Pats Pulpit
Previewing the Patriots running back heading into his second NFL season.
Even though only one member of the New England Patriots’ undrafted rookie class made the opening day roster in 2024 — safety Dell Pettus — the team did get contributions out of others as well. Among them was running back Terrell Jennings.
Name: Terrell Jennings
Position: Running back
Jersey number: 26
Opening day age: 24 (3/1/2001)
Measurements: 5’11 3/4”, 217 lbs, 73 3/4” wingspan, 31 5/8” arm length, 10 1/8” hand size, 4.66s 40-yard dash, 7.72s 3-cone drill, 4.61s short shuttle, 35” vertical jump, 9’10” broad jump, 16 bench press reps, 4.82 Relative Athletic Score
NFL: New England Patriots (2024-) | College: Florida A&M (2019-23)
A two-star recruit out of Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, FL, where he was
A teammate of Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas at Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, FL, Jennings was originally set to join Western Kentucky as a two-star recruit. However, he eventually decommitted during his senior season to join Florida A&M instead.
In five seasons with the Rattlers, Jennings became one of the most prolific running backs in school history. Appearing in 45 games, he carried the ball 381 times for 1,754 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also added 19 receptions for 163 yards and another TD.
While his college production was solid, Jennings did not hear his name called in the 2024 NFL Draft. He joined the Patriots as a rookie free agent and appeared in three games while spending time on the practice squad and active roster.
Strengths: Standing at just under 6 feet and 217 pounds, Jennings is a condensed athlete who offers a low center of gravity and is able to make himself small through holes. In general, he is attacking gaps with a purpose and has the power, active feet and contact balance to fight through initial contact; he also has the vision to find creases in the defense. In addition, he is not afraid of getting his hands dirty as a pass protector and identifies his assignments well and without hesitation.
Weaknesses: Jennings is not the most naturally-gifted athlete, and has only average straight-line speed, acceleration and quickness. He won’t regularly step out of tackle attempts or run away from defenders in the open field (0 missed tackles forced in 2024). He also is not particularly suited to work laterally (e.g. on wide zone) or in space, while his potential as a receiver either split out wide or in the screen game is also limited.
Stats: 3 games (0 starts) | 38 offensive snaps (3.5%), 18 special teams snaps (4.1%) | 13 carries, 33 yards (2.5 yards/carry) | 2 targets, 0 catches | 0 pressures surrendered
Season recap: Unlike other undrafted rookies, Jennings did not immediately sign a free agency contract after the NFL Draft. Instead, he had to prove himself worthy of a deal at the Patriots’ rookie minicamp: one of 21 players invited...
