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Patriots Part Ways With Former 5-Star Recruit Who Left UNC Before Bill Belichick Arrived
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- Patriots Part Ways With Former 5-Star Recruit Who Left UNC Before Bill Belichick Arrived
Patriots Part Ways With Former 5-Star Recruit Who Left UNC Before Bill Belichick Arrived originally appeared on NESN . Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The New England Patriots are at that portion of the offseason where they have to make tough decisions with a very full roster.
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That meant the end of his time with the Pats for Travis Shaw.
Shaw had just won a roster spot by playing well at rookie minicamp, but he won't stick around longer. The Patriots officially waived him on Friday, according to the NFL's transaction log.
Most likely, Shaw will pass through waivers and enter free agency, where he'd be free to sign with any team, including a return to New England if they need him down the road.
Shaw's name is particularly relevant because in his high school class, he was a top-five recruit in the entire country among all positions.
He got offers from Alabama, Clemson and USC but stayed home to play at the University of North Carolina.
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The 6-foot-5, 335-pound defensive tackle spent three seasons with the Tar Heels, but he entered the transfer portal late in his junior season, before Bill Belichick actually arrived.
Shaw played his final college season with the Texas Longhorns.
Shaw's best campaign was his final one at UNC, when he had 26 tackles in 13 games, including 4.0 tackles for loss, to go along with his only two career fumble recoveries.
Shaw made 13 tackles (1.0 TFL) in the 2025 season with the Longhorns.
His raw size, as well as his recruiting pedigree, make him seem like someone who another team will give a chance with an offseason signing to potentially get a look at Shaw during training camp.
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At least for now, the Pats didn't like what they saw enough to keep him around.
