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Is next Malcolm Butler among Patriots’ undrafted free agents?

Mississippi State wide receiver De'Runnya Wilson hauled in 133 passes for 1,949 yards and 22 touchdowns in three seasons with the Bulldogs.Grant Halverson/Getty Images

Some players spend all three days of the NFL Draft anxiously playing a life-changing or nerve-racking waiting game until their name is called.

If their name’s called at all.

Not having your name called on draft weekend is not always the end of the line. Defensive back Malcolm Butler went from being undrafted in 2014 to the hero of Super Bowl XLIX just nine months later.

There are always players like Josh Kline, who heard the typical predraft murmurs that he’d be a late-round pick (at the least) coming out of Kent State in 2013, but he was mentally prepared to be passed over.

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Instead of staying glued to the board, he spent the first day of the draft golfing with his buddies.

The guard’s name was never called, but as soon as the draft was over, he got a phone call from the Patriots.

They wanted to sign him as a priority free agent, and even though he went undrafted, he became a mainstay on the offensive line.

The Patriots have found success leaving no stone unturned after the draft. They’ve mined the pool of undrafted free agents and found a gem like Brandon Bolden in 2012 and Butler in 2014.

The odds are slimmer for undrafted free agents, but plenty of players have made the most of their opportunity.

Last year, the Patriots had eight rookie free agents on the roster when they opened the preseason against the Packers. Two of them (David Andrews and Chris Harper) made it to the regular-season opener.

This year, the Patriots signed nine rookie free agents. Like Kline, they all watched as three days of picks went by, but the door to the NFL was still open.

Here’s a look at the players looking to beat the odds this year.

V’Angelo Bentley, cornerback, Illinois

Height: 5-10. Weight: 190 pounds

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Hometown: Cleveland

Let’s get your first question out of the way: His mother’s name is Angela. His father’s name is Vernon. You can figure out the nomenclature.

Now that that’s out of the way, there are a lot of layers to peel back on Bentley.

His mother served in the Air Force for 25 years as a flight medic, doing two tours in Afghanistan. Bentley wasn’t even a teenager the first time his mother left, but seeing her put her life on the line changed his world view and shaped his work ethic.

He told the Penn State Daily Collegian, “She showed her dedication to America — this country — and she worked hard at that. She’s put in some work and put in time. She’s always told me to work hard and stay dedicated to everything.”

He made a name for himself as an all-purpose weapon at Glenville High School, with Ted Ginn Sr. as his head coach. Being slighted for his size left a chip on his shoulder (he was overlooked by Ohio State coming out of Glenville), and he took that with him to Illinois, where he was converted from running back to cornerback.

He had a nose for the football and a knack for being a relentless tackler, but he ultimately emerged as one of the most dangerous kick returners in the Big Ten. He’s the only player in Illinois history to find the end zone via kick return, punt return, interception return, and fumble recovery. He still considers himself a defensive back who happens to return kicks.

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Fun fact: He’s best friends with Justin Combs, son of rap mogul Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs.

Cre’Von LeBlanc, cornerback, Florida Atlantic

Height: 5-9 Weight: 194

Hometown: Belle Glade, Fla.

Five years ago, LeBlanc’s life was at a dramatic crossroads.

Even though he was one of the stars at Glades Central High School, a football factory that practically churned future NFLers out of the sugar cane, he was playing with the weight of a personal loss.

His father had just died of a heart attack at the age of 44. LeBlanc was in the back seat of the car when he saw his father slump in the front.

From that day forward, he said, he played every game for his father.

But four months into his senior season, scandal put football on hold and his future in jeopardy.

LeBlanc and three teammates were accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. The incident caused a firestorm within the small community, with some rallying around the players and others adamantly calling to protect the alleged victim. After an investigation by the school district, each player was suspended for the rest of the year.

LeBlanc had offers from LSU and Florida, but those dissolved in the wake of the controversy. He was weighing his options, including junior college, when he got a call from Florida Atlantic coach Carl Pelini.

LeBlanc was able to pick up the pieces with the Owls, emerging as a hard-hitting corner who made quarterbacks think twice about throwing his way. He was named the Owls’ defensive MVP last season after making 43 tackles and four interceptions.

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He has put the past behind him, telling the Palm Beach Post last year, “I was young and I made a mistake. Nobody’s perfect.”

Jonathan Jones, cornerback, Auburn

Height: 5-9 Weight: 186

Hometown: Carrollton, Ga.

Coming out of Carrollton High School in 2011, Jones had carved out a reputation as Georgia’s fastest football recruit.

His was an all-state runner in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 14.02 seconds and the 300-meter hurdles with a 37.39.

But he was also ranked the No. 40 cornerback by Rivals.com. His college choices came down to Georgia Tech, Mississippi, and Auburn, which was coming off a national title in 2010.

He told the Atlanta Journal Constitution, “I liked everything about Auburn, from the winning tradition to the coaching staff, along with the proximity from home.”

He made an immediate impact, playing 10 games as a freshman, but broke his ankle in camp heading into his sophomore year.

He was considered undersized, but his speed was his strength. As a nickel back, he can mirror shifty slot receivers.

At the Senior Bowl, he told the Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser “I look at myself in the mirror every morning so I knew it wasn’t like I was going to grow or get longer arms before I came down here. What I’ve got to do out here [the practice field] is show my height, weight and size can play against the best players out here.”

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C.J. Johnson, linebacker, Mississippi

Height: 6-1 Weight: 234

Hometown: Philadelphia, Miss.

Johnson’s instincts have set him apart since he was terrorizing defenses at Philadelphia (Miss.) High School five years ago.

He had committed to Mississippi State in 2010 when he caught the eye of West Point coach Chris Chambless at the Alabama-Mississippi High School All-Star Classic.

Chambliss told the Mississippi Press-Register, “He’s just a freak of nature. He runs well, he’s got good size, and he’s strong. He’s a good leader. He’s got all the intangibles it takes to be a big-time football player. He’s one of those who can talk the talk and walk the walk.”

But Johnson never made it to Mississippi State. After committing to the Bulldogs his junior year, Johnson did an about-face and signed with Ole Miss.

It made him a lightning rod for a while, and some fans were unforgiving early in his career when an ankle injury cost him the 2013 season.

He made the switch from the defensive line to to Mike linebacker in 2015, and even though a torn meniscus had him on the sideline briefly in October, he wound up at the center of an Ole Miss defense that ranked in the top three in tackles for loss, interceptions, and takeaways.

He summed up the position switch to Sports Illustrated’s Campus Rush by pointing to what’s always been there: “I think it’s worked well because of my football instincts. I’m always trying to be one of the smartest guys on the field, and I know what to do. I have a great defensive line that I play behind; they make my life a whole lot easier and keep the reads easy for me. I’m around guys who allow me to make plays.”

Steven Scheu, tight end, Vanderbilt

Height: 6-5 Weight: 250

Hometown: Evansville, Ind.

It took time for Scheu to fully grasp all the work that goes into reaching the next level.

At Memorial High School in Evansville, he was an all-state tight end who caught 93 passes for 1,433 yards and 20 touchdowns. But when he got to Vanderbilt, he had to adjust to SEC football.

“In high school, I thought I was better than I was,” he told the Evansville Courier & Press this year. “I solely relied on my God-given ability. When I got to college it was so clear I wasn’t as good as I thought I was, by any means.”

He beefed his 225-pound frame up to 255 pounds. He learned a system that didn’t emphasize the tight end position, embracing his role as a blocker.

Then in his junior year, he had a breakout season. He caught 39 passes for 525 yards and 4 touchdowns, putting himself on the NFL Draft radar. He racked up the most receiving yards by a Vanderbilt tight end since 1983, and built the confidence to believe he not only belonged at the SEC level but that he could also play beyond it.

He followed his breakout year by catching 27 passes for 240 yards and one score last season. The dropoff in production was due in large part to a less-efficient offense.

But when he went to the East-West Shrine game in January, he made a connection with former Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, who coached the East team.

“We’re doing a bunch of stuff he did with the Patriots,” Scheu told the Courier & Press in January. “I really like working with him.”

He showered Bill Belichick with praise after signing.

“He is one of the most well-respected coaches in the NFL, one of the best of all-time,” Scheu said. “He is honestly a football guru. It’s going to be amazing to play under a guy like that. I will try to absorb everything I can.”

Bryce Williams, tight end, East Carolina

Height: 6-6 Weight: 257

Hometown: Winston-Salem, N.C.

From the time he left North Davidson High School, Williams started betting on himself.

Even though he finished his career as the school’s second-leading receiver, totaling 41 catches for 848 yards and 7 touchdowns his senior season, he didn’t have any scholarship offers, so he walked on at Marshall.

He made the team, but had to red-shirt, and after a year on the sideline, he didn’t want to let time slip away. So he made another critical decision.

He went back home to North Carolina and walked on at his parents’ alma mater, East Carolina. His twin brother, Shawn, was the team’s kicker.

It was a gamble, but it paid off. In three seasons with the Pirates, Williams caught 96 passes for 1,045 yards and 13 touchdowns.

He knows the path he took was unconventional, but it ultimately led to an NFL door opening.

“That’s something not too many people have gone through,” Williams told Panthers.com. “I had to have a chip on my shoulder to prove myself, to show that I was worthy of a scholarship.

“I’m grateful for ECU recognizing that and that I was eventually able to earn one.”

De’Runnya Wilson, wide receiver, Mississippi State

Height: 6-5 Weight: 244

Hometown: Birmingham, Ala.

For a while in 2014, Mississippi State basketball coach Rick Ray had to walk a tightrope. The season was looming, and he had a sophomore power forward to check on.

But that power forward was also the football team’s top receiver. Wilson was in the middle of a 47-catch, 680-yard season, and the Bulldogs were No. 1 in the country.

With that in mind, Ray figured he’d hold off on asking football coach Dan Mullen when he could pull Wilson away from the gridiron.

“He’s got the No. 1-ranked team in the country,” Ray told the Clarion Ledger. “I don’t want to do anything to screw that up.”

Wilson was Mr. Basketball in Alabama when he came out of Wenonah High School in 2013. But after catching 26 passes for 351 yards and 3 touchdowns as a true freshman (and scoring just 6 points in seven games with the basketball team), he hung up his sneakers.

In three years on the gridiron, he teamed with quarterback Dak Prescott to become one of the Bulldogs’ biggest playmakers, grabbing 133 passes for 1,949 yards and 22 touchdowns. He made a habit of making big plays at key moments, scoring eight touchdowns on third down.

He declared for the draft in January with one year of eligibility left. Some observers had him as high as the 10th best receiver in the draft, but he struggled at the Scouting Combine, running a 4.85 40-yard dash, the slowest time among wide receivers.

Woodrow Hamilton, defensive tackle, Mississippi

Height: 6-3 Weight: 312

Hometown: Raleigh, Miss.

Hamilton is a big man who’s also big on symbolism. Before every game last season, he came out for warmups with a tool box in hand. It was a reminder to the Ole Miss defense.

“Every weekend we tell each other ‘OK, what’s in your tool box?’ to challenge each other,” he told the University of Mississippi’s Daily Mississippian. “I take it out because I try to be the most physical.”

After he red-shirted as a freshman, dependability became Hamilton’s calling card once he broke into the starting lineup in 2013. His numbers might have been modest (83 career tackles, 3 sacks), but Hamilton played every game from 2013 on.

Devonta Burns, free safety, Texas A&M

Height: 5-10 Weight: 203

Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Burns came out of Arlington Martin High School as one of the more highly-touted safeties in Texas. His junior year, Burns made 102 tackles with three sacks, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery. He drew offers from Iowa, Texas Christian, and Purdue, but chose to stay close to home at A&M.

It took two years with the Aggies for Burns to break through.

He carved out a role as a nickel back and had the best season of his career in 2014 with 57 tackles and a sack.

D.J. Foster, wide receiver, Arizona State

Height: 5-10 Weight: 193

Hometown: Scottsdale, Ariz.

Foster was legendary coming out of Saguaro High School, scoring 60 touchdowns his senior season and finishing with 5,000 yards for his career.

As a true freshman at ASU, he was an impact player, finishing with the second most all-purpose yards on the team.

By his junior year, he was second-team All-Pac 12, rushing for 1,081 yards and catching 62 passes for 688 yards.

He played at less than full strength for stretches his senior year, and there was a drop-off in production that may have been the reason why he fell off of teams’ draft boards.

But after becoming one of just five players in NCAA history to rack up 2,000 yards both rushing and receiving while also playing all 53 games over his four seasons, Foster left with a reputation for tough as well as versatile.

In a whirlwind hour after the draft ended, Foster juggled calls from a handful of interested teams. He went from wondering if he’d be picked to having his pick of teams, and when he got the call from Belichick, his decision was made.

Video: D.J. Foster decides where to play


Follow Julian Benbow on Twitter at @julianbenbow.