The New England Patriots were quite active trying to add depth to their roster in 2024, a process that led to them bringing in several outside players during the season. One of those was cornerback Miles Battle.
Hard facts
Name: Miles Battle
Position: Cornerback
Jersey number: 35
Opening day age: 25 (1/4/2000)
Measurements: 6’3 1/4”, 197 lbs, 78 1/2” wingspan, 32 1/8” arm length, 8 3/8” hand size, 4.37s 40-yard dash, 6.84s 3-cone drill, 4.03s short shuttle, 37” vertical jump, 10’7” broad jump, 12 bench press reps, 9.49 Relative Athletic Score
Experience
NFL: Kansas City Chiefs (2024), New England Patriots (2024-) | College: Ole Miss (2018-22), Utah (2023)
Battle received over two dozen scholarship offers as a four-star wide receiver recruit out of Cypress Creek High School in Houston, and originally committed to the University of Oregon. He changed his mind during his senior season and later joined Ole Miss, but his career with the Rebels started slowly and he caught only four passes for 38 yards over his first two seasons.
Amid his struggles earning regular playing time on offense, Battle switched to cornerback during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The move resulted in increased playing time both during his final two years at Ole Miss and his 2023 season at Utah. In total, he started six out of 59 college games and registered 97 tackles as well as three interceptions between his stints at the two schools.
Battle entered the NFL in 2024 but did not hear his name called in the draft. He started his pro career in Kansas City before joining the Patriots during the regular season, playing in one game down the stretch.
Scouting report
Strengths: Battle offers an intriguing skillset at the cornerback position. He moves well for a 6-foot-3, 197 player and gets up to his 4.37-second speed quickly, which allows him to stick to receivers’ hips through vertical routes. His wide receiver background also shows up on tape: he has good ball skills and knows how to be disruptive at the catch point, using his build and ability to reach outside his frame to his advantage. Despite a lack of experience, Battle is a solid tackler.
Weaknesses: Entering the NFL with fewer than 1,300 defensive snaps on his résumé, Battle is understandably raw in a variety of aspects. His processing and route understanding need development, resulting in him playing significantly slower and more hesitant than his natural skillset would suggest. He is further along as a man than a zone defender — his feel for zone is a major work in progress — but he is still lacking technical refinement in either area. While solid as a tackler, his run defense as a whole is not yet up to par.
2024 review
Stats: 1 game (0 starts) | 18 defensive snaps (1.6%), 2 special teams snaps (0.5%) | 2 tackles, 0 missed tackles | 5 targets, 1 catch (20%), 11 yards, 3 PBUs
Season recap: After not hearing his name called in the draft, Battle joined the world champion Chiefs as a free agent in early May. He went on to spend his entire rookie training camp and preseason in Kansas City, appearing in two exhibition contests. The fact that he only played 18 combined snaps between those already strongly hinted at his eventual fate: he was released ahead of the roster cutdown deadline.
Battle subsequently went unclaimed on waivers and had to wait until mid-October to find a new team. That team was the Patriots, who signed him to their practice squad.
Battle remained on New England’s developmental team without seeing any in-game action until early January. He was then promoted to the 53-man roster ahead of the team’s season finale versus Buffalo, and went on to make his NFL debut in Week 18: the rookie played 18 defensive snaps plus two more on special teams in New England’s 23-17 win.
Despite being on the field for only one fourth of snaps, Battle had a solid day. Not only did he give up only one 11-yard reception, he also was credited with three pass breakups. While not a standout performance, it was a way for him to end his first season as a pro on a high note.
2025 preview
Position: Perimeter CB | Ability: Camp body/Practice squad candidate | Contract: Signed through 2025
What will be his role? The tallest defensive back on New England’s current roster, Battle provides length and raw athleticism on the perimeter of the defense. He projects as a depth option behind projected starters Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis, either on the roster or — more likely — the practice squad.
What is his growth potential? Battle has the athletic skill to compete at the NFL level, but he lacks refinement. That is precisely where his potential for development lies. If he can get his technique sorted out and improve his understanding of both offense and defense, thus playing more freely, he could develop into a key reserve or potential starter at some point down the line.
Does he have positional versatility? Even though he started out as a wide receiver, Battle is not a particularly versatile player at this stage in his career — at least on defense. His rawness plays a part in this, but so does his size: at 6-foot-3, he best projects as an outside cornerback. Special teams is a different story, though, after he saw action on five units both in college and during his time in Kansas City. In his lone game as a Patriot, Battle’s two kicking game snaps came with the kickoff return team.
What is his salary cap situation? The Patriots signed Battle through 2025 when they promoted him to the 53-man roster in January, but made no serious financial commitment in doing so. He is on a $840,000 base salary this season that simultaneously functions as his cap hit. With that number not high enough to qualify for Top 51 status and no guarantees in his deal, he currently has no impact on New England’s salary cap.
How safe is his roster spot? Despite ending the 2024 season on the active team, Battle entered the offseason firmly on the roster bubble. The fact that he missed time in the spring due to an apparent hand or wrist injury did not help his cause. Unless he quickly can return to the field and show clear signs of a second-year jump, his future in New England might be murky.
Summary: With only so many spots on the roster or practice squad available, Battle will need a strong summer to carve out a role and push other depth cornerbacks off the team. Can he do it? That remains to be seen, but there is no denying his raw skill and potential.
What do you think about Miles Battle heading into the 2025 season? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.