The full list of rookie free agents won't be available until Thursday, but one undrafted player on his way to New England is Brown offensive linemen Drew Inzer.
Inzer, who stands at 6-5 and 315-pounds, agreed to a deal with the Patriots shortly after the draft concluded. He is the second Brown player to sign with New England in three years, joining wide receiver/cornerback Sean Morey, who was drafted in the seventh round of the 1999 draft.
"I was really pumped, especially knowing that I was getting a chance right in my backyard, too," Inzer said. "I'm looking forward to being on the same team with Sean again. He's a great guy, and it'll help to have a familiar face.
Prior to the draft Inzer worked out with assistant offensive line coach Jeff Davidson, but he wasn't sure exactly what to expect when the draft rolled around. He played left tackle for Brown Head Coach Phil Estes, but Inzer will move inside to work and guard and center for the Patriots.
"It's exciting for us, first to have Sean there and now have Drew be right in the backyard as well," said Estes, who received the news from Inzer after the linemen got off the phone with the Patriots. "Drew has talent, and he's the type of kid who will give everything he's got to the team."
Inzer played one season with Morey at Brown after transferring from Boston University. He had been a defensive lineman for the Terriers before switching to tackle. A two-year starter, he was the anchor on a line that helped running back Michael Malan set a school record with 1,213 rushing yards in 2000.
Inzer and the Bears averaged 37.5 points per game and set an Ivy League record with 4,832 total yards. Inzer's strong play earned him a trip to the 63rd Annual Kelly Tire Blue/Gray Senior All-Star Football Classic in Montgomery, Ala. He was just the third player in school history to do so, following tight ends Paul Choquette (1996) and Zach Burns (1998)
A third Brown player, Stephen Campbell, who played with Inzer and Morey, agreed to a deal with Buffalo.
Mixed reactions to draft results
One day after the draft concluded, here is a sampling of thoughts on New England's picks:
Mel Kiper, ESPN.com
They needed to get more weapons for Drew Bledsoe, but instead they went for Richard Seymour at defensive tackle, another position where they needed help. Matt Light is a left tackle who can also move to guard. Brock Williams could be a nickel corner like Ray Mickens. I like Kenyatta Jones, another versatile guard-tackle type of lineman. I had no problem with them getting a pair of tight ends, Jabari Holloway and Arther Love. Love has some long-range potential. Safety Hakim Akbar was a steal in the fifth round. Leonard Myers has potential to contribute in the Patriots' secondary. Kicker Owen Pochman was overrated, but drafting him in the seventh round wasn't bad. T.J. Turner could be a backup at linebacker. Grade: B
Note- The only AFC team Kiper graded higher than a B was Seattle (B ), and nine of the 14 teams were graded worse than New England.
Len Pasquarelli, CBS SportsLine.com
Bill Belichick needed quality and quantity and seemed to get both with his 10 choices. Each of the top eight picks figure to contribute as rookies. First-round DT Richard Seymour (Georgia) was an underachiever in college but still has splendid tools. A pair of guards, Matt Light (Purdue, No. 2) and Kenyatta Jones (South Florida, No. 4), will add toughness to the line and should start by 2002. CB Brock Williams (Notre Dame, No. 3) is a burner who can help in nickel packages and FS Hakim Akbar (Washington) should not have been around in the sixth round. Grade: B-
Note- Pasquarelli graded New England higher than 21 teams, and lower than just four (Seattle, San Diego, St. Louis and Buffalo).
The Sporting News
Best pick: OT Kenyatta Jones. The Patriots used their time on Saturday night wisely and moved up to get this underrated tackle with the opening pick on the second day.
Worst pick: G Matt Light. He isn't a bad player, but the Patriots didn't need to trade up to get him. He will help fix some pass-protection problems on the interior, but was he worth wasting two picks?
Bottom line: The team didn't do well on the first day. But Sunday was different. Drew Bledsoe needed a tight end, so the Patriots took two of the best available (Jabari Holloway, Arther Love). Grade: C
Note- The Sporting News was not as impressed with the Patriots, ranking their draft results 21st in the league.
