Pats Pulpit
The New England Patriots opted to fine-tune their roster before the start of training camp, and among the players they brought aboard was an undrafted rookie linebacker signing his first ever NFL contract: Riley Wilson.
Wilson arrives in Foxborough after already having come close to signing a deal with the Buccaneers earlier in the offseason, but a hip injury forced him to fail his medical and to negate the pact. Three months later, he has finally found a pro-level home, although it remains to be seen how long he will actually stay on the Patriots’ roster.
Name: Riley Wilson
Position: Outside linebacker
Jersey number: 51 (b)
Opening day age: 24 (5/30/2002)
Measurements: 6’1 3/8”, 226 lbs, 10” hand size, 30 1/2” arm length, 73 1/2” wingspan, 4.57s 40-yard dash, 7.07s 33-cone drill, 4.46s short shuttle, 33 1/2” vertical jump, 10’0” broad jump, 18 bench press reps, 6.83 Relative Athletic Score
NFL: New England Patriots (2026-) | College: Hawaii (2021-22), Montana (2023-24), Arizona (2025)
Wilson, whose father Buddy played college football at Ohio State in the early 80s, was a wide receiver and linebacker during his high school career at Prestonwood Christian in Plano, TX. Eventually rated as a three-star recruit, he committed to Hawaii over offers from Indiana and Louisiana Tech. In three seasons as a Rainbow Warrior, he appeared in 16 games with one start; he transferred to Montana in January 2023.
Wilson spent two seasons in Missoula, playing 23 games with 13 starts. Despite his uptick in opportunities and one-time recognition on the second All-Big Sky team, he entered the transfer portal again before his final year of college eligibility. This time, he took his talents to Arizona, where he added 11 more games as well as four starts to his résumé.
After the conclusion of his college career, Wilson went unselected in the 2026 NFL Draft and remained unsigned for three months as a free agent. As noted above, he joined the Patriots shortly before their training camp.
Strengths: Wilson’s game is all about speed and versatility. He ran a 4.57-second 40-yard dash during the Arizona pro day, which would have been the eighth-fastest time among all the Combine linebackers this year and historically puts him in the 92nd percentile among players at his position. He uses his speed well in drop-back coverage, run pursuit, and when rushing from the edge; in general, he has proven himself a flexible player capable of carrying out multiple assignments. He is able to do that because he combines a good awareness and reactionary skills with a solid technical foundation as both a pass rusher, run defender and special teamer.
Weaknesses: He has the speed, but Wilson’s overall athletic skillset is nothing to write home about. At 6-foot-1, 226 pounds his frame is average. Once engaged by bigger offensive linemen, he has a tough time freeing himself due to his lack of power, length, and counters. He plays with active hands but needs...
