Patriots Sign 9 Draft Picks, 7 Rookie Free Agents
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Patriots have come to terms with eight of their 11 draft picks, the team announced on Friday.
The Patriots reached deals with tight end A.J. Derby (sixth-round), defensive linemen Xzavier Dickson (seventh-round) and Trey Flowers (fourth-round), offensive linemen Tre' Jackson (fourth-round) and Shaq Mason (fourth-round), defensive backs Jordan Richards (second-round) and Darryl Roberts (seventh-round) and linebacker Matthew Wells (sixth-round), the team announced in a release.
They also reportedly signed defensive end Geneo Grissom, who they drafted in the third round.
Only defensive lineman Malcom Brown (first-round) and longsnapper Joe Cardona (fifth-round) remain unsigned. Reaching a deal with Cardona, who was drafted out of Navy, may be slightly complicated, as he'll have to receive special permission in order to delay his post-graduation military commitment.
The Patriots also announced the signings of seven rookie free agents on Friday:
David Andrews, 22, was a three-year starter at center for Georgia, playing in 50 games with 40 starts. The 6-foot-3, 294-pounder, was a team captain for three years and was named Second-Team All-ACC as a senior in 2014. In addition, he was named the team's Most Valuable Player following the 2014 campaign.
Devin Gardner, 23, was a four-year letterman at Michigan, appearing in 49 games with 31 starts overall as a quarterback and wide receiver. The 6-foot-4, 216-pounder, made 27 starts at quarterback and four starts at wide receiver. He finished his career sixth in school history with 44 passing touchdowns, fourth with 6,336 passing yards and fourth with 475 completions. Gardner set a school record vs. Indiana on Oct. 19, 2013 with 503 passing yards.
Chris Harper, 21, played in 35 games with 23 starts at Cal and finished his career ranked seventh in school history with 163 receptions for 2,030 yards and 13 touchdowns that ranked 10th in school history. The 5-foot-11, 175-pounder, caught at least one pass in 34 of the 35 games he played in, with the lone exception coming in a contest against UCLA when he played as a true freshman in 2012.
Jimmy Jean, 26, played both safety and cornerback over two seasons at University of Alabama- Birmingham. The 6-foot-3, 180-pounder, played in 24 games over two seasons at UAB after beginning his college career with two seasons at Arkansas Baptist Junior College.
Brandon King, 21, played two seasons at Auburn after transferring from Highland Community College. The 6-foot-2, 213-pounder, began his tenure at Auburn as a safety in 2013 and then started the 2014 campaign at safety before being moved to defensive end to bolster the pass rush.
Eric Patterson, 22, started in 28 of 41 games during his four-year career at Ball State and finished with 135 total tackles and six interceptions. The 5-foot-10, 193-pounder, was used as a kickoff returner as a senior in 2014 and was named to the 2014 All-Mid-American Conference First Team after finishing with 23 kickoffs for 590 yards.
Vince Taylor, 22, played in 49 games with 12 starts at Vanderbilt and finished with 87 total tackles, 1 ½ sacks and three fumble recoveries. The 6-2, 310-pounder, enjoyed his finest season as a senior in 2014, as he started all 11 games that he played at nose tackle and finished with 43 total tackles and 1 ½ sack.
