New England Patriots Rookie Profile: Jake Burt

The Patriots signed Jake Burt following the 2020 NFL Draft.

• Position: tight end
• Hometown: Lynnfield, MA
• College: Boston College

Measurables

• Height: 6-foot-3
• Weight: 260 pounds
• Arms: N/A
• Hands: N/A

Combine Results

• N/A

The New England Patriots were able to snag a local product when they signed Jake Burt. 

Burt grew up in Massachusetts and went to St. Johns Prep in Danvers. While the ability is there for Burt, injuries and a lack of production in college caused him to go undrafted this year out of Boston College. 

Burt suffered a season-ending injury in 2016, and in 2017 he was a backup, mustering up just one catch for five yards. However, in 2018 he was able to carve out a more consistent role for himself in head coach Steve Addazio's offense at BC. Because he is a solid run-blocker and BC ran the ball frequently, Burt was featured in many of the Eagles' jumbo formations, and a more frequent presence on the field helped him see an uptick in his receiving numbers in 2018 (six receptions, 83 yards and one touchdown). 2019 was in best collegiate season to-date. He played in 11 games, catching 15 passes for 212 yards and one touchdown. 

Overall, Burt was underutilized in the passing game despite his athleticism, which in part had to do with BC's offensive scheme. Burt is surprisingly quick, has good hands and good speed in the open field. 

Trying to make the 53-man roster in New England will be tough for Burt. With Matt LaCosse and Ryan Izzo already on the roster heading into the draft, and Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene being drafted by the Patriots, Burt is immediately on the roster bubble heading into training camp this summer. 

Because Asiasi and Keene can both be effective as run-blockers and pass-catchers, that means LaCosse and Izzo - who have not proven to be effective in New England - could very well be roster cuts come the end of August. That doesn't bode well for Burt, who has no experience in the Patriots' system. However, if he is able to show that he can be an exceptional blocker as well as a pass-catcher at the next level, the six-time Super Bowl champions may be able to find a spot for him on the regular season roster. But it's more likely that he will just be a preseason body.