Mehki Butler is a junior-college All-American turned Arkansas State starter who has spent his rookie year fighting for a permanent spot on New England's line.
Butler took the long road to the NFL, starting at Iowa Western Community College before starring at left guard for four seasons at Arkansas State. He went undrafted in 2025 and has cycled on and off New England's practice squad ever since, most recently locking down a reserve/futures deal.
Path to the league
Born in Omaha, Nebraska, and a product of Omaha North High School, Butler began his college career at Iowa Western Community College, where he earned NJCAA first-team All-American honors in 2020. He transferred to Arkansas State for his final four seasons, appearing in 38 games as primarily a left guard.
Career highlights
Butler's four-year run at Arkansas State established him as a durable, reliable presence up front, starting the bulk of his games at left guard. He went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft despite that track record, measuring 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds at his pro day.
2025 season recap
Butler signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2025 but was released in final roster cuts on August 26. He bounced on and off the practice squad through the fall, was released again on September 11, then re-signed in December before securing a reserve/futures contract on February 11, 2026.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Mehki Butler
- ESPN: Mehki Butler
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Guard
- Group
- offense
- College
- Arkansas State
- Hometown
- Omaha, NE, USA
- Age
- 25
- Status
- active
