New England Patriots sign James Develin and Jeremy Ebert

As expected, the New England Patriots have signed seventh-round pick Jeremy Ebert to the practice squad, and they also promoted fullback James Develin to the 53-man roster from the practice squad. Ebert was cut from the team in the offseason after an underwhelming preseason, but he has upside as a project player in the slot. He has very reliable hands and solid speed, and he was the fourth-best receiver in the Big Ten (picked fourth in the draft, fourth in most statistics) while with the Northwestern Wildcats.

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Develin, meanwhile, was signed to the Patriots practice squad initially the day after the 53-man roster crackdown on the first day of September. The 24-year-old RB/FB has been a standout during practices and deserves to get the call-up, but it will be interesting to see the role he plays for the Pats. It’s a little surprising to see them bring up a back, but Develin has earned it with his play as a practice squad member.

A former defensive lineman for four years while standing out for Brown University in college, Develin is a nice feel-good story and could receive some snaps at fullback. He’s a solid blocker.

Ebert was released during the roster crackdown on the 31st of August and is now back on the Pats p-squad after a brief stint with the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.