Khalil Jacobs Emerging as Patriots' Latest Undrafted Star

The New England Patriots had serious pre-draft interest in Khalil Jacobs. Turns out, they might have been the only one to do so.

The undrafted linebacker told reporters after Friday's training camp practice that visiting New England was the only visit he attended before the NFL Draft in April. The Missouri rookie went undrafted (and unsigned for a week) before inking a deal with the Patriots.

"I want whoever wants me and these guys showed me love and so I chose them and got love back," he said.

So how did that visit go? Well, according to head coach Mike Vrabel, he was on the other end of some ribbing.

"He came here on a visit, and I was trying to just give him a hard time about his 40, and he was like, 'Oh, that was the timing.' I'm like, 'Thirty-two teams timed your 40 wrong.' Just giving him a hard time," Vrabel recalled. "But to his credit, he plays a lot faster than whatever his 40 was. I don't even know what it was, but he has a play speed about him, and sometimes he knows where he's going, and sometimes he doesn't, but he still kind of goes pretty quick wherever he decides to go."

Drafted Or Not, Jacobs Has Shined With Patriots

So far, that speed has been evident on the practice fields. It's part of the reason why Jacobs has shot up the linebacker depth chart. Right now, he's getting more responsibilities as the fourth stand-up backer on defense and is making plays left and right.

Jul 28, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Khalil Jacobs (59) runs a drill during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If you had the make the Patriots' 53-man roster right now, before any preseason games, Jacobs might just be on that list. In Friday's intrasquad scrimmage, he had two quarterback hurries and nearly had an interception (he dropped it, and laughed about it after practice). Before the day was over, he also broke up a pass from Drake Maye.

Overall? A really resounding performance for a player that didn't hear his name called for seven rounds.

"Being on defense, you gotta have energy," Jacobs said. "Guys might come in, they might not have that energy or that spark that they may need for the day, so you going out there making a play and giving energy that the defense might need may be the game-setting energy that might spark the team up."

Part of Jacobs' learning process has been playing alongside Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss. Those two veterans have become mainstays in the middle of the Patriots defense, and are now taking on leaership roles for their teammate.

"Those guys, especially Spillane, are always talking in the room and giving details," Jacobs said.

In an offseason where the Patriots overhauled their linebacker room, the 22-year-old rookie has stood out.

Jacobs Could Easily Earn Roster Spot

"Since he's walked in here, he loves football. He's here a lot," Vrabel said. "He was here in the offseason, through the mini camps early, staying late. He stays late. I see him here all the time. He loves just kind of when you put the ball down to play. When you get to the team periods, you kind of notice his play speed, and I think that's a great thing to say."

"He's a great player," fellow rookie Namdi Obiazor said. "He's playing Mike (linebacker) so I'd say he's got a little bit more checks and responsibilities calling out the defense than I do playing Will (linebacker). So I'd just say he's doing a great job right now."

So it doesn't matter about 40-yard dash times at this point in the summer. Jacobs, slower time or not, has played more than fast when it matters. He's well on his way to becoming the next Patriots undrafted success story.

"We play football. We're not track runners," Jacobs said. "I have tremendous game speed, so I don't allow 40 times and things like that to determine the kind of player I am."

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