5 Patriots Whose Stock is Rising After OTAs

The New England Patriots — like the rest of the NFL — have been hard at work throughout the last few weeks as organized team activities (OTAs) are in full swing. This time of the offseason doesn't feature stakes as high as training camp, but it's still been interesting to see how the Patriots roster has been shaping up as the franchise prepares for a new era.

After an abysmal 2023 campaign, the Patriots face an uphill battle ahead of them this fall. While certain players have proven during OTAs that they aren't ready for that task, others have stepped up and shown that they're prepared for the challenge.

Here's a look at five Patriots whose stock is on the rise following OTAs.

1. Tyquan Thornton, WR

Few players needed a solid OTA showing more than Tyquan Thornton. After being drafted 50th overall by the Patriots just two years ago, many fans were worried that the ex-Baylor Bear was firmly heading toward bust territory before even turning 25 years old.

It isn't hard to see why the fanbase was concerned about the 23-year-old's outlook. Injuries have limited Thornton to just 22 games over the last two seasons, resulting in 35 catches for just 338 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. Hardly the type of production you want to see from a former Day 2 selection.

Fortunately, Thornton has been one of New England's standout performers at OTAs. He's looked completely rejuvenated compared to last year, highlighting what he could do by catching a beautiful 35-yard catch from rookie signal-caller Drake Maye.

The Patriots have also attempted to expand how they use Thornton, even giving him some special teams reps returning balls as a gunner. The NFL is introducing new kickoff rules for the 2024 season and New England could look to take advantage of the speedy third-year wideout, who ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the 2022 combine.

Hopefully, Thornton can remain healthy enough to improve that his solid OTA showing isn't a fluke. While the Patriots' WR room already features the likes of Demario Douglas, Kendrick Bourne, Ja'Lynn Polk, and JuJu Smith-Schuster, it doesn't help to have another capable pass-catcher in the mix.

Speaking of which...

2. Javon Baker, WR

Javon Baker is another Patriots WR who has seen his stock climb during OTAs. The franchise drafted the former UCF product with April's 110th overall selection after he racked up nearly 2,000 receiving yards and 12 TDs across two seasons with the Knights.

While some players entered OTAs without any distractions, that wasn't the case for Baker. Rumors stemming from an anonymous AFC executive indicated that the 22-year-old is bringing off-field concerns to New England, including unsubstantiated rumors related to his father.

Much to the doubters' dismay, though, Baker has quieted everyone with a strong offseason performance. Even if it's only OTAs, the rookie wideout looks at home on an NFL field and has already connected with backup QB Jacoby Brissett on a handful of highlight-reel passes.

While hyping up a player's offseason performance is all a part of the NFL experience, it's gotten to the point where some outlets are labeling Baker as one of the steals of the 2024 draft.

The Patriots have a handful of solid wideouts on the roster, but the No. 1 WR role is up for grabs. If Baker can prove that the hype he's been creating isn't just smoke and mirrors, he should be in the mix to be one of the team's top passing targets next season.

3. Drake Maye, QB

After declaring the Mac Jones experiment a bust, the Patriots used this year's No. 3 pick to draft Drake Maye as the franchise's quarterback of the future. But as talented as Maye appears to be, there was always a possibility that he could ride the bench for his rookie season in hopes that he'll be more NFL-ready in 2025.

It seemed like that theory was an even bigger possibility after the team inked veteran QB and ex-Pat Jacoby Brissett to a one-year contract in March.

Fast forward to the beginning of June, though, and it looks like Maye might challenge Brissett for the starting job after all. The former UNC signal-caller has received nothing but praise throughout OTAs as he builds chemistry with his pass-catchers to the paint where he's completing no-look passes with ease.

Has Maye been flawless? No, but no rookie ever is. The 21-year-old still has plenty of room for improvement, however, the important thing is that he's already worked on some of his weaker areas (including footwork) and has been learning from Brissett throughout the process.

I'm not saying that Maye will be under center when the Patriots face the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, but he might not be as far away from becoming the starter as others think. If he stays the course and keeps improving on his shortcomings, I wouldn't be shocked if Maye usurps Brissett by the season's midway point.

4. Oshane Ximines, LB

With Matthew Judon opting to sit out of OTAs, the door became open for the rest of New England's linebackers to step up. While some couldn't take advantage of the opportunity, one player who did so was veteran LB Oshane Ximines.

Unlike other players on this list, Ximines isn't that new to the NFL, having been drafted 95th overall by the New York Giants in 2019. The former Old Dominion product racked up 35 solo tackles, 6.5 sacks, and six broken-up passes across 48 games with the Giants before signing with the Patriots at the end of April.

After struggling to find a starting job with the Giants, Ximines has looked at home during the Patriots' OTAs. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound defender's hard work has led to his receiving praise from the coaching staff and media alike with ESPN's Mike Reiss deeming the 27-year-old as someone who's "building momentum to make an unexpected charge for a roster spot."

Another thing that's working in Ximines' favor is his familiarity with a member of New England's coaching staff. Outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins, who joined the franchise this offseason, held the same role with the Giants during the last two seasons, which could factory into Ximines potentially cracking the 53-man roster.

Considering how his career has developed thus far, it's clear that Ximines can't afford to take his foot off the gas pedal. He's currently in the mix to play a meaningful role next season, so let's hope that he can keep growing that momentum once next week's mandatory minicamp begins.

5. Keion White, DE

When asked who was the biggest surprise of OTAs last week, head coach Jerod Mayo told reporters that the answer was none other than Keion White. After a relatively quiet rookie campaign, the second-year defensive edge has looked like a completely different player this offseason.

One of the biggest things that is sticking out about White, according to Mayo, is his willingness to become a leader. Despite only having one NFL season under his belt, the former 2023 second-rounder has reportedly been "more vocal" with Mayo pointing out that White has even opened up more during team meetings.

It can take time for a player to grow comfortable at the NFL level, but the Patriots' offseason coaching change could also be behind White's improved comfortability. Playing under a hard-nosed coach like Bill Belichick can be tough — especially for a rookie — and all signs point to White enjoying what he's seen from Mayo's coaching thus far.

With the likes of Judon and the newly-extended Christian Barmore in the mix, the Patriots front seven will look only more intimidating if White can take his game to the next level. Based on what we've seen from OTAs so far, the former Old Dominion/Georgia Tech defender is more than ready to lead by example.

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