FAYETTEVILLE -- Deatrich Wise is looking forward to a reunion with former Arkansas Razorbacks teammate Trey Flowers on the New England Patriots' defensive line.
The Patriots made Wise the first Razorback picked in this year's NFL Draft when they took him in the fourth round at No. 131 overall.
Wise, a defensive end, was one of three former University of Arkansas, Fayetteville players drafted Saturday, along with tight end Jeremy Sprinkle in the fifth round by the Washington Redskins (154th overall) and defensive end Jeremiah Ledbetter by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round (205th overall).
Wise said he's excited to play again with Flowers, a fourth-round pick by New England in 2015 who started in last season's Super Bowl and had 2½ sacks and 6 tackles in the Patriots' 34-28 overtime victory against the Atlanta Falcons.
"It was a great relationship, an older brother-type relationship," Wise said on a teleconference with New England reporters when asked about Flowers. "He was a mentor to me throughout his last two years, my first two years.
"He taught me how to do certain things. Taught me how to watch film, taught me how to play certain positions. And on top of all that just the mindset to play and the mindset you have to have to go into a game, go into a practice, go into life."
Flowers, who attended Arkansas' practice Saturday, said in an SEC Network interview that Wise will be "a great addition" for the Patriots.
"He's a great guy and has a great motor," Flowers said. "I'm looking forward to seeing him up there and looking forward to playing beside him."
Wise, 6-5 and 274 pounds, was slowed by injuries last season when he had 49 tackles, including 3½ sacks.
"I came into the season with a hand injury, and then four or five weeks into the season I had that shoulder injury," he said. "It was tough to play with those injuries, but I persevered through them."
Wise -- who had 112 career tackles at Arkansas with 16½ sacks and 17 quarterback hurries -- said being healthy for the East-West Shrine game was important in boosting his draft status.
"I wanted to show all my attributes," he said. "I wanted to show my speed, wanted to show my football IQ, wanted to show my versatility, my power."
Wise's father, also named Deatrich, played defensive tackle at Jackson State and was a ninth-round draft pick by the Seattle Seahawks in 1988. He briefly played with the New Orleans Saints.
"He's my best friend, my hero, my dad," said Wise, who is from Carrollton, Texas. "He's my physical, my mental and spiritual partner. He helps me with everything, whether it's football, whether it's not football, everything.
"He always taught me how to conduct myself and taught me the ins and outs of football.''
Wise said New England was among four teams he visited before the draft and that he got a call Saturday from the Patriots shortly before they picked him.
"Once I got that phone call it got real quiet, and then once my name went across the [TV] screen, my family, my girlfriend, my friends around me just jumped for joy," he said. "It was a very joyful moment."
Wise said he isn't surprised by Flowers' success with the Patriots.
"Working with him in the past, I knew what he was capable of," Wise said. "I always knew that he had that in him, and I know he's not done yet."
Sprinkle, from White Hall, had 33 catches for 380 yards and 4 touchdowns last season, but he was suspended from the Belk Bowl after being cited for shoplifting.
"I feel like it was a big disappointment for everyone around me," Sprinkle said in a conference call with Washington media. "It was something outside of my character, and I learned you have to be the same person whether you think someone is watching or not."
Sprinkle finished his Arkansas career with 71 catches for 921 yards and 11 touchdowns. His touchdown receptions are an Arkansas record for a tight end.
Sprinkle is the fourth Razorback drafted by the Redskins in the past four seasons, along with kicker Zach Hocker in 2014, and linebacker Martrell Spaight and cornerback Tevin Mitchel in 2015.
Ledbetter, from Orlando, Fla., transferred to Arkansas from Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College and in two seasons with the Razorbacks had 104 tackles with 7½ sacks while playing defensive end and tackle.
His father, Weldon Ledbetter, played running back at Oklahoma and was a seventh-round draft pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1983.
Free-agent signings
Former players from Arkansas who agreed to NFL free-agent deals Saturday:
ARKANSAS
PLAYER POS TEAM
Toby Baker P NY Jets
Jared Collins CB LA Rams
Keon Hatcher WR Oakland
Cody Hollister WR New England
Drew Morgan WR Miami
ARKANSAS STATE
PLAYER POS TEAM
Chris Odom DE Atlanta
Sports on 04/30/2017