Patriots UDFA rookie that the rest of the league forgot about is already trending in the right direction ahead of OTAs
The New England Patriots will be starting OTAs this week, and one undrafted free agent has received a label that every rookie will love.
The New England Patriots have a lot of noise surrounding their operation right now. Some of it is good in terms of the product on the field. That largely relates to the growing belief that the Patriots will be trading for Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown.
The bad, well, you already know what the bad is about, and I’m sure that will be a topic of discussion when the Patriots start OTAs this week. But another topic of discussion will be how the 2026 rookie class looks, and one UDFA heads in with a label that all rookies would love.
David Blay Jr. named most exciting UDFA on Patriots
“Blay started for a Miami team that played in a national championship game. In 2024 at Louisiana Tech, he recorded 10.5 sacks. Normally, that would be enough to get a player drafted. When you’re a sub-300-pound one-technique tackle, though, it’s another story.”
“The Patriots signed very few UDFAs—as of this writing, they can be counted on one hand. Of that small group, Blay is the best bet to make some noise this summer, especially if he can add 10-15 pounds to his frame.” – Gary Davenport, Bleacher Report
I was in person for the Miami Hurricanes opener against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and there were points in that game where Blay was downright unblockable. While asking him to flash that during OTAs, where contact is minimal, will be rich, I think he can make some noise when the setting becomes live in training camp.
David Blay Jr. 2025 Stats
- 28 total tackles.
- 2.5 tackles for loss.
- 1 pass breakup.
What are the Patriots getting from David Blay?
“At around 6-2 and 292 pounds, Blay is a slightly undersized nose tackle, but he is extremely active. The former Louisiana Tech transfer plays with an outstanding motor from the interior, making a solid amount of plays working from pursuit. There are also some flash plays from Blay, occasionally one gapping into the backfield.”
“The biggest negative for Blay comes from that overall lack of size. He will struggle at times to hold the point of attack against double teams. The Patriots would be wise to utilize Blay from multiple alignments to not get him caught at the point of attack. There is a ton of value to be had here.” Ryan Roberts, A to Z Sports NFL Draft
If Blay can show the capacity to handle the load that is an interior offensive lineman in the NFL, there is no doubt he can make the 53-man roster. It will be a tall task, but someone of his makeup will be up for the challenge.