The New England Patriots have been good at finding undrafted rookie free agents the last few seasons. Here are five players who can crack 55-man roster.
There has been no team better than finding undrafted rookie free agent gems than the New England Patriots over the past 16 NFL seasons.
While some of those players have faded out of our memories, quite a few have been major contributors who have helped the team win Super Bowls.
As a team in transition following the departure of one Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and crew are hoping they found a player or two (or even more) with the class of undrafted rookies they have signed in 2020.
With the talent they have assembled, there is a good bet the streak of an undrafted free agent rookie cracking the roster will extend to 17 seasons, especially now that the roster has increased to 55 players due to the new collective bargaining agreement.
In looking back over the past 16 seasons, some of those undrafted gems have included Randall Gay, Dane Fletcher, Kyle Love, Kenbrell Thompkins, Malcolm Butler, David Andrews, Jonathan Jones, Adam Butler and recently J.C. Jackson and Jakobi Meyers.
This is more proof that there is no one better than building a team at the lower end of the roster than Bill Belichick, which is why the Patriots dynasty extended two decades. Yes, Tom Brady had a little to do with that, but finding players who will do their job and buy into the structure and challenges that are the Patriot Way has been the foundation of a championship mantra that goes beyond the top-level talent and big contracts.
The team will be relying on that team-building philosophy more than ever as a new era begins.
Moving forward to the 2020 season, the New England Patriots have an interesting collection of players who should provide some competition in some key positional battles.
In a list 15 players that include TE Rashod Berry, DB Myles Bryant, TE Jake Burt, DL Nick Coe, LB De’Jon Harris, WR Will Hastings, QB Brian Lewerke, DL Bill Murray, WR Sean Riley, QB J’Mar Smith, RB J.J. Taylor, LB Kyahva Tezino, WR Jeff Thomas, DL Courtney Wallace, and WR Isaiah Zuber, here are five players with a great chance of cracking the Patriots 55-man roster in 2020.
The New England Patriots are the perfect spot for Nick Coe.
Have the New England Patriots found an undrafted gem in Auburn product Nick Coe?
At 6-foot-5, 291 pounds, he has the size and he certainly have the talent to crack the Patriots 55-man roster in 2020.
But, does he have the commitment?
More from Chowder and Champions
- 3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox
- 10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster Deadline
- MLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return
- 3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 Season
- Red Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win
Well, that seems to be the only obstacle standing in the way of Nick Coe becoming a Bill Belichick favorite once football activities begin.
Coming off a 2018 college season in which he recorded seven sacks and 13 ½ tackles as a sophomore, Coe was considered a first-round talent but saw that promise diminish in both 2019 and 2020 due to a lack of production.
Obviously, his stock as an NFL product took a major hit due to his struggles on the field and some questions about his character off the field. Sounds like the type of player Bill Belichick loves to take a shot at.
As a defensive lineman who can play all over the defensive line, Nick Coe exhibits the versatility Belichick loves, but can the Patriots get him to buy in?
In a system that can make or break a player, particularly a defensive player, Coe’s commitment will certainly be challenged. If the New England Patriots find a way to tap into his competitive toughness and flexibility, the Auburn product has a great chance of making the team with his two-gap ability.
Is Will Hastings the New England Patriots next great slot?
In the tradition of Troy Brown, Wes Welker, Danny Amendola and even Julian Edelman, the New England Patriots are hoping they have found a future slot receiver in Auburn product Will Hastings.
It seems like every year the team brings in a player with that potential.
Over the past few seasons, players like Braxton Berrios and Gunner Olszewski were projected to be that next player to succeed Edelman. While the jury is still out on Olszewski, Mr. Berrios is starting to look like that player with the AFC East rival New York Jets.
With a Hall-of-Fame talent like Julian Edelman getting up there in age, the Patriots have to start thinking about his successor.
Could it be Will Hastings?
While his stats at Auburn doesn’t jump off the stat sheet, his familiarity with projected starter Jarrett Stidham could give both young players that comfort level they need to succeed at each of their positions.
Speaking of positions, Hastings also was a kicker during his freshman and sophomore years at Auburn. That positional versatility will certainly stand out to Bill Belichick. It also means that he is still growing as a wide receiver with his best season in college being the last season in which Jarrett Stidham was his teammate at Auburn.
In that 2017 season, Will Hastings hauled in 26 receptions for 525 yards and four touchdowns.
It is that potential that the New England Patriots are hoping to tap into. With the current depth chart the team currently has at wide receiver and working behind and learning from a player like Julian Edelman could help Hastings make the roster. At the very least a strong practice squad candidate.
The New England Patriots have high hopes for De’Jon Harris.
The positional battle to watch once football activities get underway is the linebacker position.
With the losses of Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins and Elandon Roberts to free agency, the New England Patriots will have some question marks at the position when it comes to depth.
After drafting linebackers Josh Uche, Anfernee Jennings and Cassh Maluia, the Patriots also have high hopes in Arkansas product De’Jon Harris, who they signed to an undrafted free agent contract with $140,000 in guarantees.
That alone should make him a strong candidate to make the team if he earns it of course.
What gives the New England Patriots such high hopes on a player that went undrafted?
An undersized linebacker standing at 6-foot-0, 234 pounds, Harris possess a quickness and physicality that actually compares him to Elandon Roberts.
With over 100 tackles in his last three seasons for the Razorbacks, he is obviously a tackling machine who is all over the field. With the nickname “Scoota,” it won’t be a surprise if he is a player challenging for a final roster spot, especially at the linebacker position.
Of course, he will quickly become a Bill Belichick favorite if he is able to contribute on special teams as well.
The New England Patriots are thinking big with J.J. Taylor.
The New England Patriots are set at the running back position.
Seems like we say that every preseason and then once the regular season gets underway, the position becomes one of the team’s thinnest positions, usually due to injury.
More from New England Patriots
- Former Patriot Stevan Ridley Put Kevin Hart in a Wheelchair
- 3 Patriots Who Can Clinch a Roster Spot in Final Preseason Game
- Patriots Get Win Over Division Rivals Before Season Even Begins
- New Massachusetts Sportsbook Promos: $450 Bonus to Bet on Your Patriots at Caesars + DraftKings
- Ezekiel Elliott Reveals 3 Reasons Why He Signed With Patriots
With Sony Michel, James White, Rex Burkhead, Damien Harris and Brandon Bolden all but penciled in as roster guarantees, an undrafted running back like J.J. Taylor will have a tall task in making the roster.
As a small running back, the Arizona product is a shifty pass-catching running back who fits the mold of pass running backs who have flourished in the Patriots system.
Kevin Faulk, Shane Vereen, Danny Woodhead, Dion Lewis and currently James White all come to mind as small backs who the team loves to use in the passing game. Could 5-foot-5 J.J. Taylor become the next pass-catching running back to have a big impact in the offense?
If he is, it may not come until after the 2020 NFL season, which means the team will find a way to keep him around.
Looking at that 2018 season at Arizona in which he ran for 1434 yards and 6 touchdowns, J.J. Taylor is certainly a player to watch at the running back position.
Let’s remember, James White is getting a little older. So, the New England Patriots may be setting themselves up for his eventual replacement.
Can the New England Patriots reach Jeff Thomas?
The most shocking outcome of the 2020 NFL Draft was that the New England Patriots did not draft a wide receiver. But they signed one who would’ve been drafted if not for character issues in Miami Hurricanes product Jeff Thomas.
That is so Bill Belichick, right?
It wouldn’t have been as shocking if the team traded for or signed a big-time receiver prior to the draft but going into the draft with this position as one of the biggest areas to address, punting on drafting a player was head scratching.
While not drafting a receiver may mean the team has much confidence in 2019 first-round pick N’Keal Harry making more of an impact in 2020. It also means they are counting on another undrafted free agent wide receiver to reach his potential.
That is where Jeff Thomas comes in.
At 5-foot-8, 170 pounds, he is not that big, outside threat the team has lacked, but he is an explosive athlete who also has experience returning kickoffs and punts. That makes him an intriguing playmaker if he buys in and finds his maturity under Belichick.
Like Will Hastings and Nick Coe, the hope with a player like Jeff Thomas is that the team can tap into the talent that produced each player’s best college seasons.
In Thomas, that would be his 2018 season with the Hurricanes.
In that season, he caught 35 passes for 563 yards and three touchdowns. He was just starting to scratch his potential and the New England Patriots are hoping he has both the commitment and attitude to reach that potential in the NFL.