John Saunders Jr.
In-game article clicks load inline without leaving the challenge.
John Saunders Jr. (born October 24, 2001) is an American professional football safety for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). Saunders played college football for the Miami RedHawks and Ole Miss Rebels. He signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2025.
Early life
Saunders Jr. was born in High Point, North Carolina and attended High Point Christian Academy. Coming out of high school he committed to play college football for the Miami RedHawks.
College career
Miami (OH)
From 2020 to 2022, Saunders Jr. attended Miami University.
Ole Miss
In 2023, he transferred to Ole Miss.
He finished the 2024 season, totaling 47 tackles with one and a half being for a loss, five pass deflections, and three interceptions.
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 2+3⁄8 in (1.89 m) | 211 lb (96 kg) | 32+1⁄8 in (0.82 m) | 9+3⁄8 in (0.24 m) | 6 ft 5+1⁄2 in (1.97 m) | 4.57 s | 1.61 s | 2.69 s | 4.32 s | 6.81 s | 37.0 in (0.94 m) | 10 ft 6 in (3.20 m) | 14 reps |
| All values from Pro Day |
Miami Dolphins
After not being selected in the 2025 NFL draft, Saunders signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent. He was released during the preseason with the Dolphins, but later signed to the team's practice squad after final roster cuts.
New England Patriots
On October 30, 2025, Saunders was signed off the Dolphins' practice squad to the New England Patriots' active roster. Saunders was released from the Patriots on November 17 and re-signed to the practice squad two days later.
On February 11, 2026, Saunders signed a reserve/futures contract with New England.