Austin Carr,Miles Taylor

FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2016, file photo, Northwestern wide receiver Austin Carr (80) catches a pass in front of Iowa defensive back Miles Taylor (19) during an NCAA college football game in Iowa City, Iowa. Carr has wreaked havoc on opposing secondaries all season. He's already become the school's first 1,000-yard receiver in five years. Northwestern plays at Purdue on Saturday. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

(Charlie Neibergall)

FOXBOROUGH -- Needing to fill out their 90-man roster, the New England Patriots brought in approximately 25 rookies over the weekend. The vast majority were undrafted free agents.

The Pats took pass rushers and pass protectors in the draft. They signed an enormous run-stuffer minutes afterward. They added several more offensive tackles, cornerbacks, and safeties.

And the Pats signed a single wide receiver: former Northwestern standout Austin Carr, who began his college career as a walk-on and finished with 90 receptions for 1,247 yards and 12 scores as a senior.

Carr's college coach, Pat Fitzgerald, confirmed the news on Twitter.

Carr ranked as Pro Football Focus' No. 1 slot receiver in 2016. He has good size for the position (6-foot-1, 194 pounds) and a history of production; as noted by Pats Pulpit, Carr is the third player since 1998 -- joining Allen Robinson and David Boston -- to lead the Big 10 in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns.

His testing numbers won't blow anyone away, but he did reportedly clock in at 6.72 in the three-cone drill, which measures agility and change of direction.

Like Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola, Carr is more quick than fast.

He has a unique backstory, too. In January 2016 Carr donated peripheral blood stem cells -- a method of collecting blood-forming cells for bone-marrow transplants -- to a stranger suffering from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He did this through an organization called Be The Match.

"Coming to the decision for me was a matter of loving my neighbor as myself ... maybe giving somebody life, giving them hope,'' Carr told The Chicago Tribune in November. "The process was heavier than I thought. It was definitely a sacrifice.''

The procedure caused Carr to develop an enlarged spleen, keeping him off the field for about a month in the winter and early spring of 2016.

Carr also has myriad off-the-field interests. Both of his parents are musicians, and he once told NBC Chicago that he is a "songwriter at heart."

Truth be told, Carr will face uphill climb to make the 2017 Patriots roster. They are well-stacked at receiver with Julian Edelman, Brandin Cooks, Malcolm Mitchell, Chris Hogan, and Danny Amendola.

Amendola has a fully guaranteed base salary of $1.25 million, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss, so he should be considered to be a near-lock to make the 53-man roster.

Carr will compete with Devin Lucien, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound wideout who spent his rookie year on the practice squad, for a final roster spot if the Pats opt to keep six players at the position.