A converted cornerback turned ball-hawking Ole Miss safety who found his way to New England via Miami's practice squad.
John Saunders Jr. is a safety on the New England Patriots roster who converted from cornerback in college and developed into a versatile, multi-positional defender at Ole Miss. Undrafted in 2025, he bounced from the Miami Dolphins to New England during his rookie season and has since locked in a spot with the organization.
Path to the league
Saunders played college football at Miami (OH) from 2020-2022 before transferring to Ole Miss for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He went unselected in the 2025 NFL Draft and signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent.
Career highlights
After moving from cornerback to safety, Saunders started all 26 games across his two seasons in the SEC at Ole Miss, adding six interceptions and four forced fumbles to his college resume while lining up all over Lane Kiffin's defensive formations.
2025 season recap
Saunders opened his rookie year on the Dolphins' practice squad before New England signed him to its 53-man roster from Miami's practice squad on October 30, 2025. He signed a reserve/futures contract with the Patriots on February 11, 2026, securing his place in New England's secondary picture.
Sources
- Wikipedia: John Saunders Jr.
- ESPN: John Saunders Jr.
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Safety
- Group
- defense
- College
- Ole Miss
- Hometown
- High Point, NC, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
