Julian Edelman to be inducted into Patriots Hall of Fame

On Monday morning, the New England Patriots announced that wide receiver Julian Edelman will be the 37th inductee into the Patriots Hall of Fame. Edelman was in his first year on the ballot.

Edelman was one of three finalists for this year's round of voting, along with kicker Adam Vinatieri and guard Logan Mankins. Voting took place online over the last month.

"Julian Edelman is one of the great success stories in our franchise's history," team owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. "There aren't many players who earn an NFL roster spot at a position they have never played before. Julian not only did that as a seventh-round draft selection, but he finished his career with the second-most receptions in franchise history and as a three-time Super Bowl Champion, including his last as Super Bowl MVP. No one was more committed to his craft and honing his skills than Jules. His explosiveness off the line, quickness in his cuts and elusiveness after the catch made him one of the hardest players to defend. His clutch catches in our biggest games and overall toughness made him a fan favorite."

The Patriots drafted Edelman in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. A college quarterback at Kent State, Edelman made the move to wide receiver right away in New England. He initially made his impact as a punt returner, before becoming one of Tom Brady's more reliable receivers.

In a 12-year career - all with the Patriots - Edelman caught 620 passes for 6,822 yards and 36 touchdowns. His receptions are the second-most by a player in team history, and he ranks fourth in yards and ninth in touchdowns.

Beyond just the stats Edelman had some of his best moments at the biggest spots in the biggest games. During the run to Super Bowl XLIX, his double pass touchdown to Danny Amendola against the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round was a turning point in that back-and-forth game. He also caught multiple key passes in that Super Bowl.

Two years later Edelman made what might have been the most defining single catch of his career. Late in the 28-3 comeback against the Atlanta Falcons Edelman held on by the fingertips to catch a deflected Tom Brady pass on the game-tying drive.

During the Super Bowl LIII run, Edelman once again came up in the clutch. In the AFC Championship Game, he caught two third-down conversions from Tom Brady on the game-winning drive in overtime against the Kansas City Chiefs. He'd go on to win Super Bowl MVP two weeks later, catching 10 passes for 141 yards. With all his playoff heroics, Edelman ranks third all time in both playoff catches (118) and yards (1,442) in a career.

Edelman will be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame along with former head coach Bill Parcells, who will be added as part of the contributor committee. A date for the induction will be announced at a later time, but the ceremony usually takes place during training camp or on a Saturday early in the season.