Along with an exciting 9-player draft class, the Patriots have signed 12 undrafted rookies who will compete for a roster spot in training camp this summer.
On Thursday, New England announced the following undrafted rookies have been signed to the 90-man roster: TE Tanner Arkin, DT David Blay Jr., CB Channing Canada, WR Nick DeGennaro, WR Kyle Dixon, WR Cameron Dorner, CB Kenneth Harris, LB Khalil Jacobs, WR Jimmy Kibble, RB Myles Montgomery, G JonDarius Morgan and OL Jacob Rizy.
As we know, the Patriots have a great history of finding hidden gems through undrafted free agency. The Pats 19-year streak of an UDFA making the initial 53-man roster came to an end in 2023, but New England has had an undrafted rookie make the team out of camp in 21 of the last 22 seasons. Last season, edge rusher Elijah Ponder and WR Efton Chism III made the initial roster. Ponder had a strong rookie season on defense (215 snaps) and special teams (209 snaps), while logging four sacks and 24 total pressures.
Along with Chism and Ponder, others from last year’s undrafted rookie class, such as TE C.J. Dippre, WR Jeremiah Webb, TE Gee Scott Jr., FB Brock Lampe, and RB Lan Larison, stuck around in some capacity, either on the practice squad or stashed away on injured reserve. Plus, several undrafted players have gone on to have excellent careers with the Patriots: David Andrews, Malcolm Butler, and Jonathan Jones are probably the most notable players who shined in Foxboro after going undrafted.
Although there are several undrafted rookies who have a chance to make the Patriots roster, here are my top candidates to make the initial 53-man roster this summer.
DT David Blay Jr., Miami (6-2, 292)
After the departure of NT Khyiris Tonga in free agency, the Patriots didn’t sign or draft a defensive tackle that clearly projects into Tonga’s role as a situational run-stuffer. Last season, New England kept five DTs on their initial roster, with standout interior defenders Christian Barmore and Milton Williams as roster locks. Cory Durden and 2025 fourth-rounder Joshua Farmer also have an inside track to make the team, but Blay could compete for the fifth spot with Leonard Taylor III, Jeremiah Pharms Jr., and Eric Gregory this summer.
Although he’s a bit undersized to play nose tackle, Blay was one of two Patriots undrafted rookie signings to have a full write-up in The Athletic’s Dane Brugler’s draft guide, “The Beast,” which is an indication that he was on NFL teams’ radars on day three. Blay is a densely built interior penetrator with good short-area quickness, block anticipation, and hand power to create soft edges in the A-Gaps. He absorbs contact on double teams or combo blocks well enough, while also shooting gaps with adequate first-step burst to disrupt the timing of run plays. Blay will need to prove that he can handle NFL power at only 292 pounds, but he has the tools to make an NFL roster.
LB Khalil Jacobs, Missouri (6-1, 227)
New England is transitioning the bottom of its linebacker depth chart after the offseason departures of Jack Gibbens, Jahlani Tavai, and Marte Mapu, who were reserves behind starters Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss last season. In the draft, the Patriots waited until the sixth round to select LB Namdi Obiazor (212th overall) and they added free-agent LB K.J. Britt into the fold. But there’s still an opportunity there to make the roster as depth at off-ball linebacker and a core special teamer.
Jacobs was the other full-write up prospect in “The Beast” who the Patriots signed in undrafted free agency. With the body type of a souped-up safety, Jacobs looks comfortable matching tight ends up the seams or backs into the flats. He also has a feel for finding the football in the run game, will pursue the ball into the alleys, and can mirror quarterbacks as an add-on rusher in blitz packages. However, he gets lost in space as a zone dropper, where he needs better anticipation to break on the ball more quickly and will get stuck to blocks due to his undersized frame. Overall, Jacobs has a path to the roster as a sub-package linebacker and special teamer.
