Khalil Jacobs is an undrafted free agent signed by the New England Patriots in May who has drawn attention in early training camp after a productive 2025 season at the University of Missouri. Listed at a 4.77 40-yard dash from pro day reporting, Jacobs has flashed on the practice fields behind Gillette Stadium with multiple impact plays in team periods.
The Patriots have a joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts and a preseason game coming up — two immediately relevant evaluation points for a UDFA like Jacobs to show he can handle live reps and special-teams work. This update is grounded in reporting from Conor Ryan at Boston.com (linked below).
Khalil Jacobs’ on-field moments behind Gillette Stadium
Across early camp periods and an intra-squad scrimmage, Jacobs produced a handful of plays that stood out to coaches and teammates. In one sequence he pressured the starting quarterback and helped force a Drake Maye incompletion on a quick throw; later in practice he batted down a pass near the goal line during a team period.
Those plays — edge pressure, coverage awareness and late-play disruption — are the kinds of flashes that can move an undrafted player onto coaches’ shortlists for depth and special-teams roles. Observers cautioned, however, that camp plays are limited samples and can be situational; consistency across joint practices and preseason games will be more telling than isolated reps.
What coaches are saying
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel praised Jacobs’ on-field speed and instincts, telling reporters, “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.” (Source: Boston.com).
Jacobs described his own outlook on timed metrics directly: “We play football. We’re not track runners. I have tremendous game speed, so I don’t allow 40 times and things like that to determine the kind of player I am,” and confirmed New England was his only pre-draft visit. These quotes are reported by Boston.com and reflect player and coach judgments rather than new, verified test results. (Boston.com).
It’s worth flagging explicitly that Vrabel’s comment — that Jacobs “plays a lot faster than whatever his 40 was” — is a subjective evaluation. Coaches’ observational praise is meaningful context, but it should be treated as opinion and not as a verified re-test or official timing change.
Where Jacobs fits on the Patriots’ linebacker depth chart
Early-camp roles indicate Jacobs is competing as a depth/competition piece rather than a starting option. The linebacking group remains led by veteran presences, with younger players and camp additions jockeying for special-teams and rotational roles.
This snapshot reflects early observations reported by Boston.com and does not assert roster decisions. Jacobs remains a UDFA competing for a depth or special-teams role; nothing in current reporting confirms a roster spot.
Camp timeline and next tests
The upcoming joint practice with the Colts and the Patriots’ first preseason game provide larger, live samples for evaluation. Joint practices will test how Jacobs handles opponent schemes and how he adapts to team-game speed; the preseason game offers a more standard snapshot for coaches and personnel evaluators.
For undrafted players, those sessions often determine whether flashes seen in controlled drills translate to reliable play when facing different offenses and special-teams reps. Consistent play across both settings would materially improve Jacobs’ standing; inconsistent outings would keep him on the outside looking in.
Why this matters — and what remains uncertain
Jacobs’ early flashes and Vrabel’s positive comments have put him on the Patriots’ camp radar as a potential low-cost, high-upside contributor. As an undrafted player who visited New England pre-draft and produced at Missouri, he fits the profile of players who can earn roles through camp performance.
That said, current evidence is provisional. Coach observations are subjective, camp reps are limited, and roster decisions will weigh special-teams value, experience and positional balance. Any suggestion of a “confirmed roster spot” would be premature based on available reporting and should be treated as speculative. (Reporting source: Boston.com).
Key takeaways
- Khalil Jacobs is a UDFA signed in May who has flashed in early Patriots training camp behind Gillette Stadium.
- Coaches, led by Mike Vrabel, have praised his game speed; those evaluations are subjective and reported by Boston.com.
- He currently projects as a depth/competition piece behind veterans like Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss; the joint practice with the Colts and the upcoming preseason game are the next major tests.
Source: Conor Ryan, Boston.com — “Undrafted Patriots linebacker is carving out a roster spot”. This Patriots Report update preserves quotes and observations from that reporting and does not add unsourced roster claims.
