Countdown to Kickoff: Profile on New England Patriots No. 46 James Develin

The Countdown to Kickoff series continues on with a look at New England Patriots fullback James Develin who is one of the best at his position in the entire NFL.

There are exactly 46 days until the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers open up the 2016 NFL regular season with a Super Bowl rematch. In the meantime, we at NFL Spin Zone are going to profile a player each day as we countdown the days to kickoff.

The Countdown to Kickoff series began with a look at No. 99 Joey Bosa and has continued on everyday since (check out all of the posts here).

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The options of players who wear number 46 in the NFL are less than stellar. Mostly just a bunch of long snappers and undrafted rookie linebackers make up the mix. While the fullback position may not typically be much more interesting, this player has a chance to make a significant impact for his team.

Let’s take a look at New England Patriots fullback James Develin.

Develin was a defensive at Brown University in college, and did not receive much attention from NFL teams through the 2010 NFL Draft process.

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He began his professional football career in the Arena Football League and United Football League before finally getting an opportunity on the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad as a fullback on and off for a few years between 2010-2012.

Develin eventually ended up with the Patriots in 2012, playing in one game for the team that season. In 2013, Develin made a more significant impact for the Patriots, becoming the team’s primary player at the fullback position.

As you know, the Patriots typically line-up with many wide receivers and tight ends on the field, rarely leaving much opportunity for the fullback position. That being said, Develin forced his way onto the field a lot through 2013 and 2014, showing fantastic run blocking skills and some strong receiving ability out of the backfield.

Unfortunately, Develin broke his right leg in the preseason last year, forcing him to miss the entire 2015 season. While the loss of a fullback may not have seemed like a big deal on the surface, the Patriots undoubtedly missed his ability to open up holes in the running game.

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Develin re-signed with the Patriots on a one-year contract this off season, and appears healthy and primed to reclaim his spot as the primary fullback for the team again this year.

However, with the addition of tight end Martellus Bennett this off season, Develin’s playing time may be in jeopardy. The Patriots are undoubtedly going to want Bennett and Rob Gronkowski both on the field as much as possible. Add in two receivers and a running back and there simply is not room for a fullback on the field.

That being said, Gronkowski and Bennett can play outside as more traditional wide receivers at times. I would not be surprised to see at least one of them lined up out wide, with Julian Edelman being the other receiver and Develin getting an opportunity to be a back or tight end for the team who primary responsibility is to block.

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The Patriots have a ton of interesting players to use in their offense, and they can line them up in a variety of different ways. It may not be easy to see how Develin will be involved on the surface, but he is an impact player who will find his way on the field.