FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The fields at Gillette Stadium were buzzing once again as the New England Patriots hosted numerous rookies, some of whom they have signed and others who were in attendance for tryouts, for the rookie minicamp.
However, there were two key players who were missing in action, while one player left early.
The two players who did not participate were edge Gabe Jacas and tight end Eli Raridon, who were the team’s second and third round picks, respectively. Jacas was in attendance, wearing his jersey, but stood off to the side without a helmet, just watching the practice. Raridon was not spotted.
Then, one of the team’s draft picks left early.
Quintayvious Hutchins Leaves Practice With Apparent Injury
Edge Quintayvious Hutchins, who the Patriots used their final seventh round draft pick on, left practice early after suffering an apparent injury early on in the team’s 11-on-11 session. Hutchins spent some time with trainers at the back of the field, with head coach Mike Vrabel going over to visit with him. While he was spotted standing and was able to walk on his own, he did depart the field early with his helmet in his hands.
Hutchins was an intriguing pick for the Patriots that made a lot of sense. The edge rusher played at Boston College, spending a few years playing just miles away from Gillette Stadium. And with that, he also was coached by Bill O’Brien, who is very close with Vrabel.
During Boston College Pro Day, Vrabel spent a lot of time speaking with and working one-on-one with Hutchins, and that was repeated on Saturday during rookie minicamp, with the head coach spotted doing some hands-on drills with him.
This will certainly be an interesting injury to watch as it’s clear Vrabel’s a fan of his and he also provides special teams experience.
Quintayvious Hutchins Expressed His Excitement About Being Drafted By The Patriots
When speaking with reporters right after the Patriots selected him in the seventh round, Hutchins couldn’t contain his excitement as he joined the call with a huge smile on his face.
And for him, being selected by New England was so fitting.
“It feels good. I’ve been there, at BC, for the past 5 years. So, coming back to my second home, besides Alabama, it feels good,” he explained. “Being able to play under the coaches that were able to run our pro day, it just feels like I’m able to go in comfortably to just keep my head up and just work.”
And with that, he always had it in his mind that he was going to be staying local.
“Yeah, well, it’s been a saying since the draft started of how, ‘I’m going to be a Patriot, I’m going to be a Patriot,’ he added. “So, it was shocking, but it wasn’t at the same time. If I could be honest, I didn’t think I was going to get a call. So, getting that call from the Patriots was like a dream come true, and hope and faith rising inside of me, knowing that I have another chance to go showcase my talent.”
Patriots Receive Concerning Injury Updates About Key Rookies At Minicamp