Olympic sprinter Jeff Demps to sign with the Patriots

Olympic sprinter Jeff Demps, who played football at Florida, will sign with the New England Patriots, reports NFL.com's Ian Rapaport.

[tweet https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/236499306885038080]

Demps ran in the preliminary round of the men's 4x100-meter relay. The U.S. took second to Jamaica in the race, earning Demps a silver medal.

In January, after finishing his final year with the Gators, Demps had announced he would give up football to focus on track. But after the Olympics ended, his agent said the running back wanted to try to make it in the NFL.

"I'm excited because it's a good story," Demps' agent Daniel Rose said. "The guy goes to the Olympics to pursue one of his dreams, and he succeeded. Now, he wants to go win a Super Bowl. How can you fault a kid like that?"

The Buccaneers and Jets were also reportedly interested in Demps. It's unclear how much he'll contribute right away for the Patriots, but given his pure speed, he should receive opportunities. He could help as a kick returner immediately, and he could also be part of special packages on offense.