2011 NFL Draft Results: 10 Undrafted Free Agents the Patriots Should Consider

The 2011 NFL draft has come and gone, and now the NFL has resumed its state of being locked out.

Teams, players and fans await the lockout being lifted, as free agency has been delayed for quite some time now.

Not only will teams be signing their draft picks and taking a look at free-agent players, teams will also certainly be considering the plethora of undrafted rookies.

The New England Patriots are a team that has quite the knack for finding quality talent via undrafted prospects, and I'm sure they'll take a good hard look at many players once this lockout is lifted.

Here are 10 undrafted free agents Bill Belichick and the Patriots will likely consider.

This article was first seen at PatriotsPlus.net. Be sure to follow Tony Santorsa on Twitter @ TonySantorsa.

Mark Herzlich, LB, Boston College

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CHESTNUT HILL, MA - SEPTEMBER 25: Mark Herzlich #94 and Thomas Claiborne #78 of the Boston College Eagles lead the team out on the field before the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies on September 25, 2010 at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Massachuse

Mark Herzlich is one player that I find shocking wasn't drafted somewhere in the middle to late rounds this past weekend.

Herzlich is most notable for battling and overcoming Ewing's sarcoma in 2009.

Prior to being diagnosed with cancer, Herzlich was a very productive player at Boston College. In 2008, Herzlich recorded a stellar 110 tackles and six interceptions. However, after fighting cancer for a year, Herzlich's numbers dipped a bit in 2010, as he only racked up 65 tackles and four interceptions.

If Herzlich can prove to the Patriots that he's healthy and still possesses that fire and intensity, then I can definitely see him suiting up as a New England Patriot during training camp later this year. 

Terrance Toliver, WR, LSU

Wide receiver Terrance Toliver is one of the most physically gifted receivers in the 2011 draft class, but he simply wasn't productive at LSU.

During his four years, he only managed to tally 126 receptions and 12 touchdowns.

For a guy who's got solid speed, great hands and is 6'3", it's kind of shocking that he didn't dominate at the college level.

Toliver's solid skill set could make a solid case for a team to sign him for training camp this August.

John Kirkpatrick, C, TCU

Jake Kirkpatrick was projected to be a later-round draft pick. However, the center out of TCU went undrafted.

As the New England Patriots have some holes along their offensive line, Kirkpatrick could be a solid backup behind Dan Koppen.

Kirkpatrick is a very solid run blocker with great strength. However, his major weakness is his technique; he plays too high, which can always be coached.

Armon Binns, WR, Cincinnati

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CINCINNATI - SEPTEMBER 25: Armon Binns #80 of the Cincinnati Bearcats reaches up for a pass while defended by Jamell Fleming #32 of the Oklahoma Sooners during the game at Paul Brown Stadium on September 25, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The pass in the end

The most notable trait regarding Armon Binns out of Cincinnati is that he has amazing hands—he catches every single pass thrown to him.

The major knock against Binns is that he's simply not fast or explosive enough to succeed at the next level, or at least that's how teams felt considering he went undrafted. 

His final season at Cincinnati, Binns reeled in 75 passes for a whopping 1,107 yards and 10 touchdowns. He managed to catch 11 touchdowns just a season before. 

Standing in at 6'3", Binns may not be a speedster, but he can offer a large target for quarterbacks to find, which may appeal to the Patriots and other NFL teams. 

Jeff Maehl, WR, Oregon

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GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 10: Jeff Maehl #23 of the Oregon Ducks catches a two-point conversion to tie the game late in the fourth quarter against Zac Etheridge #4 of the Auburn Tigers during the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game at University of Phoe

To sum up Jeff Maehl in a few words: Catches every single pass, but he's simply too small.

Maehl probably has the best set of hands for the undrafted free agents, but his very thin body frame is what caused the former Oregon Duck to go undrafted.

During his final season as a Duck, Maehl snagged 77 balls for 1,076 yards and a whopping 12 touchdowns.

Maehl is a solid receiver that has great hands. He just needs to bulk up a bit in order for a team like New England to consider him.

Steven Friday, OLB, Virginia Tech

After the 2011 NFL draft, the New England Patriots' biggest need that they never addressed was their pass rush.

Virginia Tech's Steven Friday is one prospect that has decent upside and potential to become a solid pass rusher at the next level.

Friday's major weakness is his ability to stop the run—he's simply not a run stopper.

If New England wants to find a very aggressive and talented pass rusher for a sub-package situation, Friday is one of the best prospects available.

Bryant Browning, OG, Ohio State

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COLUMBUS, OH - OCTOBER 23: Bryant Browning #70 of the Ohio State Buckeyes passes against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ohio Stadium on October 23, 2010 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Logan Mankins, the New England Patriots' current left guard, has yet to agree to the contract offered by New England when they placed their franchise tag on him earlier this offseason.

If Mankins doesn't agree to it because he wants a long-term contract, the Patriots could very well ship Mankins off to another team in return for some draft picks.

One player who went undrafted that could help the Patriots is Ohio State offensive lineman Bryant Browning.

Browning is a very powerful offensive guard that has a relentless motor and plays to the whistle. The major knock on Browning is that he lacks ideal speed for the guard position in the NFL.

Ryan Winterswyk, DE, Boise State

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GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 04: Ryan Winterswyk #98 of the Boise State Broncos tackles quarterback Andy Dalton #14 of the TCU Horned Frogs on a quarterback keeper in the third quarter during the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on Ja

Ryan Winterswyk out of Boise State is a very solid pass-rushing prospect. 

Winterswyk recorded 20.5 sacks while in college, but his major issue is consistency. 

Many scouts may feel that Winterswyk's inconsistent performance is due to his lack of explosiveness off of the snap of the ball.

All in all, he's a solid prospect that offers the potential to be a quality pass rusher in sub-package situations.

Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia

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LOUISVILLE, KY - NOVEMBER 20: Noel Devine #7 of the West Virginia Mountaineers celebrates after runing for a touchdown during the Big East Conference game against the Louisville Cardinals at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium on November 20, 2010 in Louisville

The former running back out of West Virginia, Noel Devine is one of the freakish pure athletes that the undrafted free agent class has to offer.

When in the open field, Devine is a nightmare to bring down, as he's very elusive, fast and shifty. He'd be great for special teams. 

Devine was extremely productive at West Virginia, as he ran for 4,317 yards and a whopping career total of 29 touchdowns.

The major knock on Devine is that he's so small, standing in at 5'8" and 180 lbs.

The Patriots may look at Devine as a pure athlete that could help the football team somewhere, so I wouldn't be surprised at all if New England brought him in for training camp at least.

Alex Linnenkohl, C, Oregon State

Alex Linnenkohl out of Oregon State is one of the more athletic and smart centers that the undrafted free agent class has to offer.

Not only is Linnenkohl very athletic for the center position, but he's also a very talented long snapper. Linnenkohl has a whole lot of value to offer, as he's a great long snapper.

The major knock on Linnenkohl is that his blocking skills need to improve. However, a season with New England offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia wouldn't hurt.