Reporters got their first glimpse at the New England Patriots' rookie class during the weekend's rookie minicamp, and one undrafted wide receiver seemed to stand out from the rest.
Kyle Dixon, the 6-foot-2 prospect from NAIA Culver-Stockton, was involved early and often in the passing offense. Led by fellow rookie Behren Morton at quarterback, the Patriots' arial attack was on display on the practice fields adjacent to the New Balance Athletics Center.
Dixon led the entire team with four catches during the session , all of them coming during the same 11-on-11 period. Granted, it came on a low-tempo install day where no one was wearing pads. Despite that, the fact that Dixon -- who only played two seasons for Culver-Stockton after a long college baseball career -- was able to impress early on is a good sign for his chances to make the team.
May 9, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Dixon (83) and cornerback Channing Canada (29) run drills during the New England Patriots rookie camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
He worked as the "Z" receiver during the practice, while fellow undrafted pass catchers Nick DeGennaro (X), Cameron Dorner (slot) and Jimmy Kibble (inside/outside) also worked into the offense. The highlight of Dixon's four-catch performance was a sliding catch downfield to go with a leaping grab on a high throw from Morton.
The Patriots were one of the few teams to visit Culver-Stockton this past season, and ultimately gave Dixon a historic undrafted free agent contract. He inked a deal for $252,000 in guaranteed money -- the third-highest given out by New England to any undrafted free agent.
May 9, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Dixon (83) does a drill during the New England Patriots rookie camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
"Unbelievable person. In the classroom, he's a 3.8 (grade point average) student, he does everything right. He practices every day. He's not a diva by any means," Culver-Stockton head coach Tom Sallay told Patriots On SI. "He's never been a 'me' guy. ... He wants to be great, but he understands that it doesn't always have to be him. And that's a fun guy to be able to coach as a football coach."
"They're getting a great kid," Sallay continued. "He's gonna come in there, he's gonna work hard. They're gonna love him. He's going to be a great special teams kid. ... He's going to excel on specials, and he's going to be a fun, fun kid to watch."
Dixon will remain with the team during their upcoming "rookie training camp" later this summer ahead of OTAs, mandatory minicamp and training camp. If he continues to rack up the catches like he did over the weekend, it's going to be extremely hard for the Patriots to get rid of him.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as Patriots Undrafted Rookie WR Quickly Proving He Belongs .
