Patriots work out 4 kickers, including top college award winners

The New England Patriots snuck in a kicker workout ahead of the start of 2025 training camp, bringing in four prospects for a closer look last week.

As reported by Aaron Wilson and confirmed on the NFL's transaction wire, the Patriots worked out the following free-agent kickers: Kenneth Almendares, Alex Raynor, Alex Felkins, and Tristian Vandenberg. Almandares and Raynor are the most intriguing of the bunch, as they're both coming off productive and decorated college careers.

Almendares won the 2024 Lou Groza Award, given annually to the best place-kicker in college football. He finished his senior season at Louisiana kicking 90.3% on field goals and 97.9% on extra points, becoming the Sun Belt Conference career leader in field goals made (68). A first team All-Sun Belt selection, Almendares was also a consensus first team All-American.

Raynor led the SEC in field goal percentage at 93.8% as a senior at Kentucky, and earned All-SEC honors for his efforts with the Wildcats. He was also named SEC Special Teams Player of the Year and was a finalist for the Groza award.

^{Alex Raynor of the Kentucky Wildcats kicks during a game.}

Felkins, meanwhile, transferred to Penn State for his senior season after four at Columbia. He went 19-of-24 (79.2%) on field goal tries and a perfect 47-of-47 on extra points. Felkins earned second-team All-Big Ten honors from voting reporters, and third-team honors from coaches.

Vandenburg spent the last two seasons of his college career at Memphis. While he was merely 9-of-13 (69.2%) on field goals, he went a perfect 25-of-25 on PATs.

The Patriots have two kickers already on their 90-man roster, including rookie sixth-round pick Andres Borregales, who projects as the favorite to win the primary kicker job out of training camp. But one of these players could bring some real competition for the next spot, which John Parker Romo currently occupies. Almendares and Raynor, especially, should eventually find themselves somewhere on an NFL roster, considering their college accomplishments.

At the very least, the Patriots have an updated list of emergency options among free-agent kickers, if any of these players are available in a time of need.

Kicker will be an interesting position to watch, with at least two guys competing in camp. Open practices start Wednesday in Foxborough, and we'll have complete coverage for you here at 985TheSportsHub.com.