Singing the Praises of Undrafted Players

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is one heck of a coach. He had faith in Tom Brady when the #199 pick in the 2000 NFL Draft went in for quarterback Drew Bledsoe after an injury in 2001, and, similarly, he had faith in the little-known Matt Cassel after Brady was injured this season. A fan of the underdog, Belichick keeps his eye on undrafted talent as a key to his team’s roster, and this season it’s really been paying off for the Patriots.

When it comes to undrafted players, every team has about 13 per roster. Considering each team only gets to choose about seven out of around 1500 draft picks in the NFL Draft each year, these undrafted players become a crucial part of teams’ lineups, especially because of the teams’ salary caps. For the Patriots, undrafted ballers Larry Izzo and Wes Welker have proved Belichick’s strategy over the past several years, as linebacker Izzo has been to three Pro Bowls and led in special-teams tackles in seven of the last nine seasons, while wide receiver Welker currently leads the NFL with 72 receptions this season, setting a franchise record for 112 last season. The Patriots’ newest undrafted superstar, however, is BenJarvus Green-Ellis, a running back out of Mississippi who joined the team as an undrafted free agent last May.

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Posted in Uncategorized on November 19, 2008

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