Although the New England Patriots are coming off their bye week, they’re still one of the top teams in the NFL after Week 14 with an 11-2 record after winning 10 consecutive games in the first season led by head coach Mike Vrabel.
Under Vrabel’s direction, New England turned over upwards of 50% of the roster. In doing so, the Pats began the season with 12 rookies on their 53-man roster; nine drafted and three undrafted. Now, after 14 weeks, the Patriots are up to 13 rookies on their 53-man roster.
With 3,719 snaps to their credit, the Patriots have relied on their rookies more than all but one team in the NFL this season. The Cleveland Browns lead the league with 4,273 rookie snaps entering Week 14, just 554 more than New England, according to ESPN Research, via Mike Reiss.
Since Week 1, the Pats have started five rookies in every game at essential positions with offensive linemen Will Campbell and Jared Wilson, safety Craig Woodson, kicker Andy Borregales, and long snapper Julian Ashby.
The Patriots have also called up multiple rookies from their practice squad for game day purposes in most weeks this season.
Here is a look at the Patriots’ rookie report entering Week 15 of the season.
Offense
Will Campbell: After being drafted third overall by the Pats, Campbell was named a Week 1 starter at left tackle, starting the first 12 games of the season before the team placed him on injured reserve for a knee injury that, as reported by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, was a Grade 3 MCL sprain.
Campbell has recorded 738 offensive snaps (87.54%), and he has five penalties: four false starts and one holding. He’s also allowed only four hits with five sacks on the quarterback. Campbell has a pass blocking grade of 76.1 and a run blocking grade of 65.7, according to Pro Football Focus, with an overall grade of 71.3 so far in his first season.
The rookie has meant a tremendous amount to this team as New England rebuilt their entire offensive line and needed to hit on Campbell after selecting him third overall.
Jared Wilson: Wilson was also named a starter for Week 1 at left guard. He’s missed two games along the way this season, but he’s logged 659 offensive snaps (78.17%) and has allowed six hits with four sacks on 22 total pressures.
After Wilson missed Week 4 with an ankle sprain, he returned to the starting lineup the next week and was a statue on the offensive line for the following eight weeks for New England.
Although Wilson has struggled at times during the season, it’s obvious that Vrabel is accepting of the growing pains. He wants to see his team play through some adversity as he establishes a strong and consistent foundation on the offensive line with two rookie starters on the left side.
Vrabel needs to have strong cohesion on the team, but it’s essential on the offensive line and with the quarterback. With Campbell, Wilson, and Drake Maye, the Patriots are building a core that could be teammates for the next handful of years in New England.
TreVeyon Henderson: There have been many injuries to the running back position this season for New England, but it’s Henderson who has remained consistent and durable throughout. After a slow start to his rookie season, Henderson was named Rookie of the Month for November.
Henderson has 129 rushing attempts for 625 yards and five touchdowns to make up a chunk of his 1,033 all-purpose yards, which are both team-leading and rank third amongst all rookies. The Patriots have depended on Henderson, and while he’s taken full control of his opportunities, they’re benefiting from it.
Since Week 8, Henderson has seen double digit rushing attempts in each game, having at least 14 in four of the six games in that stretch.
Kyle Williams: The expectations always seemed high for Williams right out of the gate of his rookie season, as the Patriots needed to add weaponry to the offense. It was a slower and methodical start for Williams compared to some of his rookie teammates.
In doing so, the Patriots have allowed Williams the time he needs to get more accustomed to the playbook and his role. It wasn’t until Week 12 that he was utilized other than as a receiver, and it was as a kick returner. Williams also served in a return role in Week 13, but that was because of an injury to Terrell Jennings during the game.
Over the course of the season, Williams has shown he's not always on the same page with Drake Maye, but the rookie is improving each week, and his work over the last four games shows that: 3 receptions, 123 yards, 2 touchdowns.
Williams has been on the field for 220 offensive snaps. He’s made five receptions on 13 targets for 143 yards and two touchdowns this season.
Marcus Bryant: After Week 2, Vrabel said that Bryant was the primary backup for Campbell, but he was a surprise healthy scratch in Week 13 with Campbell on IR. In 12 games, he’s only played 19 snaps on offense at right tackle and 56 on special teams.
C.J. Dippre: Dippre showcased himself during the offseason, and it was good enough for the coaches to want to keep him around. Dippre signed after the NFL draft in April, and then he was released at the end of the preseason during the wave of final roster cuts, before re-signing with the Patriots on the next day to their practice squad.
Dippre is known for being a great blocker as a tight end, but he’s improved his route running since he’s been with the Patriots and could become an option in the passing game one day.
Although he hasn’t played in a game for the Pats yet, Dippre was being targeted by other teams before the trade deadline when he was on the practice squad. To put an end to that, the Patriots signed him to their 53-man roster.
Efton Chism III: Chism has been somewhat of a disappointment this season, and it’s not really any fault of his own. Chism was signed as an undrafted free agent after producing one of the best statistical seasons for a college wide receiver in 2024, where he broke Cooper Kupp’s single-season record for receptions (120), receiving yards (1,311), and touchdowns (13).
Unfortunately, that type of production hasn’t translated to the NFL yet, but it’s worth noting that Chism hasn’t had much opportunity outside of the preseason. With a stacked depth chart, Chism isn’t going to get much run any time soon. He got on the field for the first time in Week 6, running two plays on offense as a blocker in the run game and was used as a kick returner, having five returns for 129 yards in that game.
Chism’s role has decreased each week since he made his season debut as a returner. He’s returned 16 kicks for 383 yards (23.9 yards per return). The most he’s been on the field for this season was in Week 7 at Tennessee, recording 18 total snaps, 10 on offense and eight on special teams.
The allure is still active with Chism and the future is bright in New England as he continues to grasp the Josh McDaniels offense.
Defense
Craig Woodson: After 14 weeks, Woodson is the foundational player that I thought he would be for the Patriots when they drafted him in the fourth round. He’s played 757 defensive snaps, which is good for 98% and is the most on the team.
Woodson ranks third on the team with 63 tackles and is tied for fifth with four tackles for a loss. His 33 solo tackles are the fifth-most, and his 30 assists are the third-most on the Patriots. He’s started 12 games, which is the third-most for a defensive player and the sixth-most overall.
Joshua Farmer: Farmer has been solid along the defensive line this season. He’s made a tackle in all but two games and is part of a position committee that might have the best overall depth on the roster.
He’s played in 11 games and has one start, totaling 13 tackles, one tackle for loss, one pass defended, and a fumble recovery.
Eric Gregory: The Patriots signed Gregory off of waivers only one day after the Cincinnati Bengals waived him at the end of August. At the time of the signing, Vrabel said that Gregory was a potential draft target for the Patriots, so it’s significant that he was added at the first opportunity to do so.
Gregory has only played in three games, but he’s had 54 defensive snaps over the last three weeks with defensive star Milton Williams on IR. He has four tackles this season.
Elijah Ponder: After making the 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent, Ponder has played in 11 games and has 20 tackles (three for a loss) and three sacks. He’s played 132 defensive snaps this season.
Ponder is an under-the-radar, high upside player for the Patriots. His pass-rushing ability will be needed as the Pats move forward this season.
Bradyn Swinson: The Patriots drafted Swinson in the fifth round, and it seemed like a steal at the time, but he wasn’t able to make the 53-man roster and was put on the practice squad. Over the course of the year, however, it became noticeable that other teams were interested in signing him from the practice squad.
This forced the Patriots to sign Swinson to the roster sooner rather than later. He played in his first game in Week 12 against the Bengals, making one tackle in his season debut.
Special Teams
Andy Borregales: Borregales quickly overcame the shaky start that he had in the first two weeks of the season when he missed multiple field goals and extra points. But since Week 3, Borregales has been 100% on his extra point attempts (34/34) and 90.4% on field goals (19/21).
Borregales has been a great addition and is on his way to being the next franchise kicker for the Patriots.
Julian Ashby: As far as the operations have gone, Ashby has done well working with Borregales and veteran punter Bryce Barringer. In the middle of the season, in Weeks 6 and 7 against the New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans, respectively, Ashby was penalized for a false start in the third quarter and on fourth down in both games.
It was important for Vrabel to reset specific positions when he took over as head coach. Being able to set it and forget it with a reliable kicking unit is an invaluable part of a team in the NFL. Vrabel knows that more than anyone, having been a player on the Patriots when Adam Vinatieri kicked New England to championships.
Kobee Minor: Although Minor was the last pick in the draft, he had a strong preseason and made the practice squad. He was elevated to the 53-man roster in Week 2 and Week 3, recording six snaps on special teams.