NFL Undrafted Free Agents 2011: Pat Devlin and the Top Undrafted Rookies

Football is finally back in our lives and this free agent frenzy is about to consume our souls over the next few days.

We all can’t wait as the excitement will keep us up at night wondering what move we’re missing. Today, undrafted free agents are beginning to sign as teams look to fill out their rosters.

The 2011 NFL Draft contained a plethora of quality prospects from the first to seventh rounds. In fact, the talent pool was so deep that dozens of quality players went undrafted.

I may have been even more shocked than some of these stud prospects to see them go undrafted in April, but luckily for them they’re gaining a great deal of attention today.

We have already seen player such as Pat Devlin, DeAndre McDaniel, Dane Sanzenbacher and Mark Herzlich reportedly agreeing to terms with teams. Where do these three men rank in our top seven undrafted free agents list?

7. Terrence Toliver, WR, LSU

It seems nearly every team is in need of a wide receiver, but doesn’t want to pay top dollar for one.

Terrence Toliver is the most gifted undrafted receiver on the market. He showed up big in the Cotton Bowl as he caught three touchdown passes and 112 yards on five receptions. He was rather underwhelming at LSU, but at least he went out with a bang in his career finale.

He needs to develop his route-running better and his speed leaves much to be desired. Still, he has great size and body control, which will allow him to make a difference in this league with a solid quarterback tossing him the rock.

6. Joe Lefeged, S, Rutgers

Lefeged may very well be the best undrafted free agent with his ability to develop into a long-term starting safety in this league.

He comes equipped with great size, strength and speed to make a major impact during his career. He will excel on special teams early, which will solidify a spot on the roster.

He recorded four forced fumbles, 1.5 sacks, one interception and 84 total tackles in his fourth season at Rutgers. He failed to record at least five tackles in a contest just one time in 2010. In five games, he accumulated at least seven tackles.

In time, he will impress coaches enough to warrant a starting opportunity with his natural abilities.

5. Cedric Thornton, DL, Southern Arkansas

I had Thornton pegged as a seventh round selection in a couple of my New York Jets-dedicated mock drafts in April, so I was rather surprised to see him go undrafted.

Thornton will fill gaps at the line of scrimmage and has the versatility to play defensive end or tackle. He would be a solid player in a rotation on the defensive line with his quickness and strength. Of every undrafted rookie, Thornton should be on the short list for every team in this league as the game is won in the trenches.

He accumulated 103 tackles, three forced fumbles, 10 sacks and two blocked kicks in 2010.

You can never have enough defensive linemen, I always say.

4. Pat Devlin, QB, Delaware

Sorry, Miami, but Pat Devlin does not solve your QB woes.

Still, I like the move.

He puts nice touch on his passes and has good speed out of the pocket. More importantly, he displays quality pocket awareness, which will accelerate his progression in the league.

At this point, we can expect Miami to still bring in a veteran, but Devlin could very well be the quarterback of the future in Miami.

After a great draft void of a quarterback, this is an extremely smart move. We can essentially tack Devlin on as another draft pick.

3. Dane Sanzenbacher, WR, Ohio State

It didn’t shock me that Sancenbacher went undrafted and it didn’t shock me that he was one of the first undrafted players to sign.

Sanzenbacher will prove to be a very good slot and possession receiver in the NFL. He won’t be a deep threat and will not overpower anybody due to his stature, but he has the quickness and outstanding soft hands to help teams along the way.

We’ve seen possession receivers make major contributions in this league before. He will be doubted along the way, but he will impress. He totaled 55 receptions for 948 yards and 11 touchdowns last season.

Great pick up by the Bears.

2. Mark Herzlich, OLB, Boston College

New York Giants made an exceptional move to sign Mark Herzlich.

No man in the NFL will be more dedicated to proving teams wrong than the Boston College standout. Not only is this a great PR move by the G-Men, they desperately need an outside linebacker of his caliber.

He recorded four interceptions and 65 tackles in his return to Boston College in 2010 and had six interceptions and 110 tackles in 2008.

He lost some speed and burst, but he has fantastic instincts and ball-hawking skills. This man will make the roster and make a major difference with the rest of New York’s high-end 2011 rookie class.

1. DeAndre McDaniel, S, Clemson

How 32 teams passed on DeAndre McDaniel is beyond me. He was easily one of the most talented safeties in the class with the abilities to do it all on the field.

He has great instincts to help him track the ball in the air to intercept or knock down passes. McDaniel has very good speed to close in on ball carriers and the strength and intensity to wrap up runners.

The Clemson stand out accumulated 275 tackles, 15 interceptions, two sacks and one touchdown in four seasons.

New Orleans grabbed a steal with McDaniel, he’ll be their long-term starter for the next few seasons once he gains experience.