These rookies class acts

From top to bottom, students are standouts

January 29, 2004|Globe Staff

HOUSTON -- On May 2, 2003, the first day of a two-day minicamp at Gillette Stadium, the New England Patriots signed 15 undrafted rookies, among them Penn State free safety Shawn Mayer. The mass signing came days after the Patriots had exercised 10 draft choices. And over the next two weeks, New England would sign four more undrafted rookies. Mayer making the team was a long shot, to say the least.

So you could say Mayer made the most of his opportunity. If the Patriots defeat the Panthers in three days in Super Bowl XXXVIII, Mayer, a member of four of New England's special teams and perhaps the most unheralded of the team's celebrated rookie class, will be able to say with pride that his 16 special-teams tackles in 11 games (including postseason) helped the Patriots win their second world championship in three seasons.

Mayer earned it. All the Patriots gave him was a chance. They kept him through training camp, released him Aug. 31, re-signed him to the practice squad the next day, waived him Nov. 7, brought him back to the practice squad three days later, and, finally, added him to the active roster Nov. 22.

"He's not the most talented guy," special teams coach Brad Seely said, "but he's a guy that knows what his limitations are and plays to his strengths. He's not flashy. You don't hear much about him, but he just does his job."

"That's kind of my background," Mayer said. "At Penn State, I had back surgery and I had knee surgery. I've just been overcoming obstacles my whole life. Growing up, it was the same deal. Money situations. We weren't the wealthiest family. My dad got fired, stuff like that. We had our times with no electricity, no heat, and no water.

"I don't care how I got here, but I'm here now. [Football] is my whole life. You don't complain about it. You just work and work, and that's all you can do. That's all I know how to do."

The Patriots' scouting department evidently knows how to spot good, young players. Mayer is one of eight rookies on New England's active roster, and 14 on the team (including practice squad). We've seen and appreciated the immediate contributions of second-round picks Eugene Wilson, a starter at safety, and Bethel Johnson, the AFC's leading kickoff returner, fourth-round choice and nickel back Asante Samuel, and fifth-round pick Dan Koppen, the team's starting center. But what has to be the real joy of this class of rookies from the Patriots' perspective is its depth.