New England Patriots: Why is everyone talking about Jacob Hollister and Harvey Langi?
The New England Patriots recently signed undrafted free agents Jacob Hollister and Harvey Langi, and they have a real chance to make this team.
The New England Patriots, with just four NFL Draft picks, had plenty of room for undrafted free agents this year. They’ve brought in 19 players so far, but two in particular stick out. BYU linebacker and Wyoming tight end Jacob Hollister could both end up on the 53-man roster for Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Patriots were rumored to have liked Langi if he had come out in last year’s draft, and were eager to sign him as a free agent after this year’s draft.
Hollister was signed along with his twin brother Cody, a wide out from the University of Arkansas. While his twin likely won’t make the team, Jacob has a chance.
So who are these two rookies? Let’s take a closer look at the skills that each player brings to New England.
LB Harvey Langi, BYU
Harvey Langi is a raw talent who was misused throughout his college career. He began at the University of Utah as a backup running back. He then went on his two-year church mission trip to Tampa, FL. When he returned to Utah, Langi decided to transfer to BYU. Again he played as a running back, but in 2014 he also started a single game at linebacker.
By 2015 Langi was a stalwart on BYU’s defense as a linebacker. That season he recorded 68 tackles with 4.5 sacks and 2 interceptions for the Cougars. For some reason, BYU took Langi out of the LB role and made him a defensive end for his senior season. Langi struggled there, and he’s clearly better suited as a middle linebacker.
Last season, Langi did also appear as a running back. Watching film on him is difficult, because he was routinely swapping between jersey #16 and #21. Sometimes he played LB with #16 so that he could appear as the running back on the next series. Sometimes for defense he would change back to #21. Either way, Langi’s versatility has to be a trait that Bill Belichick simply loves.
In some ways, Langi is less of a project than Deatrich Wise, Conor McDermott or Antonio Garcia, who the team drafted. It’s possible that he hits the field in the regular season efore any of those other players.
New England loves Langi. They made that clear with his $115,000 guaranteed contract, which is more than some players drafted in later rounds. Now is Langi’s chance to improve, shed some weight, and gain speed in order to excel in July.
TE Jacob Hollister, Wyoming
Sadly, I don’t think Jacob Hollister’s twin, Cody, will make the Patriots roster in 2017. Jacob though may be the third best tight end in camp, and that should earn him a spot.
According to Doug Kyed from NESN, Hollister brings “big-play potential“.
"More from New England PatriotsFormer Patriot Stevan Ridley Put Kevin Hart in a Wheelchair3 Patriots Who Can Clinch a Roster Spot in Final Preseason GamePatriots Get Win Over Division Rivals Before Season Even BeginsNew Massachusetts Sportsbook Promos: $450 Bonus to Bet on Your Patriots at Caesars + DraftKingsEzekiel Elliott Reveals 3 Reasons Why He Signed With Patriots“Hollister is a “move” tight end. He can play in-line, but he also came out of the backfield, aligned in the slot and was split out wide at Wyoming. His best attribute is his big-play ability. He caught seven of 11 deep targets for 189 yards in 2016 and added more big plays, like this one, in 2015.”"
Jacob Hollister can slide in behind Rob Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen as the third tight end on New England’s depth chart. His $90,000 in guaranteed money shows that the team truly believes in his talent, and they think he may end up on the roster when September roles around.
New England has brought in some great athletes as undrafted free agents in the past, like Malcolm Butler. They’ll be looking for players that can contribute right away in 2017, even if that’s on special teams.
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At most, I think 3 undrafted free agents make the team this year, as there are log jams at most positions. Only training camp and preseason games will let us know who truly stands out, but look for Langi and Hollister to impress.