As a whole, the Patriots have been trying to do everything a little better here in 2025 than they did in 2024, and apparently, that includes hunting down undrafted talent once last month’s draft was finished.
The Patriots outbid several teams for one of the top undrafted players in the league, Alabama tight end CJ Dippre, who is the highest-paid of the team’s signings. They also brought in a record-setting slot receiver, Efton Chism, who could beat out some veterans for a roster spot.
But maybe the guy most ready to contribute right away as an undrafted rookie is a running back who starred in obscurity at UC-Davis last season: Lan Larison. During last week’s OTAs, according to a report, Larison was running drills with the first unit, and speculation held that he could even challenge third-down back Antonio Gibson in the Pats pecking order.
Patriots Beefed Up RB Spot
As Alex Barth of 98.5 The Sports Hub said on the “Patriots Catch-22” podcast, it’s important to remember that starter Rhamondre Stevenson was out for much of OTAs because of the death of his father, it’s also noteworthy that Larison was his replacement.
Said Barth (H/T Patriots Wire): “He was on the field with the top unit quite a bit. That’s with Rhamondre Stevenson not there. So it comes with that caveat,” Barth said “But you talk about that third running back spot, it kinda seems like he’s pushing Antonio Gibson already. He has some burst. Now the top end speed, is he the fastest running back? No. But his ability to get to his top speed on cuts is impressive.”
The patriots have a rebuilt running-back room with Stevenson–hopefully healthy this season–and Gibson still at the top. But former Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson is on board, too, giving the Patriots talent, depth and versatility.
Lan Larison Has ‘Impressive Tape’
Larison rushed for 1,470 yards for the Aggies last year, and scored 17 touchdowns. Additionally, he caught 65 passes and racked up another 865 yards off of receptions.
NFL.com’s scouting report on Larison shows he could fit well with new coach Mike Vrabel.
From the site’s scout, Lance Zierlein: “FCS running back who offers a diverse skill set and two years of impressive tape to sift through. Larison runs hard, cuts sharply on the second level and has good balance through contact. However, he has average vision and lacks ideal creativity between the tackles.
“He has pro ball skills and protection talent but needs to tighten up his route-running to bolster his chances of beating man coverage as a pro. Larison could be deployed as a Swiss Army Knife type or a third-down back in the NFL. His toughness, talent and versatility give him a good chance of becoming a productive backup in the league.”
Patriots Undrafted Rookie ‘Pushing’ Out Veteran RB