Seventh Round, 247th Overall – RB Noah Whittington, Oregon
The Patriots will likely have an open competition for their RB3 spot between Terrell Jennings, Lan Larison, and possibly a rookie. Whittington has a torn ACL (2023) and turf toe (2025) injuries in his past, and a smaller frame (5-8, 205), which is why he’s a late-round, UDFA type. But he’s a compact runner with good initial burst, contact balance, and some wiggle at the top of routes. Whittington also took care of the ball (one fumble on 410 attempts) and showed promise as a returner. Last season, the Pats third back was almost always featured as a kickoff returner, so a draft pick having experience there could be important.
