news-engine

FOXBORO — Back in April, the Patriots used their last draft pick on a familiar face. Former Boston College outside linebacker Quintayvious Hutchins became their final selection at 247th overall, and like most seventh-round picks, Hutchins was immediately cast as a long shot to make the roster. He did it, anyway. Hutchins made the Patriots’ initial 53-man roster over the weekend, having worked his way up the depth chart on defense and special teams. By the end of the summer, Hutchins took regular snaps on the second-team defense opposite second-round pick Gabe Jacas, a roster lock. He was also a fixture on most of the Pats’ punt and kick coverage units during the preseason. Patriots coach Mike Vrabel gave some insight Tuesday into Hutchins’ growth over the summer. “He continued to be coachable. I think that that was something that he really improved on, is to take the coaching and to understand where he needed to improve,” Vrabel saidl “Just looking at special teams, I think that that was something he improved at. To be a rookie and play on the punt team and go down there, make a nice tackle in the open field and cover kicks, do all these things, that was really different from the (training camp) practices to the first (preseason) game. But then I felt like he improved from the first game to the third game.” Hutchins tallied just 5.5 sacks and started 16 career games at Boston College. As a draft prospect, the 6-foot-3, 245-pounder projected as a backup defender and core special teamer. Vrabel said the transition to live reps of kick and punt coverage in the NFL preseason can be “eye-opening” for young players. Hutchins recorded a team-high two special teams tackles in the Pats’ preseason finale last week at Cleveland. “That’s the best thing that I can say,” Vrabel said, “is they got better through each of those (preseason) games.”