Pats Pulpit
The 2025 season was one of turnover for the New England Patriots’ safety group. Amid all the moves, however, one player proved himself a steady if seemingly underrated presence: despite being a former undrafted free agent, Dell Pettus remained on the team through coaching staff turnover and personnel changes around him.
Now heading into his third season as a pro, Pettus has shown some definitive staying power and again is in a position to earn a spot on the team.
Name: Dell Pettus
Position: Safety
Jersey number: 24
Opening day age: 25 (6/2/2001)
Measurements: 5’10 3/4”, 200 lbs, 29 5/8” arm length, 73 1/8” wingspan, 8 1/4” hand size, 4.51s 40-yard dash, 7.00s 3-cone drill, 4.36s short shuttle, 33 1/2” vertical jump, 10’0” broad jump, 18 bench press reps, 6.39 Relative Athletic Score
NFL: England Patriots (2024-) | College: Troy (2019-23)
A three-star recruit out of Sparkman High School in Harvest, AL, Pettus joined Troy University in 2019 and spent his entire college career with the Trojans (even though he briefly entered the transfer portal in 2021). Taking advantage of the NCAA’s Covid-19 rules, he had five full years of production: he appeared in a combined 63 games and registered 315 total tackles as well as one interception, fumble recovery and blocked field goal each.
Despite his experience, productivity and individual accolades — he was named to three All-Sun Belt teams (2019 honorable mention; 2020 third team; 2023 second team) — Pettus flew largely under the radar heading toward the NFL. He eventually had to start his pro career as an undrafted free agent with the Patriots in 2024.
In his two seasons with the team, he has appeared in a combined 38 regular season and playoff games. He has a pair of sacks, a forced fumbles, and 63 total defensive and special teams tackles to his name.
Strengths: Pettus offers solid moving skills in the backend and in the kicking game, and possesses both the speed and agility to succeed in zone and man coverage looks. He combines it with an intense play style built around his physicality. While not the most imposingly-built player, he is competitive when coming downhill to fill gaps a run defender or press the pocket as a pass rusher and when following tight ends in man-to-man situations. A sure tackler who has a “hit first, ask later” play style, he additionally brings five-unit special teams experience and natural versatility to the table.
Weaknesses: Pettus’ athletic skills are adequate, but they cannot fully make up for some of the shortcomings and rawness at this stage in his development. His lack of length means that he is only marginally disruptive at the catch point, and his reactionary skills as a man coverage defender also remain a work in progress. The same is true for his processing, route recognition in zone, and discipline against against misdirection concepts. He has had some solid moments, but cannot be described as an...
