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.
RB Myles Montgomery, UCF (5-10, 205)
The Patriots will likely have an open competition for their RB3 spot in camp between Terrell Jennings, seventh-rounder Jam Miller, Lan Larison, and now Montgomery. The player who wins that job will also need to be a regular in the kicking game, both covering kicks and returning kickoffs, with New England using its third back on kickoff return throughout the 2025 season.
Montgomery averaged nearly five yards per carry with 705 rushing yards on 144 carries for the Knights last season. He also chipped in with 17 catches for 182 yards as a reliable underneath outlet and has experience covering kicks. On film, Montgomery has good play speed, which translates into a 4.44-second 40-yard dash and an 8.91 out of 10 relative athletic score. He's a similar athlete to Miller, with good build-up speed and footwork to navigate through the trenches. Montgomery has the athleticism and efficient movements to push for a roster spot this summer.
G JonDarius Morgan, UAB (6-3, 321)
The Patriots could use some depth behind projected starters LG Alijah Vera-Tucker, C Jared Wilson, and RG Mike Onwenu on the interior offensive line. As things currently stand, super-sub Ben Brown is New England's only proven backup on the IOL. The Pats are still rostering 2024 third-rounder Caedan Wallace, while bringing back practice-squad lineman Mekhi Butler and Andrew Rupcich on futures contracts. Plus, personnel chief Eliot Wolf hinted that first-rounder Caleb Lomu could bump inside to guard. Still, Onwenu is entering a contract year and Vera-Tucker has an injury history, so there's a path to make the roster as IOL depth.
Morgan is a twitched-up pass protector who put out impressive tape vs. Tennessee last season. He's a sturdy lateral mover who can mirror interior pass rushers and is often the aggressor against line stunts to derail looping rushers. He also has the athleticism and body control to connect to moving targets in space and can be an effective zone blocker. However, his edges are a bit soft with bigger DTs powering through his inside or outside shoulder, while his two-hand punch in his pass set can be predictable, getting him beat against pass-rushers with active hands (double swipes). Morgan needs to get stronger and more nuanced with his hand fighting, but he has the movement skills to stick on an NFL roster.
TE Tanner Arkin, Illinois (6-4, 262)
The Patriots have been rebuilding their tight end room behind 31-year-old captain Hunter Henry this offseason, adding free agent Julian Hill as a blocking specialist and selecting third-rounder Eli Raridon as a developmental tight end. With those three considered locks, and the Pats adding another roster lock in FB Reggie Gilliam, it's going to be an uphill battle to make the team as a tight end this summer.
That said, Arkin has real potential as a point-of-attack blocker. He has the foot speed to create favorable positional leverage, legit upper-body power, and length (32.25" arms) to create movement in the run game. Arkin's drive/angle blocks to wash down defensive ends, reaches on the backside of zone runs, and his ability to block in space are NFL-caliber. He was essentially a sixth offensive lineman for the Illini, giving him a clear path to contribute as an in-line blocker. It seems unlikely that the Pats would keep four traditional tight ends and a fullback, but Arkin can block, ranking third among draft-eligible tight ends with a 76.9 PFF run-blocking grade.
WR Cameron Dorner, North Texas (6-1, 188)
After opting to pass on wide receivers in the draft, the Patriots added four wideouts in undrafted free agency to the roster. A possible reason for that approach is New England reportedly being in the mix to trade for star WR A.J. Brown in June, which would set up their wide receiver room nicely. If we assume that Brown, Romeo Doubs, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas, and Efton Chism III are all in camp, it's going to take a special effort for one of these undrafted rookies to make the 53.
If there's a path for an undrafted rookie to make the roster, it seems like a two-horse race between Dorner and Culver-Stockton wideout Kyle Dixon. Dixon's athletic profile at 6-2, 220 pounds is enticing (9.42 RAS, 40.5" vertical, 4.5s 40). However, it's nearly impossible to project Dixon's ceiling as a prospect against the level of competition he faced with only a highlight reel on his personal Hudl account (believe it or not, I couldn't find any Culver-Stockton all-22 to break down Dixon's game in the Heart of America Conference).
As for Dorner, the North Texas product posted 56 catches for 911 yards and eight touchdowns in one of the most productive offenses in college football last season. Dorner isn't a burner with just 4.57-second speed but he's a crafty, sudden route-runner with good setups early in his routes and top-of-route efficiency to separate on in-breaking routes. He's also pretty slippery with the ball in his hands, forcing 14 missed tackles while averaging 5.8 yards after the catch per reception. Dorner's six catches for 76 yards vs. Tulane in the AAC title game stood out against a CFP participant.
G/C Jacob Rizy, Florida State (6-5, 304)
As we said with Morgan, there's a path for an interior lineman to make the initial roster. Rizzy is a bit clunkier in his movements compared to Morgan, but he has a pro-caliber athletic profile with a 9.88 out of 10 relative athletic score and legit raw power after putting up 31 reps on the bench press. His movements are segmented with stiffer redirects, making him vulnerable to sudden movements across his face. However, Rizy was Florida State's sup-sub last season, logging snaps at all three interior spots. His versatility and athletic profile give him a chance to make a roster push.
The Patriots have a storied history of free-agent rookies making the initial roster, and in some cases, having major impacts. It won't be surprising if a few of these undrafted rookies make an impression in training camp.
DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer
