Unwanted. Discarded. Forgotten. Afterthought. One might think that the UDFA acronym could stand for and encompass all of the above but don’t discount these underdogs!
History has shown us that on any given year, every NFL roster consists of at least 25% of undrafted free agents and as much as one-third of the 53 spots. Consistently competitive organizations seem to share the common thread of being able to identify players post-draft who fit into their scheme. The old Patriots dynasty was one of the best at doing it. However, it could not be any more clear that a new regime reins upon us.
Below is a look at the first undrafted free agent signing class under director of scouting Eliot Wolf and head coach Jerod Mayo, as they begin to form a new franchise identity. Some common themes amongst the players signed are prospects who tested poorly at the combine, non-combine invites who tested well at pro day, plus big bodies at offensive line and linebacker.
New England Patriots 2024 NFL Draft Class
The following players have either signed as undrafted free agents, or will be in rookie camp on a tryout basis.
POSITION | PLAYER | SCHOOL | HEIGHT | WEIGHT | FORTY
RB DeShaun Fenwick, Oregon State, 6-1, 223, 4.77
More quick than fast, Fenwick was one of the more impressive runners at the East-West Shrine Bowl, flashing excellent acceleration. However, his straight-line timed speed is an issue, registering a porous 40, subpar 1.65 ten-yard split, along with a 4.47 short shuttle and 7.34 three-cone, raising questions about his lateral agility. He’s considered a long shot to make the squad.
RB Terrell Jennings, Florida A&M, 6-0, 217, 4.66
New England may have had some inside info on Jennings, who happens to be a childhood friend of Demario Douglas. He led FAMU with 674 rushing yards and nine touchdowns this past season but while his forty-time is slightly faster than Fenwick, his other testing numbers are well below average. At most, an added camp body.
WR David Wallis, Randolph-Macon 6-0, 185, 4.49
The D3 product was a pro day workout warrior find, registering a 35” vertical jump, 10-foot-1 broad jump, 4.20 short shuttle and impressive 6.90 three-cone drill. Over the past two seasons, Wallis has totaled 2,146 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns, while moonlighting as a kick returner. This is a small school product with a puncher's chance to land on the practice squad.
TE Jacob Warren, Tennessee, 6-6, 251, 4.94
A three-year starter, Warren is an astute blocker and stepped up in the passing game this past season with a career-high 191 receiving yards. He enjoyed a solid week of Hula Bowl practice but flunked his forty at pro day. Surprisingly, New England hasn’t added any other UDFAs at tight end, so an impressive rookie camp could keep Warren around a bit.
OT Tairiq Stewart, North Carolina A&T, 6-5, 301, 5.44
The HBCU product possesses ideal size but seems to lack the lateral movement necessary to transition to the pros. He started parts of three seasons at NC A&T after transferring from ASA Brooklyn, where spent two years. Stewart began his career at West Virginia, where he did not play but he does offer up P5 pedigree, so he could be viewed as a developmental project worth hanging onto.
OT Zuri Henry, UTEP, 6-6, 310, 5.15
A super-senior who has started at both left and right tackle for the Miners, Henry is a massive-sized tackle with a seven-foot wingspan. He demonstrates adequate agility and lateral movement, along with valuable versatility. The big man possesses some upside and should get every opportunity to earn a spot on the practice squad.
OG Joey Ramos, Arizona State, 6-5, 302, 5.41
New England needs to accumulate as much depth as possible on offensive line and Ramos stands a chance to receive an extended look due to his flexibility. The Sun Devils team captain lined up at both left and right tackle, in addition to center this past year. Previously, he played right tackle at Iowa State but might ultimately land on the interior should he prove he can hack it.
C Charles Turner, LSU, 6-4, 309, 5.55
Praised for his leadership, character and pre-snap reads at the line of scrimmage, Turner had a formal meeting with the Patriots at the Senior Bowl. He started two seasons at Baton Rouge, allowing just one sack this past season. Turner is a limited athlete and a poor showing in Indy kept NFL teams away but he owns a battle-tested resume playing in the SEC. New England will look to tap into the positive attributes.
ER John Morgan, Arkansas, 6-1, 252, 4.70
A graduate transfer from Pitt, Morgan was a rotational piece for the Hogs this past season. In 64 career games, he made eight starts, with 89 tackles, including 27 tackles for loss, 16 sacks and four forced fumbles. He was never able to hold onto a full-time starting job at the collegiate level. Morgan would seem to lack the height and length to survive at the next level.
ED Jay Person, Chattanooga, 6022, 237, 4.75
This is one of the more intriguing prospects the Patriots brought in following the draft, as Person was unable to work out leading up to April due to a quad injury. The FCS All-American was named the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year, tallying 56 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, with nine and a half sacks. It would appear that Person stands a very good chance to land on the practice squad due to his pass-rush prowess.
LB Jontrey Hunter, Georgia State, 6-2, 236, 4.94
It seemed that Hunter was trending towards being a potential late-round candidate until a bad combine performance ruined his hopes. A jackknife on defense, Hunter has started at every linebacker spot, and boasts plenty of experience and the production to back it up. He had 94 tackles this past year but a 4.94 forty-yard dash time will be hard to overcome.
LB Jett Bush, Texas, 6-1, 240, 4.66
A six-year senior who arrived in Austin as a walk-on and earned a full-time scholarship in 2020, Buch is the ultimate try-hard camp body overachiever. He finished with 63 tackles in 58 career games and secured his first interception this past year, returning it for a 41-yard score. If anything, Bush will raise the level of competition in minicamp.
LB Josh Carr Jr., Southern Miss, 6-3, 238, 4.76
More of a hybrid type player who could be viewed as a defensive end, or linebacker, Carr Jr. has battled injuries, which has limited him during the past two seasons. He made 23 tackles in eight starts this past year. His short arms (32.5 inches) likely mean he’ll be a stand-up guy in the pros.
CB Mikey Victor, Alabama State, 6-2, 205, 4.67
A long corner who displayed a competitive spirit at the East-West Shrine Bowl, Victor lacks fluidity and speed, so a switch to safety could be in the cards. The HBCU product finished with 36 tackles, 15 passes defended and two interceptions this past season. His skill set suggests that he'd be best suited for a quarters-coverage type scheme.
CB Trajan Bandy, Miami, 5.-8, 180, 4.50
In an attempt to tap into the Miami pipeline that Alonzo Highsmith brings with him, New England will invite Bandy to rookie camp on a tryout basis. The former Hurricanes corner was part of the COVID pandemic 2020 draft class. He previously had brief stints with the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers.
CB John Davis Jr., North Texas, 6-1, 188, 4.55
A lengthy cornerback, Davis Jr. may have been medically flagged due to a right knee injury sustained in 2022. He owns little playing experience and started just six of 12 games played this past season but a 41” vertical jump, plus 11-foot-5 broad jump are numbers that have been known to get players a look-see.
CB Kaleb Ford-Dement, Texas State, 5-11, 178, 4.50
One of the more well-traveled players in this year’s draft, Ford-Dement began his collegiate career at Kilgore College, then transferred to Old Dominion and spent one year at Washington State, before finishing at Texas State. He had 32 tackles and seven passes defended this past year. Ford-Dement registered great pro day numbers, including a 39.5” vertical jump and 6.80 three-cone.
CB Kason McCullough-Cooper, Angelo State, 5-10, 170, 4.50
The D2 standout earned a reputation for being a lockdown corner, so few balls were aired in his direction. McCullough-Cooper made the most of his chances, batting down 10 passes, while coming up with four interceptions and two blocked kicks in 11 games. He’ll need to earn his keep on special teams but has a very small stature for the NFL level.
S John Pupel, Boston College, 6-1, 205, 4.75
An All-Ivy League performer, Pupel played his final season at Chestnut Hill, registering 81 tackles in 11 starts. He possesses prototype size but below average speed. However, his 36” vertical jump, 10-foot broad, 4.21 short shuttle and 7.13 three-cone times are all on par. The Patriots will see if he can compensate for the lack of wheels with his ball-hawk instincts.
S Dell Pettus, Troy, 5-11, 200, 4.51
A three-time All-Sun Belt selection, Pettus capped off his Troy career making an unprecedented 61 consecutive starts! He led the Trojans with 74 tackles this past season and has had 50-plus tackles in each of his five seasons (315 total). His testing numbers were solid and New England didn’t add many bodies to the safety group during the offseason, making Pettus one to watch for.
PK Vince Blanchard, Laval, 6-1, 210, 5.00
A clutch kicker who once went five-for-five in the 2022 Vanier Cup, including a career-long 49-yard field goal, Blanchard also connected on a 46-yarder this past season. In 29 career games, he finished 53-of-71 on field goal attempts (75%), connecting on 88-of-89 extra points, while also handling the teams punting duties (39.7 average). Blanchard will arrive on a tryout basis but might be a practice squad candidate.
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