New England Patriots make decision that will give them a head start on the 2026 NFL Draft without changing their current roster

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Adam Holt | Last updated Jun 16, 2025 8:18 AM ET

The New England Patriots are making a unique addition to their team. It won't change their roster for the upcoming season necessarily, but they could reap the benefits down the road via the NFL Draft.

Patriots add Cam McCormick to staff

The Patriots have hired the long-time college football tight end as a scouting assistant, per Ari Meirov. McCormick had nine years of college eligibility and became known for his massive tenure with the Miami Hurricanes.

He actually scored the first touchdown of the season for Miami last season. McCormick is the longest-tenured college football in the history of the sports. A piece of football lore will head to New England now.

Former University of Miami TE Cam McCormick, who famously had nine years of college eligibility and went undrafted this year, has been hired by the #Patriots as a scouting assistant. pic.twitter.com/6OUUbaWX9k
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) June 15, 2025

McCormick, 26, is the longest-tenured player in college football history and is less than a month younger than Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert, who's entering his fifth season in the NFL.

Both Herbert and McCormick played together at Oregon and were members of the 2016 recruiting class. After spending the 2016 season redshirting, McCormick played in 2017 and appeared in every game. -- Yahoo! Sports

With his gargantuan college career, McCormick has seen a ton of players and potential prospects that may enter the 2026 NFL Draft. He could have even gotten a glimpse at young players for drafts after next year's as well.

McCormick has spent nearly a decade around some of the top players in the country who are now dominating the NFL. He will have an eye for talent on all levels of the game now as he joins his comrades in a new capacity. -- Sports Illustrated

This interesting move by New England could pay off sooner than later due to his length experience in CFB. Now, he won't have to completely move on from the football field. This feels like a win-win for everyone involved, including Mike Vrabel's future roster.