5 players whose stock has gone up since the start of Patriots training camp

DE Keion White

After an uneventful rookie season, expectations were high for Keion White to become the pass rushing machine like he demonstrated during his final season at Georgia Tech.

Although his odd usage last year likely led to his lack of strong production, he wasn't able to take advantage of a prime opportunity unexpectedly provided when Matthew Judon went down with a season-ending injury in Week 4. With the main EDGE rusher off the field, White was projected to step up in his place, but we never saw that happen.

Fortunately, he's been a far bigger presence this offseason which has continued through to training camp. Some of his best days came when Judon wasn't on the field, as he was dealing with contract negotiation issues, but he's maintained that since his return.

White will have a significant opportunity to increase his role this year with Christian Barmore sidelined, the sack leader for the Patriots last year. Stepping into that role and living up to the hype Jerod Mayo has spoken about will help maintain a dominant defense and inevitably pay off big for White in the longrun.

TE Austin Hooper

With Hunter Henry back in the fold, the starting tight end position is already solidified, and there is a big need for a tight end to be his right-hand man. That was supposed to be Mike Gesicki during the 2023 season, but that experiment didn't work out.

So now, with a connection to Alex Van Pelt from their time on the Browns, it made sense that Gesicki was replaced by Austin Hooper, the projected TE2 for the Patriots this fall.

He didn't stand out much during the spring, but he's been a consistent producer at training camp, which is a great sign for the health of the tight end roster.

Hooper was particularly good during the second week of practices, making a few noteworthy catches from Jacoby Brissett. Maintaining that level of production will ensure he secures a spot on the roster this season, becoming a solid number two to Henry and a great mentor to rookie Jaheim Bell, who the Patriots selected in the seventh round of the draft earlier this year.

QB Joe Milton III

Despite all the focus on Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye, Joe Milton III has been performing so well at camp that he is taking some of the attention away from those ahead of him on the depth chart.

It was shocking when it was announced the Patriots were drafting him in the sixth round, as they had already signed Brissett and selected Maye in round one. But because of his size and strong arm, it made sense to add better depth to the quarterback room with Mac Jones eventually being traded and Bailey Zappe not living up to the expectations needed from a backup.

Because Milton's incredible deep passes almost outshine his athleticism, he has quickly leapfrogged Zappe in the lineup and, on some days, has even outplayed Maye on the practice field.

If he can maintain this level of performance as training camp continues and when preseason begins, he will surely lock up the QB3 spot and be a solid addition to the offense.

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