Patriots Present at Northwestern Workout

The Patriots are continuing to gather intel, with a report by Ethan Hurwitz of the Quinnipiac Chronicle that New England was one of many teams present at Northwestern’s Pro Day on Wednesday.

According to Natt Zahn of CBS Sports, among athletes who worked out were linebacker Bryce Gallagher, wide receiver Cam Johnson, and quarterback Ben Bryant. Several other local athletes, including North Central College receiver DeAngelo Hardy, were also reportedly on hand.

Bryant, who is 6’3?, 220lbs finished the 2023 season completing 173-of-277 (62.5%) for 1807-yards with 13 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. His best season came in 2021 when he completed 279-of-408 (68.4%) for 3,121 yards along with 14 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.

He was sacked 40 times that year, and cut that total down to 25 in 2022, and 26 last season.

Bryant told reporters he felt that he put together a good performance during the workout, and he’s hopeful someone will give him a shot at the next level.

“I think I handled the pressure well and threw the ball really well, did all the testing well,” said Bryant. “I feel like I’m as good as any of these quarterbacks in this draft. I think I proved that today and I proved that with this season. I’ll be thankful for whatever opportunity I get.”

Meanwhile, receiver Cam Johnson hauled in 54 passes for 715 yards in 2023, including 6 touchdowns, with Johnson tallying touchdowns in each of his final five games.

He told the Daily Northwestern that he learned a lot over his college career, knowing that letting up is never an option.

“Early on at Vanderbilt, getting to play early and be one of the guys taught me the importance of preparation — the importance of being a professional in the workplace environment,” Johnson said. “Going to Arizona State and not having the year I wanted was really important to learn … nothing’s given to you, and I’m gonna have to work for what I’ve got.”

As for Gallagher, the linebacker was a playmaker on the field for their defense. He finished his career with 316 total tackles including 120 last season, one sack and two passes defended, with one interception. He also forced two fumbles, recovering one of them.

He said perseverance has been his biggest assets, and he’s just hoping that another opportunity will come as he finishes his career at Northwestern.

“No matter what happens, no matter what you go through, just keep going — don’t let anything bring you down,” Gallagher said. “Don’t let any trials or tribulations hold you down. Just put faith in God and trust that he’s got a plan for you.”

(Editor’s Note: The above appeared in a recent daily Patriots notebook column.)

About Ian Logue

Ian Logue is a Seacoast native and owner and senior writer for PatsFans.com, an independent media site covering the New England Patriots and has been running this site in one form or another since 1997.

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Tags: Ben Bryant Bryce Gallagher Cam Johnson