Ben Patterson, a receiver from Texas-Permian Basin, has signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent. He will attend the Jaguars' rookie camp on May 9, choosing it over his graduation ceremony.
Key points
Ben Patterson signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars
He is a receiver from Texas-Permian Basin
Rookie camp starts on May 9
Rookie camp conflicts with his graduation ceremony
Patterson chose the NFL opportunity over graduation
Mentioned in this story
Jacksonville Jaguars
Texas-Permian BasinBen Patterson
Veronica Keller received big-time great news with a dollop of not-so-ideal news two weeks ago from her son, Ben Patterson.
The not-so-ideal news: The second day of Jaguars rookie camp on May 9 conflicts with Pattersonâs graduation ceremony.
Pattersonâs decision was easy.
âIâm going to be in Jacksonville,â he told me during a phone interview earlier this week.
Momâs reaction?
âShe was a little sad, but she said, âThis is what youâve worked so hard for,ââ Patterson said.
Aug 29, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes cornerback Preston Hodge (4) reacts to a turnover in the first quarter against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar (6) looks to pass during a college football game between Tennessee and ETSU at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, on September 6, 2025.
Oct 19, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears defensive lineman T.J. Bollers (88) reacts after a defensive play against the North Carolina State Wolfpack during the second quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Q&A
Why did Ben Patterson choose NFL rookie camp over graduation?
Ben Patterson chose to attend the Jaguars' rookie camp because he prioritized his opportunity to join the NFL over his graduation ceremony.
What team did Ben Patterson sign with as an undrafted free agent?
Ben Patterson signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent.
When is the Jaguars rookie camp that conflicts with Patterson's graduation?
The Jaguars rookie camp is scheduled for May 9, which conflicts with Ben Patterson's graduation ceremony.
What college did Ben Patterson play for before joining the NFL?
Ben Patterson played for Division II Texas-Permian Basin before signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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Sometimes in this job, you back into a cool story. Exhibit A was earlier this week when I talked to Pattersonâs college coach, Kris McCullough, to gather information on a player who faces ultra-long odds of making the Jaguarsâ initial 53-man roster.
âHe was constantly being pulled away,â McCullough said.
Patterson majored in petroleum engineering and last fall, his Reservoir Engineering 2 class ran from 3-4:15 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday. UTPB practiced from 3-5 p.m. Academics won.
Talk about putting âstudentâ in the term âstudent-athlete.â
Balancing school, football
Upon enrolling at UTPB in 2021, Patterson, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, declared mechanical engineering as his major. After one semester, he switched to petroleum engineering on the advice of his classmates and professors who told him that area had more earning potential.
Patterson began grinding away on his degree and had internships at Slater Controls and Quality Solutions before his junior and senior years.
Pattersonâs post-football career goal is to become a production engineer. After a drilling engineer leads the process of drilling the well, a production engineer joins to lead extraction of the hydrocarbons â the compound of hydrogen and carbon that are used in fuels, lubricants and raw materials that produce plastics â out of the ground.
During his final two football seasons, Patterson would indeed miss two days of practice per week.
âOn those days, I would go to class and any new plays we installed, my receivers coach would text them to me and I would make sure Iâm ready to go for the run-through we have on Fridays,â he said.
Said McCullough: âHe is so smart, he didnât need a whole lot of practice reps. One of the smartest players Iâve coached. He was always a guy who did everything the right way.â
Pattersonâs academic undertaking was unique and required time management and patience ⊠kind of like his football career.
After a redshirt year, he appeared in only five games in 2022 (five catches). In this era of transfer-for-any-little-reason, he had to consider moving along, correct?
âI definitely thought about it,â he said. âBut I was like, âLet me stick it out here and leave a legacy here and leave the place better.â I just really trusted the process and I knew it would all pay off.â
The pay-off began in the first game of his redshirt sophomore season. During UTPBâs 96-0 win over Texas College (final yardage: 572-2), Patterson caught an 18-yard touchdown to start the scoring.
Funny thing about that play âŠ
âIt wasnât the right route,â Patterson said with a laugh. âI just improvised. I was supposed to run a âSpotâ route and sit in the middle of the defense, but I turned it into an âOverâ route because the zone was just wide open. Thankfully, (quarterback) Kenny (Hrncir) just threw it to me. I got back to the sideline and Coach McCullough laughed and said, âIâm glad it worked out.ââ
In his final season at Texas Permian Basin, Jaguars rookie receiver Ben Patterson caught five touchdown passes.
In his final season at Texas Permian Basin, Jaguars rookie receiver Ben Patterson caught five touchdown passes.
Making impression on Jaguars
From that point, Patterson showed consistency for UTPB with seasons of 31 catches-503 yards-six touchdowns, 30-527-5 and 32-678-5. He ended his career with 1,744 yards (second-most in school history) and 16 touchdowns (third most). And about that legacy, the Falcons had their first winning season in 2023 and reached the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time last year, not bad for a program that started playing in 2016.
The Falcons were third nationally in passing yards per game last year (330.1 per game) and Patterson ranked 11th in yards per catch (22.2).
âHe was a guy you couldnât stay with,â McCullough said. âNickels in man to man struggled against him because if they didnât get their hands on him, he would run straight by them.â
Said Patterson: âWhenever I went up against a linebacker or safety, Iâm like, âIâm going to run past them. They canât cover me.ââ
Patterson wasnât invited to a postseason all-star game or the scouting combine, but the Jaguars reached out multiple times, including receivers coach Edgar Bennett. At the draftâs completion, Patterson and his agent, Matt Mainiero, also heard from the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks.
Patterson chose the Jaguars, instantly becoming the teamâs tallest receiver at 6-foot-5. But he is also one of seven rookie receivers (two drafted and five undrafted) who have been acquired. Maybe two will make the initial 53-man roster.
Undrafted rookies face a tall climb, but times that five- or even 10-fold for a Division II undrafted rookie.
âThe way he runs and his ability to get off the ball, heâs going to impress them,â McCullough said. âYouâre an underdog as a Division II free agent, but heâs a guy who has the work ethic to be in the league. He just has to prove himself every day and do the extra stuff and he knows that.â
Being in Jacksonville on May 10 wearing a Jaguars helmet instead of Odessa and wearing a cap and gown was an easy decision for Patterson. And mom knows it, too.
âShe understands I have to be in Jacksonville,â Patterson said.
Contact OâHalloran at rohalloran@gannett.com or on X at @ryanohalloran. Listen to Ryan on 1010AM for segments every Tuesday (6:35 p.m. on âInto The Night) and Thursday (1:15 p.m. in âXL Primetime"), a new two-hour show every Friday starting May 13 ("The Lead," from 4-6 p.m.) and Wednesdays on X (3:20 p.m. on âDuval Rundownâ).