Field Yates, of ESPNBoston.com, reports that “early indications from the offseason practices are that undrafted rookie Kenbrell Thompkins has found himself in the midst of a competition”. Veteran free agent signing Michael Jenkins and second-round pick Aaron Dobson are the other members of the competition, and Yates thinks the winner could take over Brandon Lloyd’s role if they can “emerge” from the trio.

Footballguys View: Thompkins is a hard-knocks story, with seven arrests by the time he was eighteen. He took a year off from football and worked his way through the community college ranks to Tennessee, where he left for Oklahoma after head coach Lane Kiffin left for USC. Thompkins eventually ended up at the University of Cincinnati before being signed by the Patriots after this year’s draft. He is not a big receiver, but Thompkins has terrific ups, hands, and ball skills, and he has to be considered a threat to at least make the team, if not get playing time right out of the gate.
Patriots | Kenbrell Thompkins in competition to start?