Patriots announce signing of eight undrafted free agents

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Every year since 2004, the New England Patriots have had at least one undrafted free agent make their initial 53-man roster out of training camp.

Could the streak continue in 2022?

Curran: The Patriots' draft decisions are taking a pummeling

Here's a look at the latest group of UDFAs the Patriots have added, who will be aiming to join a list of players which include the likes of Malcolm Butler, J.C. Jackson, David Andrews, Brandon Bolden and Jakobi Meyers.

D'Eriq King, QB/WR, Miami (Fla.)

Over six seasons of college football -- four at Houston, the last two at The U -- King played both quarterback and receiver. He caught 58 passes for 492 yards in his first two seasons for the Cougars before shifting under center, where he completed 63.1 percent of his passes for 76 touchdowns against 19 interceptions over 48 games between the schools.

The 24-year-old King, who stands 5-foot-11, reportedly worked out for Joe Judge in the leadup to the draft and worked out for several other teams as a wide receiver. The more you can do, the better.

Liam Shanahan, OL, LSU

A versatile player who started exclusively at center for the Tigers over the last two seasons after shifting across the line over three seasons at Harvard, Shanahan played high school football locally for Marlboro (Mass.) High.

The 6-foot-5, 300-pound Shanahan worked on the grounds crew at Fenway Park during summers in high school and college, according to his official LSU bio.

Jake Julien, P, Eastern Michigan

With incumbent Jake Bailey, a 2019 fifth-round draft pick, entering the final year of his deal, Julien -- the 31st overall pick in the Canadian Football League Draft in 2021 -- provides some insurance moving forward. Cutting Bailey, an All-Pro in 2020, would save the Patriots just under $4 million in cap space.

Julien is a native of Barrie, Ontario.

LaBryan Ray, DT, Alabama

For the first time since 2018, the Patriots didn't draft a player out of Nick Saban's program in Tuscaloosa. But Ray, a 6-foot-5, 295-pound force on the interior, will have a chance to lineup alongside his former Crimson Tide teammate Christian Barmore once again.

DaMarcus Mitchell, LB, Purdue

An edge rusher, Mitchell played the last two seasons for the Boilermakers after transferring from Southwest Mississippi Community College. Mitchell (6-foot-3, 265 pounds) registered 4.5 sacks for Purdue last fall.

Kody Russey, C, Houston

Another sixth-year senior, Russey (6-foot-2, 292 pounds) spent five seasons at Louisiana Tech prior to joining the Cougars in 2021, where he was teammates with Patriots third-round draft pick Marcus Jones.

Brenden Schooler, WR/S, Texas

Schooler, who played four years at Oregon before spending two seasons with the Longhorns, had four interceptions as a freshman for the Ducks in 2016 and caught 55 passes for 661 yards and six touchdowns over the course of his college career.

Devin Hafford, DB, Tarleton State

A 6-foot-1, 210-pound veteran of six seasons for the Texans, Hafford made the leap from to the Division II Lone Star Conference to an FCS Division I independent with Tarleton State in 2020. He had six interceptions last fall.

In addition, the Patriots have also extended an invite to their upcoming mini-camp to Coby Tippett, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Andre Tippett.

Coby Tippett played high school football locally at Xaverian in Westwood, playing first at Towson University before transferring to Rhode Island.

Andre Tippett played his entire 11-year career with New England, recording an even 100 sacks and earning five Pro Bowl berths and two First Team All-Pro nods. He played on the Patriots' first Super Bowl team after the 1985 season and was a member of the Hall of Fame's All-1980s team.

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