‘Dream Come True’ For Undrafted Free Agent To Sign With Patriots

It turned into a waiting game for Ed Lee after the little-known prospect out of the University of Rhode Island -- far from a college football powerhouse -- didn't get selected in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Lee's patience was sure tested but then a phone call last week changed everything for the 24-year-old. The New England Patriots were on the other end, with a contract offer in hand.

It was a little bit of a surreal moment for Lee, a Maryland native who is getting a coveted NFL opportunity with the team he rooted for growing up.

"It was emotional, for sure," Lee told reporters following Monday's minicamp practice, per ABC6 video. "There's 32 teams and the one team I get an opportunity with is my favorite team. So, definitely like I said, a dream come true and just excited to be here."

It took some time for what had occurred to sink in for Lee. But once he made his way around the Patriots facility and participated in organized team activities practices last week, where he had a larger chance than usual to showcase his skill set with many regular wideouts not attending, the shock from the turn of events slowly faded.

"Initially when I first got the call, it didn't really hit me at first," Lee said. "Once I got in the locker room, team meeting with Coach Bill (Belichick), it was like, 'Man, I'm here. I'm here.' Definitely a great experience."

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound wideout, who caught 55 passes for 908 yards and five touchdowns this past fall for the Rams, is a longshot to make the Patriots 53-man roster, but a spot on the team's practice squad is not out of the question.

But New England is where undrafted free agents come to shine. A UDFA has made the Patriots active roster for 19 straight seasons, including Brenden Schooler and DaMarcus Mitchell last season.

Lee, whose father was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1982, is just trying to learn as much as he can as quickly as possible to keep giving himself a chance with the Patriots.

"I can't pick just one thing," Lee said, per MassLive. "I've learned so much even just being here for a week. I've learned so much from being here and just looking to continue that."