New England Patriots Dark Horses: 5 Players Who Could Make the 53-Man Roster

Training camp is in full swing. As the New England Patriots prepare for the 2026 season, the results from the past two weeks — and the preseason ahead — will be used to evaluate depth and determine who is worthy of claiming a slim number of open spots on the final 53.

While nearly half of New England’s initial 90-man roster is composed of new offseason additions from the spring, the usual suspects generating headlines won’t be the focus in the weeks to come. Rather, training camp and the preseason present an opportunity for dark horses to emerge as valuable contributors from deep in the team's ranks. 

Whether it be in the trenches or along the boundary, the Patriots have several lesser-known prospects who have been making strong cases to stick around through August and into September.

Here are five under-the-radar players who have a chance at cracking New England’s 53-man roster to begin the 2026 season:

Tanner Arkin was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Illinois on May 8 and has seen his path to a roster spot widen as training camp has progressed. The Patriots have used camp to give their younger players a shot to be Julian Hill's replacement (placed on season-ending injured reserve on June 1) on the line of scrimmage, and Arkin has stepped to the forefront. Standing at 6’4”, 262 lbs., Arkin was utilized as an extension of the offensive line in college and finished with a run blocking grade of 77.2 last season (per PFF), which ranked fourth among FBS tight ends with at least 300 blocking snaps. He’s impressed enough early in training camp to earn extensive run with the first-team offense and has been flexed into multiple different alignments, including Y tight end, fullback, h-back, and out wide. Arkin is the leader to land the third tight end role, and projects to split time with fellow rookie Eli Raridon behind Hunter Henry.

New England’s interest in Khalil Jacobs dates back to the pre-draft process, when the Foxboro brass attended his Missouri Pro Day and hosted the former Tigers’ captain on a Top 30 Visit. Following his signing as an undrafted free agent at the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft, Jacobs’ stock has continued to rise. The 6’1”, 227 lbs. weakside linebacker has impressed with his sideline-to-sideline speed, shooting running gaps and making plays in underneath coverage alike. At Friday's intrasquad scrimmage, Jacobs showed out as an effective blitzer, generating multiple pressures on Drake Maye and stalling one drive with a third-down pass rush. With an open competition for roster spots behind starters Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss, Jacobs’ has stacked productive days and created more opportunity for himself on the practice field. That could ultimately land him a spot on the 53.

Identifying a third running back to complement Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson was a priority for the Patriots this offseason. To round out the room, the team drafted Jam Miller in the seventh round and signed Myles Montgomery as an undrafted free agent. But through the spring and early camp, Miller, Montgomery and the returning Terrell Jennings have been outpaced by Lan Larison. An undrafted free agent signing in 2025, the former UC-Davis Aggie set the school record for single season all-purpose yards (2,387 in 2024) and career all-purpose yards (6,504) in 50 career collegiate games. Larison has turned heads in each of the last two offseasons with efficiency as a between-the-tackles runner and dependable hands as a pass catcher. He was on track to steal the third back role last fall before landing on injured reserve in the preseason, but has picked up right where he left off this summer. This one’s Larison’s to lose. 

A former third round pick (No. 70 Overall) by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022, Chad Muma was signed by New England off of the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad on December 16, 2025, and made minimal contributions as a rotational piece late in the season. Following Jack Gibbens’ departure in free agency, Muma’s seen a steadily expanding snap share on the Patriots’ defense — acting as the third linebacker next to Spillane and Elliss in 4-3 sets and spelling the former as the defensive signal caller. As of now, it appears that Muma is firmly in position to land a roster spot and will likely see a more significant role when the regular season kicks off.

Karon Prunty’s selection with the No. 171 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft was the first time New England strayed away from the consensus board, and initially drew the ire of many. Through the summer months, Prunty’s done his best to prove the critics wrong — and the Patriots’ front office right. A long, physical cornerback that stands at 6’2”, 192 lbs., the former.six-year collegiate veteran has been a standout since the pads came on. He first garnered attention with an interception of Maye in mandatory minicamp and pushed ahead with strong performances throughout training camp. Last week, he intercepted a deep pass attempt from Tommy DeVito and broke up an end zone target from Maye to A.J. Brown. In a crowd of bodies behind Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis III, and Marcus Jones, Prunty has made a case to be at-or-near the top of the substitution list for the position. 

For the second time in as many years, New England doubled-up at offensive tackle in the draft with their selections of Caleb Lomu (No. 28 overall) and Dametrious Crownover (No. 196 overall). While Lomu’s place on the 53 is secured, Crownover’s is far from that. A former tight end that converted to tackle in 2022, Crownover was widely regarded as a fringe top-100 pick in this year’s class with great size (6’7 ¼”, 319 lbs.), movement skills, and a proven track record of development. Currently, he's stuck in a logjam of young tackle prospects and has seen limited reps in team periods as a result. What we have gotten from Crownover has been a mixed bag. He's held up well through camp one-on-ones, but had a difficult time matching up against Gabe Jacas in Friday's scrimmage and allowed multiple pressures. Still, his potential makes him a threat to be claimed on waivers or stolen off the practice squad if he doesn’t make it past the final cutdown. Crownover may warrant consideration for a place on the back-end of the roster to safeguard his future in Foxboro.

The top of New England's lineup may already be set, but this time of year isn't about the stars. Training camp is a battleground for the team's middle class, and a first examination of the depth that will assuredly be tested through the long haul of the regular season. These players have been making their case to fill those spots, and may work their way onto the 53-man roster in the weeks to come.

Which dark horse roster candidate do you think has the best chance to make the Patriots’ 53-man roster? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation on Patriots Roundtable.

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