4 things to know about new Patriots QB Nathan Rourke

By The Patriots have reportedly added a new No. 3 quarterback to their roster. , the Patriots claimed QB Nathan Rourke off waivers from the Jaguars on Monday, with the former Canadian Football League (CFL) standout expected to slot in behind Bailey Zappe and Mac Jones on New England’s depth chart.

New England’s QB depth has taken a hit in December. Rourke’s arrival in Foxborough came the same day . Beyond Grier’s exit, Malik Cunningham left the Patriots on Dec.

12 . Here are four things to know about New England’s new signal caller: Rourke played college football at both Fort Scott Community College in Kansas and later Ohio University for three seasons, but the 25-year-old QB actually hails from Canada. He was born in Victoria, British Columbia and grew up in Oakville, Ontario.

While there have been plenty of Canadian-born players to carve out roles in the NFL, Rourke put himself in rare company earlier this season with the Jaguars. He was the first Canadian quarterback to be on an active NFL roster since Jesse Palmer appeared in eight games with the New York Giants in 2002 and 2003. Despite his days growing up in Canada, Rourke and his family moved south to Elmore, Ala.

ahead of his senior season so he could play for Edgewood Academy. Rourke made the most of his lone season there, During his time at Ohio University, Rourke led the Bobcats to three straight bowl victories. He was the first winner of the Jon Cornish Trophy as the top Canadian football player in NCAA football in 2017, taking home the accolade again in 2018.

Despite his impressive three-year run at Ohio, Rourke got his start in pro football in the Canadian Football League — playing two seasons with Vancouver’s BC Lions in 2021 and 2022 after getting drafted in the second round of the 2020 CFL Draft. Initially a backup QB with the Lions, Rourke established himself as a starter in 2022 and put together one of the best seasons in league history. In 10 games last year, Rourke completed a CFL single-season record 78.

7 percent of his passes for 3,349 yards with 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also gained another 304 rushing yards and scored seven touchdowns on the ground before his season was cut short due to a foot injury. Even with his playing time hampered by that foot ailment, Rourke took home the Most Outstanding Canadian Award in 2022.

Despite going undrafted in the NFL after his collegiate career wrapped up, Rourke clearly caught the eye of many pro clubs following his impressive stint up in Canada. After dominating during his tenure as the BC Lions QB, Rourke — the Chiefs, Bengals, Chargers, Raiders, Jaguars, Vikings, Broncos, Colts, Buccaneers, and Cardinals. Back in 2021, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound QB while trying out as a receiver.

Eventually, Rourke earned his spot in the NFL Despite signing his contract with Jacksonville, Rourke did not appear in a regular-season game with the Jags this year, bouncing between the active roster and practice squad before getting waived on Saturday. But he did impress during his preseason reps, putting together arguably the play of the year in the NFL during Jacksonville’s matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 12.

In an impressive individual effort that quickly went viral, Rourke scrambled and avoided four tackles against the Cowboys before delivering a 21-yard touchdown pass to Qadree Ollison. . the magician! 🪄 📱: Stream on NFL+ He might sit behind Zappe and Jones on New England’s current QB grouping, but Rourke does have the ability to extend plays with his legs when needed.

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