Pats Pulpit
Entering the 2026 offseason with one of the best cornerback trios in football under contract did not prevent the New England Patriots from adding more talent to the group. And so, in the fifth round of the NFL Draft, they selected a toolsy developmental option that is slated to compete for a backup spot this summer.
Let’s take a closer look at that prospect, Wake Forest cornerback Karon Prunty.
Name: Karon Prunty
Position: Cornerback
Jersey number: 21
Opening day age: 24 (12/24/2001)
Measurements: 6’1 1/2”, 190 lbs, 31 3/4” arm length, 76” wingspan, 9 1/4” hand size, 4.45s 40-yard dash, 6.82s 3-cone drill, 4.20s short shuttle, 33” vertical jump, 10’3” broad jump, 11 bench press reps, 8.66 Relative Athletic Score
NFL: England Patriots (2026-) | College: Kansas (2020-21), South Carolina (2022), North Carolina A&T (2022-24), Wake Forest (2025)
What Prunty may lack in NFL experience, he makes up for with a diverse college résumé that includes 57 games and 3,596 snaps between defense and special teams. The three-star recruit out of I.C. Norcom High School in Portsmouth, VA, kicked his career off in Kansas, where he started nine games as a true freshman and earned honorable All-Big 12 mention. However, he failed to build on that season with the Jayhawks: Prunty redshirted as a sophomore and subsequently entered the transfer portal.
He initially joined South Carolina but returned to the portal only a month later due to personal reasons. He eventually ended up at North Carolina A&T, and went on to spend three seasons between 2022 and 2024 with the Aggies. A fixture in their secondary, Prunty started 33 games during that span and picked off five passes. He was recognized as an all-conference player in all three of his seasons (first team 2022, third team 2023 and 2024).
With one year of eligibility left, Prunty opted to again enter the transfer portal in 2025. He took his talents to Wake Forest, where he added 13 more starts to his career totals and set himself up to hear his name called in the 2026 NFL Draft. Prunty was eventually chosen 171st overall by the Patriots in the fifth round.
Strengths: Standing at almost 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, Prunty combines good size and solid length with a strong athletic foundation. He plays the way, too. His straight-line and recovery speed are pro-ready and he back-pedals effectively while also playing with active hands and showing good burst to the ball. His ball production generally is encouraging, as are his instincts and football IQ, patience in coverage, and willingness for run support. This, in turn, allows him to be used in a versatile fashion: he has proven production and experience in both man and zone coverage.
Weaknesses: Even though Prunty will turn 25 during the upcoming season and played plenty of football in college, his fundamentals are still raw in some respects. He can get grabby at the top of routes leading to penalties and...
