NFL Draft Rumors: Details Of Patriots’ Interesting Selection

The Patriots surprisingly used a seventh-round pick on a long snapper, but they might not have been the only team that coveted Julian Ashby.

New England made the Vanderbilt product the first NFL long snapper drafted since 2021 when they selected him with pick No. 251. The Patriots released longtime leader Joe Cardona days after drafting Ashby, so it was clear they were looking for his replacement to embrace a new era.

However, the seventh-round selection drew some criticism from an otherwise highly lauded draft. Special teams players typically are signed after the NFL draft, but Ashby reportedly was a hot commodity.

According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, nine teams had a private workout with Ashby before the NFL draft, including with the Patriots in Nashville that Mike Vrabel was part of, along with a scout and special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer. Reiss added that the Chicago Bears had a predraft visit with Ashby, so New England felt it was necessary to draft the 22-year-old instead of competing to sign him as an undrafted free agent.

Ashby wasn’t the only special teams player the Patriots drafted, they also selected kicker Andres Borregales in the sixth round. It showed Vrabel and the front office did not want to leave one stone unturned when trying to rebuild the roster.