Slater's stock was rising

Although he's primarily a special teams player, UCLA's Matthew Slater was a prospect on the rise in the weeks leading into the NFL Draft. But the Patriots apparently kept their interest under wraps.

"I hadn't had any contact with them -- I had one phone call exchange where they asked me a few questions," Slater said today in a conference call with New England reporters. "I had visited several other teams, and I wasn't sure if the Patriots had very much interest in me. I wasn't sure at all. I was obviously surprised, but excited and thankful at the same time."

Slater indicated the teams he visited were the Steelers, Buccaneers, Texans, Giants, Jets, Bears and Jaguars.

"I had made the rounds," he said, "but like I said I hadn't heard from the Patriots."

Slater also reflected on growing up and watching his father, longtime Rams star and Pro Football Hall of Famer Jackie Slater, play in the NFL.

"The thing that sticks out most to me about my dad was the way he worked," he said. "It wasn't necessarily the games. The games were great, and everybody sees that on Sunday, but I saw things about my dad that people didn't see -- the blood, sweat and tears that he put into this game and how he prepared and the respect he gave to this game of football. I think that's something he has passed over to me."