The New England Patriots have added nine undrafted free agents to their roster. It will be interesting to see which of these players will be able to make the final 53-man roster. Undrafted rookies are often overlooked, but as Malcolm Butler proved most recently, if they can make a good impression in camp. they have the ability to become a star in the NFL. Of these nine players, three that stuck out were De’Runnya Wilson, Steven Scheu, and Cre’Von LeBlanc.
The Best Patriots Undrafted Free Agents
De’Runnya Wilson (Mississippi State)
Position- Wide Receiver
Height and Weight- 6’5″ and 220 lbs
40-yard dash time- 4.78 seconds
Wilson is a tall, physical wide receiver. He doesn’t have any issue going up over defensive backs to make plays. Wilson has a basketball background, which is easy to spot by the way he bodies up defenders, and fights for position to bring down the pass. He is tough with the ball in his hands, and shows aggressiveness fighting for extra yards. His large size makes him a threat when it comes to blocking for the run game as well. A large target with a huge catch radius can be very valuable when it comes to red zone situations.
The biggest reason that Wilson went undrafted is his speed. His 40-yard dash time of 4.78 seconds is not exceptional, and his film shows that he is not great at creating separation down the field. He probably dropped considerably on several draft boards after his combine performance. He relies on his size to reel in long completions, most of the time with a defender on his hip. Another aspect he struggles with is getting in and out of his breaks quickly, a struggle that is fairly common among tall receivers. This is a major issue for receivers because it will likely get them labelled as poor route runners.
New England was probably very impressed with his size and ball skills, as well as his great production during his time at Mississippi State. Many mock drafts predicted Wilson to go somewhere in the sixth or seventh round, so bringing him in as an undrafted free agent could potentially be a huge steal. Wilson showed improvements each year during his college tenure, and with great coaching he should be able to continue to get better. If he can make progress improving his speed as well as his route running, he has a legitimate chance to make the Patriots roster or practice squad.
Steven Scheu (Vanderbilt)
Position- Tight End
Height and Weight- 6’5” and 255 lbs
40-yard dash time- 4.75 seconds
Scheu has good size for his position. He has strong hands and is a natural when it comes to catching passes in traffic. He has been known to bail out his quarterbacks by making exceptional grabs. He is a hard worker in the run game, and though he doesn’t necessarily have the strength to dominate people off the line of scrimmage, he utilizes great technique and doesn’t give up on the play. Vanderbilt used him as an in-line tight end as well as splitting him out in space.
Scheu’s numbers may have suffered some at the hands of poor quarterback play. He has shown flashes of big catch ability and a knack for finding open space against zone defenses. He does not have great speed to get behind defenders, and it is possible that this becomes a great hindrance for him at the next level. New England does not have a shortage of tight ends on the roster. This means Scheu will need to be very impressive to earn himself a spot. If he can prove to be a valuable special teams player, he will have a much greater chance of actually making the roster. Scheu faces a difficult task of impressing his new coaches but has an opportunity to prove his worth this summer.
Cre’Von LeBlanc (Florida Atlantic)
Position- Cornerback
Height and Weight- 5’9″ and 195 lbs
40-yard dash time- 4.65 seconds
Cre’Von LeBlanc may have the best chance of the undrafted free agents to make the roster. He is an aggressive and competitive corner from a smaller school. LeBlanc is physical with receivers and does a good job running to the ball to make tackles. He exhibits good quickness, which allows him to do an outstanding job against the short to intermediate routes. LeBlanc utilizes great hand placement when a receiver gets his hands on the ball, allowing him to break up the pass. Showing great technique slapping receivers hands down just as they touch the ball is one of his best talents. This technique, along with his aggressive play, had some analysts predicting him being drafted anywhere from the late fourth round to the final pick.
The biggest knocks on LeBlanc are his stature and his speed. He is not necessarily slow, but for a corner his size, most scouts would like to see better long speed from him. His film shows him allowing receivers to get passed him at times, and he will only see faster and better route runners in the future. LeBlanc would fit into most NFL defensive schemes as a slot corner. He played well on the outside throughout his time at FAU but with his shorter stature, it would be a difficult task for him at the next level. His willingness to tackle and become involved in the run game is a huge help to him making the roster. His aggressiveness and ability to make tackles should allow him to make a name for himself as a special teams player. During his time at FAU, he had the opportunity to return kicks, which is simply another skill he can bring to the table. New England does not have a surplus of corners, which also increases LeBlanc’s chances of making the team.
During Bill Belichick‘s tenure as New England’s head coach, the Patriots have had many players that were undrafted or taken in the later rounds that would go on to make names for themselves. Players like Brown, Julian Edelman, and yes, even Tom Brady, were low on draft boards, and ended up making huge impacts. It remains to be seen if any of these young players will make their mark on NFL history.
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