Patriots host potential Day 2 pick Austin Booker on pre-draft visit

Booker is coming off a productive season at Kansas.

The New England Patriots’ list of pre-draft meetings continues to grow, with Kansas edge defender Austin Booker as the latest addition. According to a post on his Instagram account, Booker was at Gillette Stadium for a Top-30 visit recently.

A three-star recruit out of high school, Booker started his college career at Minnesota but appeared in only six contests over a two-year span. He transferred to Kansas ahead of his 2023 redshirt sophomore season and quickly became into a difference-maker for the Jayhawks.

Seeing action in 12 games, he was credited with eight sacks and 38 total quarterback pressures. In addition, Booker forced a pair of fumbles.

Despite two more years of eligibility left, he decided to leave school after the 2023 season to enter the NFL. Booker was subsequently invited to the Senior Bowl and the Scouting Combine — a reflection of his status as a highly-regarded prospect despite only a limited number of games on his college résumé.

Measuring at 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, Booker posted a 6.97 Relative Athletic Score during the pre-draft process. He is regarded as a fringe Day 2 selection three months before the draft.

The Patriots are allowed to bring 30 prospects in for visits before the draft, with Booker one of six that have so far been reported. While those sessions are not allowed to contain any on-field work, they do give teams another opportunity to get an up-close look at a player away from an all-star or pro day setting.