Patriots Defender Already Making Huge Statement

The New England Patriots spent ample time addressing their defense this offseason, devoting significant funds to the unit in free agency and also plucking some very intriguing players to man that side of the ball during the NFL Draft.

The Patriots didn't stop there, however, also landing a very compelling undrafted linebacker in Cam Riley, who is apparently making a great impression during offseason workouts.

Riley was particularly impressive at mandatory minicamp, registering a couple of pass breakups in one of New England's practices. He has clearly caught the attention of the club, and linebackers coach Zak Kuhr loves what he is seeing from the Florida State product.

"He's been great so far. He has improved each and every day," Kuhr said, via ESPN's Mike Reiss. ""He's learning what it's like to be a pro and there really hasn't been any slip ups, so I'm excited about his path right now."

Riley definitely fits the mold for what head coach Mike Vrabel likes in a linebacker: while he stands 6-foot-4 (which explains his ability to affect the field of vision for opposing quarterbacks), he weighs in at just 228 pounds, allowing him the ability to quickly move around the field.

The 23-year-old actually began his collegiate career at Auburn in 2020, spending four years with the Tigers before transferring to Florida State after 2023.

Last season, Riley logged 47 tackles, four tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. so it's not like he posted huge numbers. However, he has a great motor and a terrific nose for the ball, which is sometimes all you neeed to make an NFL roster as a linebacker.

The Patriots' linebacking corps was a source of concern in 2024, so perhaps Riley could actually wiggle his way onto the 53-man roster for 2025.