The New England Patriots begin their three-day rookie minicamp on Friday, May 8th, with Saturday's session open to the media. It marks the first time that the team gets to see their new first-year players in uniform, fresh off the NFL Draft. In addition, the minicamp serves as a platform for undrafted rookie free agents and tryout types to make their mark in an attempt to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.
Patriots executive vice president of personnel Eliot Wolf commented on the importance of late-round draft picks and undrafted free agents during his post-draft presser, highlighting the value of their front office scouting department. "I think it was business as usual. A lot of conversations with the coaching staff, a lot of conversations with the scouting staff," Wolf stated. "Day 3 of the draft is really the, I would say, scouts' day. It's the chance for some of these unheralded players to have the opportunity to get drafted, maybe some of the guys that some of the coaches didn't even look at."
A strong start to rookie minicamp can set the tone for the season to come. New England identified several prominent rookies from the Southwest who they hope can provide a spark. Wolf made sure to point out a handful of talent evaluators who were responsible for some of the additions. "Alex Brooks does the southwest region for us, and Tucker Ingraham is the cross checker, although Texas Tech this year was Casey Belongia as the cross checker," Wolf said. "That was just kind of how it fell. Obviously, there's a lot of good players in that part of the country, and we drafted three players from really good programs down there."
One of those players included Texas Tech signal-caller Behren Morton. For the first time this decade, New England enters the season with clarity at the quarterback position. Young gun Drake Maye is one of the top signal-callers in the NFL and appears poised for an MVP-type season. The team parted ways with Joshua Dobbs after one season in Foxborough and has since anointed Tommy DeVito as the backup in his second season with the club. However, that did not prevent the Patriots from targeting Morton in the seventh round of the draft.
In addition to Maye, the Patriots also developed former sixth-round pick Joe Milton (2024 NFL Draft), who was eventually traded to the Cowboys in exchange for a fifth-round selection. That bodes well for the development of Morton, who displayed tremendous toughness gutting through injuries this past season, and works the intermediate passing attack with excellent efficiency. While expectations should be tempered as a late-round selection, Morton could be the answer as the long-term backup to Maye. The anticipation begins this weekend as the Red Raiders product will take his first snaps under center in the red, white and blue.
Taking handoffs from Morton will be fellow seventh-round draft choice Jam Miller of Alabama. With the New England running attack experiencing bouts of inconsistency during last season, there could be room in the backfield mix for Miller to carve out a niche for himself as a change-of-pace runner. A compact back who can grind out the tough yardage between the tackles, Miller runs with intent and is quick to hit the hole, making him a potential offensive impact addition.
One acquisition that has been discussed ad nauseam that still lurks is the potential trade for Philadelphia Eagles disgruntled star AJ Brown. While an exchange between the teams has been bandied about all offseason, a deal is not expected to occur until after June 1st, when Brown’s contract becomes much more affordable to fit into the salary cap. Wolf did not take the bait when asked about the topic during his media meetup. “As far as players on other teams, again, going to keep the door open to anything that we think may improve our roster, whether that’s with the player you mentioned or other players,” he said.
Regardless of the outcome, it was noticeable that New England failed to address the wideout spot with any of their nine total draft selections. ”That's how the board fell,” Wolf explained when asked for his thought process. “There were some situations where there were receivers that we liked, that just got picked in front of where we were. It was not a conscious decision and I think we'll probably be pretty competitive here with the undrafted guys at that position."
No undrafted free agent enters rookie camp with more hype than Kyle Dixon of Culver-Stockton. The D-III product was awarded $252,500 guaranteed to sign with the Patriots, the third-highest amount they have ever paid for an undrafted player in franchise history. A true boundary wideout, Dixon is a big-bodied target with top-shelf athleticism, which provides him an outstanding chance to latch on. He would not be the first player that the Patriots have targeted from the NAIA ranks, as defensive tackle Jeremiah Pharms Jr. enters his third season with the team.
As Wolf alluded to, the wide receiver battle at the backend of the roster should be an intense competition given the number of players they brought in to compete. Among them are North Texas accomplished playmaker Cameron Dorner, who provides versatility to line up in multiple spots, plus James Madison standout Nick Degenarro, who flashes fancy footwork and top-notch speed, along with Georgetown phenom Jimmy Kibble, who is seeking to become the first Hoyas player to appear in an NFL game since 1956 (Jim Ricca). All three players signed free agent contracts following the draft.
Several additional rookies will be participating in rookie camp on a tryout basis. One player to keep an eye on is Marshall's utility weapon, Floyd Lacey. A wideout/running back hybrid, Lacey will be attempting to earn a spot as a slot receiver and has drawn early comparisons to Julian Edelman for his mid-major pedigree and maniacal work ethic. Also vying for spot will be Logan Collier of North Alabama. A lengthy wideout with blazing speed, Collier is a record-setting return man who took four kickoffs and one punt back for touchdowns during his collegiate career.
One rookie expected to have an impactful role in year one would be tight end Eli Raridon out of Notre Dame. He is currently slated to serve as the alternate option to Hunter Henry, and the team is excited about his potential impact. "Kind of an all-around guy, probably more of a pass catcher first but a willing blocker," Wolf said. "Again, like I said about all these rookies, he's going to have to get stronger but really, really good worker, has a lot of talent, 6-foot-6, 245 (pounds), tested incredibly well."
The pairing at tight end should allow New England to get more creative inside the red zone, as Raridon presents a size mismatch for opponents. "That's something I take a lot of pride in, being a deep threat who can go up and get the ball when it's thrown to me," Raridon told reporters after the draft. "I think basketball has helped with that, I think the coaching staff at Notre Dame has helped with that, just practicing and getting reps. And that's something I definitely take a lot of pride in."
Another area of emphasis during the draft was solidifying the offensive line, something that Wolf acknowledged can be difficult. "Very challenging, I would say most of my career, you always think you're going to have enough once the training camp or preseason hits and you don't.” Hence, it came as no surprise that the Patriots doubled down on offensive tackles during the draft, as Wolf continued on. “So, having obviously Caleb Lomu but having the opportunity to draft a guy with the experience of Dametrious Crownover at that point in the draft was pretty important to us."
With the first round selection of Lomu and the sixth round selection of Crownover, the team is much better-suited for the rigors of the regular season. There is also talk that the rookie tandem could receive looks on the interior initially, something worth monitoring during rookie camp. Although New England continues to seek additional offensive line depth. That includes rookie camp invite Eli Simonson, who hails from UC Davis. The Patriots are hoping to unearth another diamond in the rough from the Aggies after discovering undrafted running back Lan Larison from the program a year ago.
Another main goal for New England entering the draft was to solidify the defensive line. They accomplished that feat, emerging with Illinois pass-rusher Gabe Jacas in the second round. With a non-stop motor, Jacas is a brick-load who is relentless in pursuit, with an impressive hand combat repertoire and even kicked inside at times, according to Illini defensive coordinator Aaron Henry. "Gabe is best when he's going forward. From the time he was a freshman, to the time he was a senior, the more we were able to send him forward the more productive he was. He has very heavy hands. When he grabs you and gets a hold of you, you're going for a ride."
The versatility, power, and tenacity of Jacas are sure to strengthen the Patriots' defensive line unit, traits that clearly stood out to the team. "The play style is what we're all about," Wolf stated. "Toughness, determination, grit. He's super physical." New England also added a developmental edge rusher in Quintayvious Hutchins with their final seventh-round selection. The Boston College product is not expected to make an immediate impact, but it gives the organization a young prospect in the pipeline to groom.
At defensive tackle, a slew of undrafted rookies will be stating their case to make the team, as New England inked David Blay Jr. of Miami, Korey Foreman of Fresno State and Tyrell Martin of Eastern Michigan. The most notable prospect of the bunch would be Blay Jr., who played an integral role during the Hurricanes' run to the national championship. Foreman is a former five-star recruit who fizzled out at USC, and Patriots coaches will now be tasked with trying to unlock his potential. Martin is a former track and field shot put champion who transferred to the gridiron and remains very raw.
Increased competition at the linebacker position is sure to be a dominant theme at Patriots rookie camp. The team selected Namdi Obiazor of TCU in the sixth round of the draft. A converted safety, Obiazor actually thrives as a run-plugger and is currently a favorite to land one of the key backup roles, in addition to playing an integral role on special teams. “As we look at it and we evaluate these guys from a couple of different angles — from a defensive perspective, a special teams [perspective] — especially on the third day,” Patriots vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden said after the draft. “Our special teams coaches took a look and had a lot of positives to say about Namdi’s projections as a special teams player. That’s important at the linebacker position.”
However, New England ratcheted up the linebacker competition by inviting a bevy of free agents to rookie camp. The list of invitees includes Khalil Jacobs of Missouri, Jordan Kwiatkowski of Central Michigan and Declan Williams of Incarnate Word. The Patriots are in the midst of re-shaping the linebacker unit after losing Jack Gibbens (Cardinals) in free agency, along with the release of Jahlani Tavai and trade of Marte Mapu (Texans). Amongst the trio of undrafted players that will be in attendance, Jacobs offers the most flexibility and brings vast special teams experience, making him one to watch for. Meanwhile, Kwiatkowski is a hair-on-fire type backer who flies to the football but clocked in with a rather pedestrian forty-yard dash time. As for Williams, the Patriots were one of the few teams to have made several visits to the Incarnate Word campus to get an up close look at the old school, downhill thumper.
The secondary is an area in which New England sought to solidify their depth with the selection of Karon Prunty from Wake Forest in the fifth round. Beyond starters Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis III and nickelback Marcus Jones, the cornerback competition would appear to be wide open. Look for Prunty, who owns plenty of experience, to compete to be the first cornerback off the bench if he can impress between now and August. "I feel I put myself in the right position to make plays. Just watching film, reading formations, knowing route recognitions, things like that," Prunty stated following the draft. "I played college for five years, so I'm very aware of what's going on around me and everything like that. My stats don't lie."
The Patriots also signed undrafted local product Malcolm Greene from UMass. A versatile defender who can play cornerback, nickel, or safety, Greene owns a big-time pedigree as a double transfer from Virginia via Clemson. His flexibility could open up the door as a possible practice squad addition. Also keep an eye on fellow undrafted cornerback Channing Canada of TCU, who provides inside/outside flexibility and will attempt to earn his keep via special teams.
While New England didn’t address the safety spot during the draft, they did bring in a well-accomplished undrafted free agent in Peter Manuma of Hawaii. The ‘Flyin Hawaiian’ proved to be a true ball-hawk during his time with the Rainbow Warriors, displaying great range and covering immense ground laterally from sideline-to-sideline. A team captain known for his high football IQ, Manuma brings a contagious energy that could make him a valuable backup and special-teams contributor.
The Patriots' special teams unit is set for the most part entering the new season. Despite the struggles of Bryce Baringer a year ago, New England did not select a punter via the draft. The team may be inclined to resort back to Baringer as he enters the final year of his contract, but it won’t come without competition. Undrafted free agent Mitch McCarthy was signed following the draft. An Australian punter from the national champion Hoosiers, McCarthy hails from a rugby background and possesses a powerful right leg. The Patriots' rookie camp will serve as the first phase of this battle.
Overall, the Patriots' 2026 draft class should provide much-needed depth, strengthening the backend of the roster. However, the real fruits of their labor may not be felt for several years, as several prominent rookies slated for backup roles could eventually develop into starters. This is an improved roster from top-to-bottom, as the organization has reset the bar back to Super Bowl, or bust.
*For more on the New England Patriots undrafted free agent rookies, check out our overview here.