When it comes to the most exciting players on the New England Patriots’ training camp roster, the obvious names like Drake Maye, A.J. Brown, Christian Gonzalez, and Milton Williams jump off the page.
No one’s really talking about second-year safety Craig Woodson, but Patriots fans definitely should be based on NFL.com’s latest list of breakout candidates.
Woodson very quietly led all Patriots defenders in total snaps last season as a rookie. That’s rare for a Day 3 draft pick, but one of the team's most unsung players during last year’s Super Bowl run could soon be a name casual NFL fans know well.
Analyst Bucky Brooks included Woodson as a starting safety on his 2026 NFL All-Breakout Team, using terms like “hidden gem” and “glue guy” to describe a 25-year-old player who probably isn’t being discussed enough ahead of training camp this summer.
“The underrated safety is a "glue guy" for the Patriots as a back-end defender with outstanding instincts, awareness and communication skills. Woodson is always in the right place at the right time, with impeccable timing as a playmaker between the numbers. Although his statistical production as a rookie didn't jump off the stat sheet (79 tackles, three passes defended and two fumble recoveries in 2025), Woodson's positive impact as a role player could earn him high marks from coaches and executives when they privately discuss hidden gems in league circles.”
Craig Woodson may already be an indispensable piece of the Patriots’ young core
NFL teams are only as good as their young talent, and with Maye commanding the offense, the Patriots have surged to the top of the league in that department. ESPN’s Aaron Schatz recently named New England No. 1 in his annual under-25 rankings, with Maye (23), Will Campbell (22), and Gonzalez (24) listed as “blue-chip” prospects.
Woodson turned 25 in February. He wasn’t viewed as a blue-chipper ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. Dane Brugler, one of the most respected draft and scouting experts in the business, ranked Woodson as the 17th-best safety in the class with a sixth-round grade for The Athletic.
The Patriots were clearly much higher on Woodson, as they made him the 106th overall pick early on Day 3 of the draft. The Patriots then surprisingly released starting safety Jabrill Peppers and effectively demoted Kyle Dugger during training camp to clear Woodson’s path to the starting lineup.
As Brooks noted, Woodson’s traditional box score stats, like his 42 solo tackles, three pass breakups, and no interceptions, weren’t enough to wow the national media in terms of Pro Bowl votes.
It was his usage as a fourth-round rookie that was impossible to ignore. Of his team-leading 1,202 defensive snaps (including the playoffs), Woodson saw significant reps as a box safety (29%), deep free safety (55%), and slot corner (13%), per Pro Football Focus. His versatility and overall knowledge of Mike Vrabel’s defense were an underrated factor for a defense that caught fire in the second half of the season.
Woodson should only get better in Year 2 after the Patriots added veteran Kevin Byard to the mix this offseason. Woodson essentially filled the old Byard role in Mike Vrabel’s defense, so having a pair of interchangeable parts at the position could be a game-changer.
The Seattle Seahawks’ safeties gave the Patriots fits in Super Bowl LX. Byard has been the ultimate hybrid safety throughout his career, with over 3,400 snaps aligned up in the box, 5,700 in centerfield, and 1,500 in the slot, per PFF.
Woodson was the glue that held the secondary together and helped the Patriots’ new-look defense thrive in 2025. Now set to start alongside a more proven veteran sidekick in Byard, he should have even more freedom to make plays and see his production pop in Year 2.
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