In each of the last 15 NFL seasons, an undrafted rookie has made the New England Patriots’ Week 1 roster. Will one of these players continue that streak this summer?
Since they’re often overlooked amid the hoopla of NFL draft weekend, we’re taking a closer look at each of the Patriots’ 10 UDFAs this week — five here below and the remaining five on Tuesday.
(Note: Asterisks indicate pro day numbers. All other testing results are from the NFL Scouting Combine.)
ANDREW BECK, TE, TEXAS
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 252 pounds
40-yard dash: 4.63 seconds*
Bench press: 23*
Vertical jump: 34 inches*
Broad jump: 119 inches*
Three-cone drill: 7.34 seconds*
Short shuttle: 4.26 seconds*
The Rob Gronkowski-less Patriots surprisingly did not use any of their 10 draft picks on a tight end, but they did sign Beck, who will compete with Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Matt LaCosse, Jacob Hollister, Stephen Anderson and Ryan Izzo for a roster spot.
After missing the entire 2017 season with a fractured foot, Beck returned to start all 14 games as a redshirt senior last season. He was a first-team All-Big 12 selection, catching 28 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns and serving as a team captain.
As those modest numbers suggest, Beck is known more for his blocking skills, with Texas often using him as a lead blocker from the H-back spot. He’s also a great athlete, though — his pro day results would have given him top-five combine finishes in the bench press, 40 and short shuttle — and could have untapped potential as a pass-catcher.
JAKOBI MEYERS, WR, NORTH CAROLINA STATE
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 203 pounds
40-yard dash: 4.63 seconds
Bench press: 13
Vertical jump: 37 inches
Broad jump: 118 inches
Three-cone drill: 7.07 seconds
Short shuttle: 4.23 seconds
Meyers’ combine numbers weren’t eye-popping, but he had great production at N.C. State, ranking seventh in the nation with a school-record 92 receptions for 1,047 yards and four touchdowns in 2018.
One of several big-bodied inside receivers in this year’s class, Meyers led all draft-eligible wideouts in slot receptions (85 of his 92) and ranked third in yards from the slot, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s also sure-handed: He dropped just six drops on 232 targets during his college career, per PFF.
Meyers reportedly ran a 6.87-second three-cone drill at his pro day, which would have tied for fourth-fastest among receivers at the combine.
The Patriots had a need at receiver entering the draft. They addressed it early by selecting Arizona State’s N’Keal Harry in the first round, but with Harry, Julian Edelman and Phillip Dorsett currently looking like the only roster locks, there’s an opening for one of the team’s three UDFA wideouts to sneak onto the 53-man with a strong camp.
XAVIER UBOSI, WR, UAB
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 215 pounds
40-yard dash: 4.58 seconds*
Bench press: 14*
Vertical jump: 33 1/2 inches*
Broad jump: 125 inches*
Three-cone drill: 7.50 seconds*
Short shuttle: 4.53 seconds*
Though he tested poorly in every exercise but the broad jump, Ubosi was one of college football’s premier deep threats last season. On 29 targets that traveled 20-plus yards in the air, he caught 12 passes for a whopping 546 yards (eighth-most among draft-eligible receivers) and seven touchdowns, per PFF.
Those deep balls made up the majority of his 2018 production, as Ubosi, who went the JUCO route before spending his junior and senior years at UAB, finished the season with 35 catches for 837 yards and eight scores. His 23.9 yards-per-reception average led all FBS pass-catchers.
Ubosi put up massive numbers in his final game with the Blazers, catching seven passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Northern Illinois in the Boca Raton Bowl.
Is he a one-trick pony, though? Ubosi will need to prove he can do more than run go routes to earn a roster spot in New England.
RYAN DAVIS, WR, AUBURN
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 189 pounds
40-yard dash: 4.57 seconds*
Bench press: 12
Vertical jump: 35 inches
Broad jump: 125 inches
Three-cone drill: 7.09 seconds
Short shuttle: 4.23 seconds
Davis, who spent the last two seasons catching passes from Patriots fourth-round draft pick Jarrett Stidham, is a slot receiver with traditional slot size. He’s Auburn’s all-time receptions leader (178) and owns the school’s single-season record for catches (84 in 2017), as well.
Last season, Davis caught a team-high 69 passes for 546 yards and one touchdown and was the Tigers’ primary punt returner (22 returns, 217 yards). Forty of his catches came from the slot, per PFF.
Davis also used his talents as a former high school quarterback to throw three touchdown passes on trick plays over his four years at Auburn.
NICK BROSSETTE, RB, LSU
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 209 pounds
40-yard dash: 4.72 seconds
Bench press: 15
Vertical jump: 35 1/2 inches
Broad jump: 118 inches
Three-cone drill: 7.38 seconds
Short shuttle: 4.44 seconds
After grabbing Alabama’s Damien Harris in the third round Friday, the Patriots added another SEC ball-carrier in Brossette, who will have his work cut out for him as he looks to earn a roster spot in a crowded New England backfield.
Brossette was buried on LSU’s depth chart for three seasons behind stars Leonard Fournette (now with the Jacksonville Jaguars) and Derrius Guice (Washington Redskins) before finally getting his chance as the Tigers’ feature back in 2018. He capitalized on that opportunity, rushing for 1,039 yards (4.3 per carry) and 14 touchdowns as a senior.
Brossette isn’t particularly big — he’ll be the Pats’ second-lightest back behind 205-pound James White — but he’s a tough, physical runner. He also fumbled just once in 247 career carries at LSU.
Coming Tuesday: Missouri linebacker Terez Hall, Marshall safety Malik Gant, Miami center Tyler Gauthier, Miami offensive tackle Tyree St. Louis and Texas guard Calvin Anderson
