Patriots Sign Rookie WR Zach D'Orazio
BOSTON (CBS) -- On the day the Patriots opened OTAs, they were busy adding an undrafted rookie receiver to the roster.
The Patriots signed Zach D'Orazio, an undrafted receiver out of Akron.
The 6-foot-2, 217-pound slot receiver caught 62 passes last year, amassing 658 yards and scoring once for the Zips. In his three-year college career, he caught 119 passes for 1,422 yards and five touchdowns.
D'Orazio's NFL.com draft profile lists his strengths as such:
"Big for a slot receiver. Has unique ability to begin his run a split second before making the catch on short hitch and dig routes. Able to make first man miss after catch and gets straight upfield. Sniffs out open space against zone and shows above-average awareness of nearby defenders. Willing to work middle of the field and can make contested catches."
That same profile lists his weaknesses, which include limited success running intermediate or deep routes and an inability to run crisp routes.
"He's a possession receiver who can make some things happen against zone coverage, but he's limited beyond that," the profile says.
D'Orazio began his college career as a quarterback and made the switch to receiver in 2012.