FOXBOROUGH, Mass. –The New England Patriots announced today the signing of 2017 third-round pick OL Tony Garcia. Terms of the contract were not announced.
In addition, the Patriots signed rookie DB Will Likely and released rookie free agent DL Corey Vereen.
Garcia, 23, was selected by the Patriots in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft with the 85th overall selection out of Troy. The 6-foot-7, 302-pounder, was a 2016 All-Sun Belt First-Team selection as a senior and a 2015 All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention as a junior. He did not allow a single sack in over 900 offensive snaps as a senior.
Likely, 22, played in 43 games during his college career at Maryland, finishing with 229 total tackles and seven interceptions. The 5-foot-7, 175-pounder, also returned 87 kicks for 2,233 yards with two touchdowns and returned 67 punts for 875 yards with four touchdowns. As a senior in 2016, he was limited to six games due to injury. As a junior in 2015, he started one game as a defensive back on defense and as a wide receiver on offense.
Vereen, 21, was signed by the Patriots as a rookie free agent on May 5, 2017. He was a three-year starter at defensive line for Tennessee. The 6-foot-2, 249-pounder, played in 13 games with 11 starts and posted a career-high seven sacks. He was awarded the Andy Spiva Defensive Player Award at the 2014 Orange and White game. Vereen played in nine games as a true freshman in 2013.
