Latest news with #LanLarison
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Patriots gave undrafted rookie Lan Larison a $175K guarantee
During the seventh round of the NFL draft, some players are hoping not to hear their names called. That's because those players know there are multiple teams interested in signing them as undrafted rookies, and those players can often negotiate better contracts than seventh-round draft picks get. One such player is former UC Davis running back Lan Larison, who signed as an undrafted rookie with the Patriots. Advertisement According to Mike Reiss of ESPN, Larison received $175,000 in guaranteed money on his rookie contract, which is a bigger guarantee than any seventh-round pick gets under the rookie salary structure of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Larison had other teams bidding for his services, and he could command more money than he would have made if he had been a late draft pick. Larison was a three-time first-team All-Big Sky Conference selection who chose not to transfer to a higher level of college football and instead stay at UC Davis for five years. He had a very productive college football career, with 641 carries for 3,634 yards and 41 touchdowns, and 127 catches for 1,626 yards and 10 touchdowns. Whether he can successfully move from the FCS level to the NFL remains to be seen, but the Patriots like his potential — and so did other teams, enough that Larison could command a significant rookie guarantee.
NBC Sports
07-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Patriots gave undrafted rookie Lan Larison a $175K guarantee
During the seventh round of the NFL draft, some players are hoping not to hear their names called. That's because those players know there are multiple teams interested in signing them as undrafted rookies, and those players can often negotiate better contracts than seventh-round draft picks get. One such player is former UC Davis running back Lan Larison, who signed as an undrafted rookie with the Patriots. According to Mike Reiss of ESPN, Larison received $175,000 in guaranteed money on his rookie contract, which is a bigger guarantee than any seventh-round pick gets under the rookie salary structure of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Larison had other teams bidding for his services, and he could command more money than he would have made if he had been a late draft pick. Larison was a three-time first-team All-Big Sky Conference selection who chose not to transfer to a higher level of college football and instead stay at UC Davis for five years. He had a very productive college football career, with 641 carries for 3,634 yards and 41 touchdowns, and 127 catches for 1,626 yards and 10 touchdowns. Whether he can successfully move from the FCS level to the NFL remains to be seen, but the Patriots like his potential — and so did other teams, enough that Larison could command a significant rookie guarantee.
Boston Globe
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Patriots mailbag: After adding draft picks and undrafted free agents, what are the next steps in team-building?
Great question, one that was (at least partially) answered Monday afternoon when the Patriots announced the release of six players. While Mike Vrabel has been straightforward with returning players, telling them that everyone is going to have a fresh slate with the new staff, it's easy to draw a line between some of the positions that will get overhauls. I wouldn't be shocked to see one of the younger offensive linemen (particularly those added in the last year) let go, especially if rookies such as Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Is Georgia offensive lineman Jared Wilson up to playing regularly in the NFL? George Walker IV/Associated Press Advertisement What, if anything, is the Patriots' rhyme or reason for determining and signing undrafted free agents? — Ed Helinski, Auburn, N.Y. First, it starts as a race to track down and identify the best players who have gone undrafted. The agents are usually fielding calls from multiple teams, and many are asking players to make decisions quickly. For teams, a lot comes into play. Positions of need certainly figure into the equation. There are also interesting prospects that can catch the eye of a scout, players who go undrafted for any number of reasons (lack of size, speed, etc.). What can best be described as 'signability' occasionally comes into play as well: Can teams get a deal done quickly with a player, for one reason or another? It's all part of the conversation. Advertisement Which UDFA they've reached a deal with is your early favorite to make the team? — Roger Gold, via email I won't pretend like I've seen every game, but when it comes to stats and potential story lines, I'll give you One, Lan Larison, a do-everything running back from UC Davis. Larison had a whopping 284 carries for 1,465 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2024, and added 62 catches for 847 yards and six scores. Add in that he's a former rodeo champ, and you have a guy worth rooting for. Lan Larison (3) pretty much did it all for UC Davis. Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press And two, fullback Brock Lampe. In my experience, the return of Josh McDaniels means the return of the neck roll and the lead blocker. Right now, Lampe is the only fullback on the roster, which means he could have a leg up if McDaniels is interested in bringing it back. Toss in that the 6-foot-1-inch, 244-pounder was a captain last year at Northern Illinois, and he has a lot in his favor. Advertisement I know they could still make a few moves between now and the start of training camp, but what look like the three best position battles for the Patriots over the spring and summer? — Charles Bynes, Portsmouth, Va., via e-mail. The back end of the wide receiver depth chart, running back, and kicker. We're going to see those fights last all the way until Labor Day. Can you shed some light on how a team builds a draft board? And is position a factor? Like, would a wide receiver have an edge over a long snapper if they had the same score? — Tim C., Charlestown, R.I. In my conversations with people who have been in draft rooms, usually three things go into building a draft board: initial scouting, evaluating measurements, and input from coaches. Once you get through those steps, a debate ensues with coaches, scouts, and the rest of the front office, and a player is graded. Vrabel explained some of the Patriots' grading/ranking system prior to the draft, explaining how the team organizes prospect grades vertically (at the same position) and horizontally (across multiple positions). Position can be a factor, but there are other things to consider. 'There's kind of the ranking system within the grade, when you start stacking players vertically amongst their position,' Vrabel said. 'And then, you start to look at it horizontally, [where] other players at another position with the same grade would rank higher. So, maybe one player over here would lose out to another player over here, even though they're on the same line.' When it comes to grading, Vrabel mentioned a few other elements. Advertisement 'Within the position, versatility, the ability to play another position, some of probably the testing numbers, or what we feel like on film,' he said. 'But we try to go through, and that's done and finished as far as the vertical process of where we see each player.' Christopher Price can be reached at
USA Today
28-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Patriots UDFA running back goes viral for old steer wrestling clips
Patriots UDFA running back goes viral for old steer wrestling clips New England Patriots undrafted rookie running back Lan Larison got more attention than just for his mustache on Monday. An old game video featuring the former UC Davis standout's steer wrestling clips resurfaced on social media. It came up during an ESPN 2 broadcast of the Aggies' football game against Montana. Steer wrestling is when a cowboy on horseback races alongside a steer, jumps from the horse and attempts to wrestle the steer to the ground as quickly as possible. "In high school, he was the No. 1 steer wrestler in the entire United States. Here's some footage. You want to talk about an athlete," said the ESPN 2 commentator. Larison was one of the best players in FCS football with three First-Team All-Big Sky nods and a Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year award in 2023. Last season, he had 284 carries for 1,465 yards and 17 touchdowns, along with 62 receptions for 847 yards and six touchdowns. After going undrafted in the 2025 NFL draft, he agreed to sign with the Patriots. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
Boston Globe
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
A list of undrafted players the Patriots agreed to have try out or sign as free agents
Running back Lan Larison: This do-everything back put up impressive numbers last year for UC Davis, rushing for 1,465 yards and 17 touchdowns, and he had 847 receiving yards and six receiving scores. A 6-foot, 215-pounder, he's the school record-holder for all-purpose yards (2,367) in a season, and was a Walter Payton Award Finalist. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Advertisement Cornerback Brandon Crossley: A 5-10, 159-pounder out of SMU, Crossley put together an impressive career, one that included four picks in 2020. Last season, he appeared in all 14 games, and had seven pass breakups and one pick. Safety Josh Minkins: A veteran defensive back out of Cincinnati, the 6-2, 200-pounder finished last season with 45 tackles, as well as a pair of interceptions and four pass breakups in 11 games. Wide receiver Demeer Blankumsee: This 5-10, 185-pounder from Memphis had 40-plus catches the last three years, and finished a five-year college career (three years at Toledo and two at Memphis) with an impressive 155 catches for 2,255 yards and 17 touchdowns. (He also has some experience as a kick returner.) Advertisement Fullback/tight end Brock Lampe : This 6-1, 252-pound battering ram will have a chance to make the roster as a fullback. As a collegian, he played in 47 games and was a versatile, tough presence on offense for Northern Illinois. He had 18 receptions for 216 yards and a touchdown and 20 carries for 66 yards and two scores in his college career, and was also a contributor on special teams, adding 44 yards on kickoff returns and six tackles. Quarterback Ben Wooldridge: Wooldridge started at Fresno State before transferring to Louisiana. The 6-3, 216-pounder finished with 4,769 passing yards, a 61 percent completion rate, 38 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He added 461 rushing yards and five rushing TDs last season. Offensive lineman Cole Birdow: This local product from Merrimack College is a 6-5, 315-pounder who has experience as an offensive tackle and defensive lineman. Wide receiver Efton Chism III: This 5-11, 200-pounder put up eye-popping stats last season with Eastern Washington. He finished with 1,311 receiving yards and 120 catches, breaking the school record for receptions in a season. Edge Elijah Ponder: A 6-2, 257-pounder out of Cal Poly, he had a combined 15½ sacks the last two seasons. Christopher Price can be reached at
