II #62

Isaiah Iton

Defensive Tackle · Rutgers

A well-traveled defensive tackle who fought through four college stops and an undrafted path to earn a roster spot in New England.

Isaiah Iton's route to the NFL wound through four different college programs before he ever became an every-down starter. Now on the Patriots' defensive line, the 277-pound tackle has built his career on persistence, grinding through practice-squad stints and multiple waiver-wire moves to stay in the league.

★ Started all 13 games at Rutgers in his senior season (2023)

★ Signed with two different NFL teams (Titans, Patriots) after going undrafted

Path to the league

Iton began his college career at Northern Colorado in 2019, then transferred to Hutchinson Community College before landing at Ole Miss for the 2021 and 2022 seasons as a rotational lineman. He finished his career at Rutgers in 2023, starting all 13 games and recording 38 tackles, one sack and a fumble recovery. He went unselected in the 2024 NFL Draft and signed with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent.

Career highlights

Iton's first NFL season came with Tennessee, where he spent most of 2024 on the practice squad before signing a reserve/future contract in January 2025. He was waived by the Titans that April and caught on with the New England Patriots in May 2025, giving him a shot to make a defensive-line rotation at the NFL level for the first time.

2025 season recap

Iton's rookie transition to New England hit a setback when he was waived to injured reserve in August 2025, ending his season before it started. He remained with the organization through the injury and was re-signed by the Patriots in July 2026, keeping his bid for a roster spot alive.