Pats Pulpit
Despite the potential for improvement and multiple departures during the offseason, the New England Patriots did not invest any major resources in their linebacker group this offseason. This will, in turn, make for an intriguing competition come training camp and give relatively unheralded players a shot at a roster spot.
One of those players is Otis Reese, who ended the 2025 season on New England’s practice squad.
Name: Otis Reese IV
Position: Off-ball linebacker
Jersey number: 54
Opening day age: 28 (7/2/1998)
Measurements: 6’2 7/8”, 228 lbs, 8 3/8” hand size, 31 3/4” arm length, 77 5/8” wingspan, 7.38s 3-cone drill, 4.45s short shuttle, 18 bench press reps, N/A Relative Athletic Score
NFL: Tennessee Titans (2023-24), Buffalo Bills (2025), New England Patriots (2025-) | College: Georgia (2018-19), Ole Miss (2020-22)
A four-star outside linebacker out of Lee County High School in Leesburg, GA, Reese received considerable interest on the recruiting trail. Alabama, Florida and USC were among the schools offering him scholarships, as was Michigan, who he initially committed to. He eventually flipped to Georgia, however, and spent two seasons as a Bulldog, playing 25 games with one start as a do-it-all safety and special teamer.
In 2020, Reese transferred to Ole Miss, where he continued to blur the lines between linebacker and defensive back. While his role did not dramatically change compared to his Georgia days, his exposure did: playing in 29 games with 27 starts, he went from 6.5 defensive snaps per game to 66.5. Along the way, he also picked up 198 tackles, 4.5 sacks, a pair of interceptions, and one forced fumble and recovery each.
And yet, despite his college production, his NFL career has been relatively quiet. Reese was not selected in the 2023 draft and joined the Titans as a rookie free agent, playing 20 games over his first two seasons while making the move from defensive back to off-the-ball linebacker. Mostly a special teamer who does have one interception to his name, he last appeared in an NFL contest in December 2024.
Strengths: Measuring just under 6-foot-3 with long limbs, Reese offers good length as a second-level defender. He uses it to his advantage, playing a physical and high-energy brand of football. He is a capable run and pursuit defender, and fills gaps with authority; he also has NFL-caliber strength to take on blockers both on the line of scrimmage and on the move. He is a sound tackler who has shown good vision and, as evidenced by his 7.9% missed tackle rate, has a good finish. In coverage, he can reroute players if he can get his hands on them and is disciplined as a spot-dropper in zone. His versatile experience as a defender and special teamer also is a plus.
Weaknesses: Reese is a tweener who has failed to find a concrete defensive position throughout his career in college and the NFL. While that would not necessarily be a problem if he was...
