The New England Patriots have more than a month off before they head back to Foxboro for the start of training camp. While some of the veterans are heading off to different parts of the country, most of the rookie class will remain at the team's on-site facility as they prepare for their first summer as a professional.
One of those rookies includes linebacker Namdi Obiazor, the Patriots' sixth round draft choice out of TCU. The 24-year-old rookie, who projects to be a backup linebacker on defense and a bigger piece of the special teams operations, came to New England through a non-conventional path.
An underrecruited player out of high school, Obiazor bet on himself and took a shot at the junior college level . After that turned out in his favor, he made the leap to TCU -- which led to him hearing his name called in April.
Now as a member of the Patriots, and with several spring practices finally under his belt, the linebacker has gotten a better understanding of what the NFL is truly like. Speaking to a group of reporters at a Juneteenth football clinic at Newton North High School this past week , Obiazor highlighted what he took away from rookie minicamp, OTAs and mandatory minicamp.
"I felt like it was great. I felt like the main thing for me was just the overall learning experience, kind of seeing how the Patriots run things, how the NFL run things," Obiazor said. "So definitely kind of a good introduction, and now I know what to expect coming into fall camp."
May 9, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Namdi Obiazor (48) does a drill with running back Myles Montgomery (39) during the New England Patriots rookie camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Right now, Obiazor is competing for one of the reserve spots at his position. Veterans Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss lead the pack at linebacker, while Chad Muma and KJ Britt have had solid springs so far. Obiazor, like his time in high school, has gotten a bit overlooked during the minicamp portion of the offseason.
He said that he's not worried about his day-to-day mood, and when he reflects on the journey it took to get to the Patriots , he's grateful about how he conducts business.
"I just think about the process," Obiazor said. "I always kind of knew the end goal of mine was to be where I am today, and there were some days, you know, I didn't really see it happening, and there was other days where I could. I was kind of just sticking to the process and not really focusing on my mood, and just knowing if I put in the work, it'll all work out."
Part of that process has been aided by the knowledge of his coaches. New England's head coach (Mike Vrabel), defensive coordinator (Zak Kuhr) and linebackers coach (Vinny DePalma) have all had stints coaching that side of the ball during this careers as coaches.
May 9, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Namdi Obiazor (48) does a drill with running back Myles Montgomery (39) during the New England Patriots rookie camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Add that to Obiazor's conversations with other position coaches in New England, and the rookie is learning pretty quickly what it takes to succeed in the Patriots' defensive scheme.
"All the defensive staff, it's not really just one coach you're working with," Obiazor said. "I'm talking to all the defensive coaches ... linebacker, DC, head coach. Even the DB coaches too, just knowing how they're playing behind us or the d-line, knowing how they're going to be fitting the run. I'd say we're all working together just to know how everything's going."
For now, Obiazor will continue to work ahead of his first training camp in a Patriots uniform. Spending time with the kids in Newton might have been fun and rewarding -- something he mentioned as an event that means a lot to him -- but come this time next month, he'll be getting right back into the swing of things.
"I play on staying up here, just being a rookie and everything," he said. "Trying to stay up here, be in the facilities, do as much as I can to come into camp in the best possible shape I can."
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as What Patriots Rookie LB Namdi Obiazor Took Away From His First Spring Practices .
