Since more than two hours, the New England Patriots are under the 53-man roster limit. And while the team has yet to officially announce its initial squad, a few names have been reported to have survived roster cuts. Among them are two undrafted rookie free agents:
Undrafted TE Jacob Hollister has been told that the club is keeping him on the 53-man roster today. Good story.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 2, 2017
Jacob Hollister, whose twin brother Cody – a wide receiver – was released by the Patriots earlier today, has emerged as the winner of a four-man competition for the third and final tight end spot behind roster locks Rob Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen. The 23-year old has been able to secure his spot thanks to a very productive preseason: Hollister finished with 12 catches for 146 yards and a touchdown.
Not a huge surprise, but sounds like Patriots UDFA LB Harvey Langi will make the initial 53-man roster.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) September 2, 2017
Ever since the start of training camp, Harvey Langi has seen plenty of reps with the starters. While not all was perfect, he has certainly displayed his talents during practices and later during the team's four preseason games: The 24-year old registered eight tackles on defense and four on special teams. His versatility certainly played a role in the Patriots' decision to keep him around.