Patriots UDFA WR Was an Absolute Steal by Bill Belichick in Classic Move

Few teams in the league find diamonds in the UDFA rough like Bill Belichick's New England Patriots, and their next potential star comes in the form of a troubled, yet talented speed demon from The U.

The Patriots added former Miami star Jeff Thomas, who went undrafted due to size and character concerns. If he clicks in New England, the Patriots just might have found their next vertical passing weapon.

Right off the bat, Thomas has two major strikes against him. First, he was kicked off the team when Mark Richt was at Miami, but was later reinstated. Second, he is a 5-10, 175 pound receiver with small hands and poor production.

If you get past all that and look at the film, you see a guy who can take the top off of a defense thanks to his blazing speed. During his final season at Miami, Thomas was used more as a slot receiver who caught the ball on shorter routes, and he proved that his electric nature as a runner translates to the screen game.

Thomas should be a guy that competes with Jakobi Meyers for snaps while potentially making an impact as a kick returner.

The Patriots lacked a wide receiver who could be trusted to get downfield regularly (no, Phillip Dorsett doesn't count) and make big plays last year. Thomas has a lot of wrinkles in his game he needs to iron out, but the potential in Josh McDaniels' offense should get Patriots fans excited.