The New England Patriots had a large rookie class last season — so large that few of them ended up having an impact.

Many players ended up on injured reserve or the practice squad, where they were given time to develop while the team’s active roster made a Super Bowl run. But the Patriots may have big plans for their young group of players. The Patriots, after all, have a handful of openings on their depth chart but they don’t have a lot of cap space.

The team could look to a handful of younger players from the 2018 and 2019 draft classes to step up. Here’s a look at some 2018 players who sat out last year but could make an impact next season.

One note before we proceed: Keep in mind that the season starts in September. Free agency is far from over. The draft comes in April. These players may get again buried on the depth chart by incoming talent. For now, it’s worth introducing them as options.

7. Damoun Patterson, WR

He was an undrafted free agent out of Youngstown State, the alma mater of defensive end Derek Rivers. He started his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, a program which has a long history of identifying and developing talent at the receiver position. Patterson had a strong preseason performance but couldn’t make the roster, and landed with New England during the regular season. At Youngstown State in 2017, he caught 32 passes for a team-high 555 yards and four touchdowns at 17.3 yards per catch. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound wideout could be a compelling competitor for an outside receiver spot in New England’s offense.