Vinnie

Sunseri

Sunseri was hoping to land a spot as a reserve safety but always faced long odds at cracking the final 53. Perhaps he’ll stay on as a member of the practice quad. Sunseri has endured two ACL tears since entering the league as a fifth-round pick in 2014.

A 2014 fifth-round draft pick by New Orleans, Sunseri is believed to have suffered two ACL tears since his final season at Alabama. He will compete for a roster spot in New England as a reserve safety and core special teamer.

It wasn’t noted in our database what type of injury landed Sunseri on I.R. for all of last season, so this is more for bookkeeping purposes. He’s nine months removed from surgery and worked out for the Patriots last week after being cut by the Saints in April. Sunseri was a fifth-rounder out of Alabama in 2014.

Sunseri, 22, declared for the draft as a true junior despite tearing his ACL last October. He ran a 4.52 forty at Alabama’s Pro Day and is on track to participate in OTAs. Sunseri was a highly productive college gunner and will open his career on special teams.

Sunseri (5-foot-11, 209) played dime back, safety and special teams at Alabama before tearing his left ACL last October. Despite the injury, Sunseri declared for the pros as a true junior. He was an ascending player before the ligament tear, recording four interceptions and seven tackles for loss across his final 21 games. Healthy enough to participate at the Crimson Tide’s Pro Day, Sunseri ran forty times of 4.52 and 4.53. A highly productive college gunner, Sunseri will open his career on special teams. He is physical and athletic enough to eventually earn snaps at safety.

Sunseri offered promise as an intriguing fifth-round sleeper in the 2014 draft, but he ended his first NFL season on I.R. and spent all of 2015 on injured reserve as well. We suspect he’ll get some interest on the waiver wire.

The 167th pick in May’s draft out of Alabama, Sunseri contributed four tackles on special teams and 11 defensive snaps. His future is as a gunner in kick coverage.