention that Blount has been at the opposite end of the spectrum. Building a team is complicated and it’s never black and white, and maybe a fresh start helps Blount. Just some trepidation in adding that type of complete package – specifically with his on- and off-the-field altercations – to the mix.

Chris Price: Cornerback Logan Ryan and defensive back Duron Harmon. Regardless of whether or not one or both were a reach – and Harmon may have been one, at least initially – in my mind, the biggest advantage you get with the pickup of both Ryan and Harmon is that they have already have an extensive working relationship with each other, and by extension, with Devin McCourty. I honestly don’t know how much they’ll be able to contribute this season beyond special teams, but I imagine the best possible scenario for the two of them would be for Ryan to challenge Ras-I Dowling for work as a backup outside corner, while Harmon could battle with last year’s second-round pickup Tavon Wilson as an additional defensive back in dime packages. I will say that Greg Cosell of NFL Films – a man who has forgotten more about the game than I’ll ever know – really likes the selection of Harmon, tweeting, “Harmon smart with excellent play recognition + awareness” shortly after the Patriots made the pick.

Linebacker Jamie Collins. Collins is an intriguing pickup, one that’s probably a little raw. At least right now, the thing that sticks out the most about him is his positional versatility – he’s done multiple things on the defensive side of the ball, so it was no surprise to hear Belichick praise that part of his game up and down on Saturday night. I suppose the best possible template for his rookie season would be follow in the footsteps of Dont’a Hightower, another similarly versatile linebacker who had a pretty good rookie season last year with the Patriots. Hightower was slowed at times by a nagging hamstring – if the same problem arises in 2013, Collins could be the next man up. He’s athletic and can run – if it all comes together for him, he could be that coverage linebacker the Patriots have been seeking.

Chad Finn: Their first choice in this draft, linebacker Jamie Collins from Southern Miss, draws comparisons to Jermaine Cunningham. As far as I can tell, one Jermaine Cunningham should more than suffice. Collins does reportedly have decent coverage skills, and the holdover Patriots linebackers collectively do not, so there is an opportunity for him to play a role as a rookie. I’ll perk up should reputable sources start telling us they’ve finally found another Roman Phifer.

Michael Buchanan (226th overall, linebacker, Illinois) is said to physically resemble Willie McGinest. Given that McGinest is the most physically imposing Patriots player (non-fat division) I’ve ever run into, at least we know he looks the part. But Buchanan arrives with baggage, including a DUI conviction.

POOR/INCOMPLETE (PAGES MISSING)

Mike Reiss: The lack of value at pick 91 with Rutgers safety Duron Harmon. By all accounts, Harmon is the type of player you want in your locker room, and a great example to follow. But this isn’t about Harmon personally as much as what the Patriots conceded in selecting him. There were other intriguing options who I think could have helped more. For example: would have loved to see them select RB Marcus Lattimore here with an eye on a power back for 2014 and beyond. Those are the type of forward-thinking moves where the Patriots, at least in my mind, had previously been steps ahead of the competition in the past.

Chris Warner: In a previous column I placed certain Patriots picks in the “They Know Something You Don’t Know” category. With Harmon, I think the Pats’ front office may have outsmarted themselves. Didn’t they go through this “unheralded safety” thing last year with Tavon Wilson? Especially with safety-to-be Ryan on board, this pick made the least amount of sense to me on Day Two.

Chris Price: The LeGarrette Blount-for-Jeff Demps swap. This is not so much an indictment of an individual or the trade, but the whole Demps era. He was placed on season-ending IR before last year began because of an injury that would have embarrassed Al Czervik. (In retrospect, New England probably would have preferred to send Visanthe Shiancoe to season-ending IR and keep the possibility of Demps contributing in 2012 alive.) Then, Demps started talking out of school about possibly splitting time between football and track, which likely sealed his fate. Ultimately, Demps spent the year in New England as a redshirt and earned $211,000 in guaranteed money (the second-most for an undrafted free agent last season), only to decide that he was going to treat the game as a hobby. If Blount gives them anything, it’ll represent value (maybe he’s Brandon Bolden insurance?), but I’m not holding my breath.

Chad Finn: It’s always amusing when the Patriots choose a player who doesn’t have the consensus endorsement of the Kipers, Mayocks, McShays, etc. Sometimes they’ve hit on those types (Logan Mankins in the first round, Sebastian Vollmer in the second, fringe college players such as Matt Slater and Matt Cassel). But lately it feels like they’ve reached a little too far sometimes. Tavon Wilson was such a shocker in the second round last year that one couldn’t help believe they could have chosen him later. The same goes for Rutgers safety Duron Harmon this year. He’s a player they clearly liked, but it certainly seems like they could have gotten him a round or two later.

Who/what was your favorite aspect of the 2013 draft in New England? Comment below.

Way back in February, we wrote about the various draft modes Coach Bill Belichick could choose. Of those, we’ve decided to stay put with the five picks available to New England this year for our very own, very serious mock draft.

Not much room to move around the board? Fine. Clean slate in 2014.

For now, we’ll pick our best bets for Rounds One, Two and Three, and two picks in Round Seven.

ROUND ONE: Desmond Trufant, Washington CB (6-0, 190) [Read more...]

New England begins this week with five draft picks: one each in the first, second and third rounds, plus two in the seventh.

No one can read Bill Belichick’s mind (we imagine it’s full of X’s, O’s, and secret fishing spots off of Nantucket). What we can do, however, is look at some of his past draft tendencies and try to plug in players like those taken at previous spots.

For a comprehensive review of the Patriots’ picks since 2000, our round-by-round rundown appeared on BSMW in February. [Read more...]

With New England currently owning a mere five picks in the 2013 draft, that means they’ll have to fill spring camp with rookie free agents.  Let’s preview some potential undrafted newbies who could get a second look from the Foxboro front office.

These fresh-faced free agent decisions often come down to connections. Last year, for example, New England brought in Markus Zusevics from Iowa and Justin Francis from Rutgers. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz coached with Bill Belichick back in the Iron Age, while the coach’s son Stephen Belichick befriended Francis on the banks of the old Raritan.

Coincidences? Nope. Connections? Yup. [Read more...]

With Danny Woodhead going to San Diego and Julian Edelman visiting other teams, New England’s return game has an uncertain future. Yes, the Pats signed Leon Washington, but the former Seahawk is 30 years old, which typically qualifies as the running back/returner Rubicon.

The good news? The 2013 draft has many special teams candidates who should remain available late on Day Three.

[Read more...]

College football players must feel disappointed when they don’t receive an invitation to the NFL combine to show off their skills. One consolation is that they can perform drills on their respective pro days, which often occur weeks closer to the draft.

The other? They don’t have to go to Indianapolis. (Ba-da-BOOM!)

For those who want to catch up with our previous columns on non-combine invitees who excelled at their pro days, you can link to Part I from mid-March and Part II from last week.

Below, the top two numbers of each category at the NFL combine are shown in plain text. We display the best pro day performances in bold (with an asterisk for the best overall).

[Read more...]

As we mentioned in Part I, kudos to Gil Brandt and his pro day blog on NFL.com. A very entertaining read.

Below, we cite some more players who lacked invitations to the combine but whose performances would have fit right in at Indianapolis. For a rundown of each drill’s specific requirements, take a gander at the NFL.com combine workouts page.

[Read more...]

In 2002, the Patriots selected receiver Deion Branch in the second round. The Louisville product became Tom Brady’s go-to pass-catcher and earned a Super Bowl MVP trophy after New England beat Philadelphia in February 2005.

Many fans forget that Branch had company in the draft that year: seventh-rounder David Givens out of Notre Dame. During his rookie season, Givens had nine receptions for 92 yards and one touchdown. Over the next three years, he totaled 157 grabs for over 2,226 yards and 11 TDs.  Givens caught a touchdown pass in all six games of New England’s 2003-2004 playoff run and remains the all-time team leader for playoff TD receptions with seven.

In 2009, the Patriots selected Julian Edelman in the seventh round. In 2012, also in the seventh, they took Northwestern receiver Jeremy Ebert. As New England continues to revamp their wide receiver corps, they should consider taking on another late-round, developmental pick.

Drew Terrell of Stanford, DeVonte Christopher of Utah, Jason Thompson of New Haven and Marlon Brown of Georgia all find themselves closer to the bottom of draft boards than the top for various reasons. Yet each has something to contribute, and all are hoping for the opportunity to demonstrate it.

Overshadowed

At 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, Terrell could walk across campus without attracting attention. Sometimes this seemed to happen on the field as well. Despite having his best season as a senior and leading all Stanford wide receivers in catches, he came in third after tight end Zach Ertz (a first-round prospect) and running back Stepfan Taylor (rated a mid-round pick).

For his part, Terrell had no complaints, especially when his ultimate season output (33 receptions, 463 yards, 14.0 yard per catch) dwarfed that of his junior year (eight catches).

“I knew going into my senior year, my role in the offense would greatly increase,” Terrell said. “I knew that it was pretty much my time. My first three years, I was waiting for my time. My senior year, it came around, the opportunity presented itself, and I fully embraced it … That was the main thing, for me to be patient and wait my turn. I always knew that when I got the opportunity, given plays, that I would make plays.”

Because of the structure of Stanford’s offense, however, Terrell never set his expectations too high. “I thought my role would be as a leader of the wide receiver group, a guy who could be a game-changer catching the football as well as returning punts. I knew that this offense at Stanford was more catered to the running game and distributing the ball to our tight ends. That’s how it’s been since I’ve been here, so I knew that going in, but I just wanted to make the most of the opportunities that I’ve been given.”

Terrell primed himself for success by taking on a specific niche on the team, both as a go-to guy for a first down and as a punt returner.

“I knew that I could move the chains on third down and create separation. I knew that going in. I kind of anticipated that we would run the football a lot like we always do and throw the ball to our tight ends. I think I had an idea of my role and I just tried to embrace it.”

Disappointed

Devonte Christopher had certain expectations when he agreed to go to Utah. A 5-7 record his senior year wasn’t one of them. Neither was ending up as a wide receiver.

Christopher played quarterback at Canyon Springs High School in Las Vegas. His prolific senior season included three games with six passing touchdowns each. He said that he was a quarterback all his life, with the exception of part of his junior year in high school when the team needed him at receiver.

In fact, Christopher chose Utah because, “They were offering me the opportunity to come in and play quarterback. You know, I had offers from other schools – Big 12, schools in the Pac-10 at the time – but they were mostly athlete scholarship offers, like, ‘We’ll find you a spot when you get here, maybe receiver, or maybe you could be quarterback.’ At the time, I didn’t really like the way that sounded. I was really set on playing quarterback. At Utah, that was the situation at the time, so that’s why I went there.”

At first, all went according to plan, as Christopher practiced as a scout quarterback during his redshirt season. During his second year with the Utes, however, he was asked to move to receiver to address a team need. Though he said it worked out for the best, the move took some adjustment in terms of practice and career expectations.

“Mentally, it was easy to make the transition coming from quarterback … Going to receiver was definitely less stressful mentally. Physically, it was definitely more demanding, though. You go from having on a black jersey, not getting touched, to getting hit. And you’re definitely running more at receiver than at quarterback. So it was a little change, but nothing too major. Personally, it was tough for me because I told them the only reason I came to Utah was to play quarterback. At first I was kind of resistant to the change and I didn’t really agree with it, but after a while, it was what it was. I just wanted to get on the field, and that was probably the fastest way.”

The next year, as a sophomore, Christopher led the team in receptions. He duplicated that stat his junior year. Ask him about what happened as a senior, and Christopher sounds as if he’s about to deliver a eulogy.

“We had great expectations. Not just personally, but as a team. We had a lot of seniors, a lot of guys who came up in the system, and last year was supposed to be a pretty good year for us. It definitely didn’t turn out that way. We struggled mightily last year – I think it was the worst offense in the whole conference. There wasn’t production to go around. My numbers stink. I don’t really have too many words to say. I’m really not trying to make excuses, but, I mean, that’s just how our season went. It didn’t turn out well for me on a personal level or on a team level.”

When pressed for details, Christopher said that the team had to scramble after losing their quarterback early in the season. “We shuffled around a little bit, ended up changing our whole offense mid-year, ended up changing quarterbacks again a few games later. Basically a bunch of little stuff combined. It wasn’t the type of season that we really wanted, but it is what it is now.”

Overlooked

Jason Thompson earned the moniker of playmaker in 2012. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound receiver averaged 20 yards per reception (44 for 881) and had 16 touchdowns. If you didn’t hear his name this season, Thompson understands. He said that was an aspect of playing for Division II New Haven, as he explained while discussing his preparation for his pro day March 27.

“Well, I’m lifting like everybody else, I’m preparing for the drills. I feel like, if my number is called, I’m trying to be ready. Because I know, being a small school guy, I’ve got to prepare. I’ve got to be that much better than the next person. I’m just trying to make sure I can do the things that people ask me to do.”

Thompson finds himself in the category of a high achiever in a lower-division school. While he said he was recruited by SMU and Bethune-Cookman (located in his home state of Florida), Thompson and a high school friend came North to follow a coach. “(New Haven Head Coach) Peter Rossomando coached a couple of my high school coaches,” he said. “They went to New Haven to coach with him, and they recruited me and my best friend (quarterback Ronnie Nelson). They offered both of us, so we just figured we’d go together, so we just came up here together.”

The four-year high school basketball player was a football neophyte with only one year of varsity experience. Thompson credits Rossomando for his development and for the success of New Haven, which has won the Northeast-10 Conference Championship three years in a row. For his team’s accomplishments, Rossomando was named the Divison II Coach of the Year.

“You know, he rebuilt our program in such a short amount of time. Over four years, we were consistent – I think we were like (35-9) or something, that’s not bad – and just to win the conference three years in a row … Honestly, I think he’s a great coach, and I think he deserves (Coach of the Year) because he works hard and he puts a lot of time and effort into everything. To bring the group of guys together like he did, and for us to accomplish the things we did, I think it’s great.”

Injured

While a high school football player at Harding Academy in Tennessee, Marlon Brown did some wonderful things on the field. A prime example was in the state championship, where Brown had 335 yards receiving and four touchdowns.

Ask Brown about that contest, though, and one fact sticks out. “Yeah, I remember that game, but I also remember that we lost that game by two points,” he said.

Brown had his choice of schools, including LSU, Florida and Alabama in the SEC. The 6-4, 215-pounder settled on Georgia and got to play as a true freshman. “I think I fit in well,” he said. “It’s a post-up offense: they use big receivers a lot.”

Heading into his senior year, Brown and his teammates figured they would vie for the national championship. Brown had few personal expectations beyond helping the team by doing what they asked of him.

They asked him to catch the ball. By November, Brown was tied for the team lead in receptions with Tavarres King with 27. As he said, “Everything was going as expected.”

Then, what every athlete fears: a knee injury against Ole Miss that knocked Brown out for the rest of the season. “To be honest, I thought I just sprained my knee a little bit,” he said, “because I was laying on the ground, and then they asked me if I could get up and walk, and I was like, ‘Yeah, I can walk. I think I can.’ And I got up and I started walking off the field. And then I was like, ‘Oh, I’ll be alright, I’ve just got to walk it off.’ And then they told me I tore my ACL. I mean, it was just heartbreaking. It was just the last thing on my mind.”

Brown had left the game during the third quarter to get an MRI. His promising senior year had ended before its time, forcing him to reevaluate his career. “Really, after I got hurt – I got hurt and they told me I was out for the rest of the season – after the game that night, I just, you know, I just called my grandmother and had a long talk with her. Basically, I was like, things happen for a reason. I’m not going to sit here and sob over the injury like it’s the end of the world. So, work hard and bounce back.”

What They Bring

Stanford had a lackluster season by their standards; however, Terrell did some positive things that NFL coaches should notice. Besides providing a consistent third-down threat, Terrell continued his role as a dynamic punt returner, averaging over 12 yards per runback.

While the prospect of returning a punt against 11 men might seem daunting to some, Terrell has lifelong experience that gives him perspective. “For me, it’s something that I’ve always done, since I started playing football. I was a baseball player when I was younger, and I think my hand/eye coordination and being able to track the ball and catch it in baseball really helped me out with returning punts. It’s something that’s come naturally to me. I mean, if I had to give advice, I would say stay calm. A lot of people tend to try to over-coach punt returners, and I think it’s something that you have to let come to you. You can’t force anything. You have to stay calm, trust in the athletic abilities you have: you know, the ability to track the ball and catch it. I think vision is something that’s natural but is really critical in being a punt returner – being able to see the field, see lanes, when to hit them, when to cut it back, that type of thing. But I figure it’s just staying calm, being an athlete, and letting the game come to you.”

In terms of finding lanes, Terrell found a big one vs. Duke this season, bringing back a punt for a touchdown. “There’s definitely a point where you can hit, make a cut, and then you’ve got one, maybe two guys to beat, and you know at that point that you can go to the house. In the Duke game when I got my return, I broke to the right because there was a defender right in front of me, so I cut off him. Then I saw that it was just me and the punter, and I knew the punter had no chance. I wasn’t going to let him make a play. I think once I cut back on that first guy and I saw the punter, I knew at that point that it was going to be a touchdown and a big play.” (For a highlight of Terrell’s return, go to the 2:20 mark of this video.)

In terms of trying to make it at the next level, Christopher has two career aspects in his favor, one of which was his experience at QB and how it helps him read defenses.

“At receiver, you’re only dissecting the secondary,” Christopher said. “As a quarterback, you’re worried about the rush, you’re worried about the linebackers, about how the DB in coverage is working. You have a lot to worry about even before the snap of the ball … So playing quarterback has made it way easier for me to dissect defenses and coverages.”

The other aspect the 6-1, 192-pound pass-catcher brings? “Just being a physical receiver, you know, competing for that ball. Blocking – I know a lot of receivers might not really take pride in their blocking, but that was something that was stressed at Utah, so now I’m familiar with it. That is definitely a part of my game. So being able to block is definitely something that I pride myself on. I know I could definitely help in the running game.”

Christopher tries to set himself apart even though he knows it’s all been said before. “But that drive to win, I’m sure a lot of athletes, a lot of people, say that they have it, but those crunch times, I have some plays and some film where it’s long (yardage) on fourth and the game on the line, and I came through. It’s actually a blessing to even be put in that situation to even make the play. So there’s some playmaking ability shown on my highlight reel.”

Coming from a smaller school, Thompson’s most useful experiences seem to have come from playing under a great coach in Rossomando. “First of all, he always pushed me,” Thompson said. “He pushed all of us, but he pushed me, and he expected a lot from me. Every time I did something, he expected more. I’m pretty sure he’d seen great things in me, and that motivated me. Our program, we were just all very close, a tight-knit group, so we all played for each other, and that kind of helped. I mean, you weren’t out there trying to be selfish and wanting the ball all the time. Like, I never had the greedy feeling of wanting the ball all the time, I just wanted everybody to do well and win as a team. I think we were able to accomplish that.”

Thompson plans to use his small-school status as a motivator. “I’m a grounded guy. I’m a hard worker. I want to win. I have a drive; I have a motor, and I’m just all in right now, so I’m just going to give all I have. I don’t think there are any skills (I’m lacking). You’d get a hard-working guy. I got a chip on my shoulder and I want to prove myself.” (You can see Thompson’s highlight reel here.)

While Brown couldn’t finish up his senior year the way he wanted to, he felt Georgia’s offense helped him demonstrate what he could bring. “Usually, you think of a slot guy as small and fast and quick, but here at Georgia we have slot guys who are big, who are physical, and can have some nice little passes across the middle of the field,” Brown said. He added that he liked playing inside receiver more because, “I just like going across the middle.” (You can see Brown’s 2012 highlight reel here.)

Expectations

In spite of various fates that have led each player to this point, all of them aspire to reach the next level. Still, despite each one’s situation – or perhaps because of it – no one seems to believe he is owed anything.

Brown, the only athlete in this piece with a combine invitation, made use of his time with NFL coaches despite being unable to go through drills. “I talked to teams at the combine when I was there. I talked to them after the combine as well. I think teams are interested in me for sure, but my injury has set me back a little bit. But not so far back where I can’t come back or where teams don’t want me. But I have no expectations, really. I’m just going to go and see what happens.”

Terrell shared that wait-and-see attitude. “If I’m drafted, that’s great; if I’m not, that’s great, too. It’s just – anytime I can get an opportunity to come to camp and show what I can do, I think I’m going to be happy for that, regardless. So come draft day, I don’t have any expectations. I won’t be, you know, let down at all if I’m not drafted. Just kind of let the chips fall where they may and once I get to camp, or a mini-camp, or whatever, I intend to show that I’m good enough to play in this league and to stick. I don’t really have any expectations for draft day.”

Thompson – who, like Terrell and Brown, is still on campus finishing up classes – had a similar outlook. “Being from a small school, I just feel like, right now, being able to be a part of the whole process and everything is just a blessing. Anything that happens as far as being drafted and all that would be a great thing for me. I would be happy with anything. My outlook is, I’m trying to get my degree, and if this works out for me, I’ll be more than happy, because this is a dream for me. It’s definitely something I want to pursue. I’m putting everything into it, but at the same time trying to stay grounded. I’m just hoping, and I’m preparing for it. I mean, I think I can make it happen.”

The NFL draft begins on Thursday, April 25 and wraps up on Saturday, April 27, when, as of this writing, the Patriots have two seventh-round picks.

You can email Chris Warner at [email protected]