Patriots long snapper Julian Ashby has provided helpful advice to Walpole High long snapper Connor Vigneau.
Patriots long snapper Julian Ashby has provided helpful advice to Walpole High long snapper Connor Vigneau.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
FOXBOROUGH — Julian Ashby isn’t a household name in New England.
The Patriots’ rookie long snapper has enjoyed relative anonymity since he arrived in Foxborough as a seventh-round pick out of Vanderbilt this spring. Most of the time, he’s able to go out in the community without stirring up any excitement, even though he’s part of a team that’s in first place in the AFC East.
“I’m not Drake,” the 23-year-old Ashby said with a laugh, referencing the stir that star teammate Drake Maye caused when he attended a recent Catholic Memorial-Xaverian football game.
But this spring, Ashby was at Patriot Place picking up some dinner. That’s when Connor Vigneau, the long snapper for the Walpole High football team, spotted him.
“As a long snapper, there’s not many people in that community. So when I saw that the Pats drafted a long snapper, I thought it was the coolest thing ever,” said Vigneau. “And I knew what he looked like from draft day and everything. So I went over to say, ‘I’m the long snapper for my high school team.’ I thought it was awesome.”
“I’m just walking back. I don’t remember if he tapped me on the shoulder or if he said my name, but I turned around,” Ashby recalled. “I’m always kind of surprised when people recognize me, just because I’m not a first-round pick or whatever.
“He said, ‘Oh, I’m a long snapper, too.’ I was like, ‘Oh, no way.’ At the time, I’ll be honest. I had no idea where Walpole was. But we kind of connected quickly, and I gave him my number there, and was like, ‘Text me whenever.’ ”
That sparked a relationship that has helped Ashby become assimilated to New England, and has allowed Vigneau to pick up some additional insight on the game.
“He’s giving me a ton of tips on how to just keep my consistency up,” Vigneau said. “He told me how lifting is very important and building up strength to help ball speed and other things that help you have a flat snap, and all sorts of other things that have helped him get to where he’s at.”
“He didn’t show up and ask for an autograph and just run off,” Ashby said. “He was like, ‘Do you have any suggestions or advice for me?’ I feel like I was in his shoes, like, a week ago, so if I can try and find something that’ll help him, then sure.”
Walpole High long snapper Connor Vigneau warmed up before a recent game against Braintree.
Walpole High long snapper Connor Vigneau warmed up before a recent game against Braintree.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
Ashby, a native of Georgia, is getting a taste of fall in New England with the help of Vigneau and his family. That means sampling local apple cider doughnuts, pricing snow tires, and asking about the high school Super Bowl schedule at Gillette Stadium.
And Vigneau has been able to pick the brain of Ashby, who was a semifinalist last year for the Patrick Mannelly Award, given annually to the nation’s best college long snapper.
“I just kind of wanted to say hi and how I thought it was awesome, how he was able to be drafted by the Patriots,” Vigneau said. “He was the one that offered to exchange phone numbers and be the mentor that he’s become. It’s been awesome.”
Vigneau and Ashby both have had a chance to work with former Boston College long snapper Gunner Daniel. Ashby views what he’s doing now with Vigneau as paying it forward.
“Gunner helped me out, and I loved it,” Ashby said. “Now, I can kind of find the next guy to pass some knowledge on to.”
Julian Ashby of the Patriots feels he's paying it forward by mentoring Walpole High long snapper Connor Vigneau (above).
Julian Ashby of the Patriots feels he's paying it forward by mentoring Walpole High long snapper Connor Vigneau (above).Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
Ashby said he’s never really thought of coaching down the road. He admittedly doesn’t have the same sort of relentless approach as Patriots special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer. “I’ve got to take C4 Energy to get to that level of energy,” Ashby said with a laugh.
“Maybe if down the road my son is playing ball and they need a volunteer to come help out of practice. I’d do it,” he added. “But I’d kind of just like to be on the sideline. ‘Here’s a little tidbit here; can I tell you what my routine is?’ Maybe it can help you out, but I don’t know. I don’t know if I’m the scheme and play-calling kind of guy.”
For now, Ashby is content to connect with Vigneau and do his part to add to the burgeoning community, one perfectly executed snap at a time.
“There are very few instances where you’re going to have a coach at your high school or a coach at your college even, who knows about snapping and kind of the intricacies of it,” Ashby said. “And so, if there’s somebody who’s invested in and really trying to get good at it, then I think it’s exciting for me to be able to help them out and coach them up in that way.
“If I can be that guy for some other college kids and high school kids, then I think that’s the rewarding thing for me.”
Christopher Price can be reached at christopher.price@globe.com. Follow him on Bluesky at christopherprice.bsky.social.