Patriots’ Mike Vrabel Praises Rookie Defender’s Work Ethic

The Patriots are enjoying a fantastic season, and much of their impressive performance can be attributed to several standout first and second-year players on the roster.

One of New England’s promising young players is rookie safety Craig Woodson, and head coach Mike Vrabel spoke about the impact Woodson has made this season.

“Well, a lot of experience, one,” Vrabel said. “I mean, Craig was in college for a while. We joke about it, but he’s started and played a lot of games, seen a lot of football. But I think he’s continued to learn, understand and develop, he’s gotten better each day, and he’s been durable and available. The more that you’re out there, usually the better that you get.”

The Patriots selected Woodson in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. During his five seasons at California, he played in 46 games. Although Woodson is just a rookie, the experience he gained in many college games can significantly contribute to his development as a player.

In 15 games this season, Woodson has recorded 74 combined tackles, four tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries.

If the Patriots want to make a postseason run, Woodson will need to deliver an outstanding performance along with the rest of the secondary to take down some of the best quarterbacks in the AFC.