​Despite the potential for improvement and several players leaving in the offseason, the New England Patriots did not pour major resources into upgrading their linebacker group. That reality sets the stage for an intriguing competition at training camp, with a number of relatively unheralded players contending for a roster spot. One name to watch is Otis Reese, who finished the 2025 season on New England’s practice squad.
Name: Otis Reese IV
Position: Off-ball linebacker
Jersey number: 54
Opening day age: 28 (born July 2, 1998)
Measurements: 6’2 7/8”, 228 pounds, 8 3/8” hand size, 31 3/4” arm length, 77 5/8” wingspan
Pro Day metrics: 7.38 seconds in the 3-cone drill, 4.45 seconds in the short shuttle, 18 bench press reps
Relative Athletic Score: N/A
NFL career trajectory: Tennessee Titans (2023-24), Buffalo Bills (2025), New England Patriots (2025- onward)
College: Georgia (2018-19), Ole Miss (2020-22)
Background and recruitment
Reese emerged as a four-star outside linebacker out of Lee County High School in Leesburg, Georgia. He drew interest from several powerhouse programs, with offers from Alabama, Florida, USC, and Michigan, the latter of which he initially committed to before flipping to Georgia. At Georgia, he spent two seasons as a Bulldog, appearing in 25 games with one start while serving as a versatile do-it-all contributor on defense and special teams.
College-to-pro transition
In 2020, Reese transferred to Ole Miss, where he continued to blur the lines between linebacker and defensive back. While his role remained somewhat hybrid, his exposure expanded dramatically: he played in 29 games with 27 starts, increasing his defensive snaps from about 6.5 per game at Georgia to an average of 66.5 per game at Ole Miss. Across his collegiate career, he totaled 198 tackles, 4.5 sacks, two interceptions, and one forced fumble with a recovery.
Yet in the NFL, Reese’s rise has been modest. He went undrafted in 2023 but signed with the Tennessee Titans as a rookie free agent. Over two seasons with Tennessee, he appeared in 20 games while transitioning from defensive back to off-the-ball linebacker, mainly contributing on special teams. His last NFL action came in December 2024, and 2025 found him with the Bills before landing with the Patriots.
Strengths
– Length and frame: Standing just under 6’3” with long limbs, Reese possesses the reach and build to act as a second-level defender with noticeable length to contest catches and poke at ball carriers.
– Physical play and energy: He plays with a high motor and a physical brand of football, using his length to engage blockers and pursue plays with authority.
– Run defense and gap control: Reese shows reliable pursuit and gap discipline, with the length to hinge off blocks and seal lanes in the box.
– Tackling reliability: He is a sound tackler with a solid finish, reflected in a completed tackles rate and an ability to wrap up in space.
– Versatility and special-teams value: His experience as both a defender and a core special-teams player adds to his roster versatility, a valuable asset for a coaching staff looking for multi-use depth.
Weaknesses
– Positional ambiguity: Reese has long been a “tweener,” struggling to lock into a single, definitive role at linebacker or defensive back, which can hinder consistency and role clarity in complex NFL defenses.
– Grading as a typical off-ball linebacker: While he has the traits to contribute, he has not yet convincingly established himself as a conventional, full-time off-ball linebacker in the NFL.
– Level of competition and consistency: The jump from college versatility to a fixed NFL role requires a sharper instinct for scheme-specific responsibilities, which Reese has yet to prove convincingly at the professional level.
– Durability and staying power: With limited extended playing time beyond special teams and sporadic defensive snaps, there are questions about durability and the ability to handle a larger, more demanding workload.
Outlook for 2025-2026 and camp competition
As the Patriots approach the offseason with a lean investment in their linebacker corps, Reese enters camp with a genuine opportunity to secure a role as a reserve linebacker who can contribute on defense and special teams. His size, length, and physical demeanor make him appealing as a third or fourth option who can step into a hybrid role if needed. The Patriots’ evaluation will likely emphasize how he translates his college versatility into a reliable NFL fit, including his ability to read and react in coverage, shed blocks, and consistently execute in run defense.
If he can demonstrate more clarity of role and improved consistency in man and zone coverage, Reese could carve out a meaningful niche as a versatile defender who can spell the starting linebackers and contribute on special teams. His unique background as a multi-position defender and core special-teams contributor makes him an intriguing archetype for a team looking to maximize depth without overextending payroll or resources. The training camp battles will reveal whether Reese can lock down a definitive NFL position or continue traversing the role-perimeter that has characterized his career thus far.