New England’s drafted and undrafted rookies will get their first real taste of life in the NFL this weekend.
Beginning on Friday, the New England Patriots’ first-year players will get their first real taste of life in the NFL. Gillette Stadium will open its doors for 2025 rookie minicamp.
Between Friday and Sunday, the youngsters — who already reported to the team facility on Thursday — will go through a series of club-led activities. They will participate in non-contact, non-padded workouts with the coaching staff, and also go through physical examinations and first introductions into the Patriots’ scheme and overall daily routine.
The NFL-NFLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement will also have a say in what players are permitted to do this weekend: they are allowed to participate in activities for a maximum of 10 hours per day, while no contact or live tackling is allowed during on-field drills.
Rookie minicamp will therefore be more of an orientation weekend than anything else. That said, it is still another important step on the journey from the college game to pro football — one that will be taken by New England’s 11 draft picks, 16 undrafted free agent signings, and 14 players invited for tryouts.
Draft picks
The Players listed here were selected by the Patriots in the 2025 NFL Draft. While three of them have yet to sign their rookie contracts, they are obligated to participate in minicamp if possible to do so.
- OT Will Campbell (LSU)
- RB TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio State)
- WR Kyle Williams (Washington State)
- C Jared Wilson (Georgia)
- S Craig Woodson (Cal)
- DT Joshua Farmer (Florida State)
- ED Bradyn Swinson (LSU)
- K Andres Borregales (Miami)
- OT Marcus Bryant (Missouri)
- LS Julian Ashby (Vanderbilt)
- CB Kobee Minor (Memphis)
The biggest name on the list of draft picks obviously resides at the very top: rookie minicamp will allow coaches, teammates and reporters alike a first glimpse at first-round offensive tackle Will Campbell. It is too early for concrete conclusions, but minicamp will at least satisfy the desire for information about the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft and his fellow first-year Patriots.
Undrafted free agents
The players listed here have signed with the Patriots as undrafted free agents. All of the deals have been made official.
- OT Cole Birdow (Merrimack)
- WR Demeer Blankumsee (Memphis)
- WR Efton Chism (Eastern Washington)
- OL Jack Conley (Boston College)
- CB Brandon Crossley (SMU)
- TE C.J. Dippre (Alabama)
- FB Brock Lampe (NIU)
- RB Lan Larison (UC Davis)
- S Josh Minkins (Cincinnati)
- S Jordan Polk (Texas State)
- ED Elijah Ponder (Cal Poly)
- LB Cam Riley (Florida State)
- DT Jahvaree Ritzie (North Carolina)
- TE Gee Scott Jr. (Ohio State)
- WR Jeremiah Webb (South Alabama)
- QB Ben Wooldridge (Louisiana)
The Patriots have signed 16 undrafted free agents so far. Historically, the Patriots have not shied away from given UDFAs opportunities to prove themselves which means that one of those players ending up on the opening day 53-man roster would not come as a surprise.
Tryout players
The players listed here have been invited on a tryout basis.
- OL Mehki Butler (Arkansas State)
- ED Nchabanu Fortaboh (Towson)
- DT Bryce Ganious (Wake Forest)
- OT Devonte Gordon (Wake Forest)
- DT Isaiah Iton (Rutgers)
- DL Hector Johnson (Endicott)
- DB Sal Lupoli Jr. (Bentley)
- WR Phil Lutz (Delaware)
- CB Chris Mills (Texas State)
- LB R.J. Moten (Florida)
- DT Wilfried Pene (Virginia Tech)
- S Myles Redding (Mercer)
- C Tuli Teuhema (Tarleton State)
- QB Jake Willcox (Brown)
With the roster very much in flux at this point in the process, tryouts such as these are a chance for unsigned players to showcase that they are deserving of a spot on the team. While a majority of them will not get offered a contract, some could end up following the lead of running back Terrell Jennings: a rookie UDFA last year, he was signed to the team after starting out as a minicamp invitee.
As part of rookie minicamp, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel will hold a press conference on 1:30 p.m. ET on Friday; the session itself is scheduled from 2:00 to 3:20 p.m. ET. Afterwards a group of players including Will Campbell will speak to the media.
Of the three minicamp days, only Friday is open to the media. Make sure to follow Pats Pulpit beat writer Brian Hines (@iambrianhines) for updates from Gillette Stadium, and to check back this afternoon for our post-practice coverage.