Making the cut: Undrafted rookies discuss making Patriots' roster
FOXBORO -- Tuesday was not a particularly fun day for a lot of people in the NFL, as rosters had to be trimmed down to 53 players. That left a lot of players looking for new teams early Tuesday evening.
It wasn't even a fun of a day for those who made a roster, including a pair of Patriots undrafted free agents. Brenden Schooler and DaMarcus Mitchell both made New England's 53-man roster after going undrafted in April, making it 19 straight years that at least one UDFA has made the Patriots out of training camp.
While both had impressive camps and turned some heads during their preseason action, neither were locks to make the roster. That had them both on edge throughout the day on Tuesday.
Both players did their best to take their mind off things while waiting for a phone call. Schooler, who will now play an important role on New England's special teams unit, spent his day working on his truck and talking to family. He was chatting with his brother for over an hour leading up to the 4 p.m. deadline while one of his friends kept tabs on social media.
Schooler had been told that no news was good news. He didn't get any official word until around 5 p.m., when his agent called to let him know that he had made the Patriots.
It was a stressful day, for sure. But also a day that Schooler won't soon forget.
"It has been my dream since I was a little kid, not only to play in the NFL but to be on a roster; to be those guys on the field doing what they love," Schooler told WBZ-TV's Dan Roche. "It has been my dream since I was in second grade.
"Getting to live this dream, and seeing how far I've come, the obstacles I've overcome, it has been one hell of a roller coaster ride," he added.
Schooler's football life has been all about bouncing around. He started his college career at Oregon as a safety, and then moved to wide receiver. He transferred to Texas in 2020, and after a season as a receiver, was back to playing safety in 2021.
He moved to special teams with the Patriots this summer and shined in the new role. It caught the eye of Bill Belichick and Patriots coaches, and now Schooler is living his dream. He got lots of text messages and phone calls to congratulate him, but immediately called his parents to share the good news.
"I couldn't really stop smiling," he said. "It was pretty cool to share that moment with them as well."
Mitchell, a defensive end out of Purdue, had an equally taxing day as he waited to hear if he would be one of the 27 players cut loose on Tuesday.
"Me being part of the waiting game, it was no fun. Waiting to hear my name called, I mean, it was just like on draft day. But on draft day you want to hear your name called; on cut day, you don't want to hear your name called," he said. "When it wasn't called, it was the biggest stress relief ever."
Mitchell anxiously made his way through Tuesday expecting to hear bad news before 4 p.m. But when he did get a call, it was from New England defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington, informing Mitchell that he had made the roster.
"Being able to live out my dream and play for one of the best coaches and best organizations, it's a blessing," said Mitchell.
Mitchell said he had 72 text messages and 32 missed calls shortly after making the team.
"The love was there, for sure," he said.
Like Schooler, Mitchell popped on special teams throughout camp and the preseason. But he also showed a spark off the edge with his ability to get to the quarterback. That was on full display against the Carolina Panthers when Mitchell beat his man around the edge and strip-sacked P.J. Walker in the end zone, which was recovered by Sam Roberts for a Patriots touchdown.
Fittingly, Mitchell and Schooler have shared a locker inside New England's dressing room. Soon enough, they'll each have their own, another indication that they have made it to the NFL.
Both know they have a lot of work to do if they want to stay in the NFL. But Schooler and Mitchell will always remember the paths they had to take to get here, and will continue to use those journeys as fuel for future success.
