The New England Patriots are no strangers to the concept of rostering clutch kickers with legendary potential.

From Dynasty-era founding father Adam Vinatieri, to the consistent championship leg of Stephen Gostkowski, New England has been the home of several top-level boots throughout its history.

However, the question on all Pats fans’ minds is whether Miami product Andres Borregales, whom the Patriots selected at pick 182 in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, will be the next to join their ranks. According to Miami Hurricanes’ special teams coordinator Danny Kalter, who coached the native Venezuelan at the University last season, Borregales has the both the leg strength and the “mindset to take one kick at a time and self-diagnose after a miss without over-thinking.”

In fact, Kalter recently shared the moment in which he realized that Borregales might be a cut above his peers with ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

“There were 20 seconds remaining until halftime [of Miami’s September 2024 matchup with Virginia Tech,] Kalter recalled. “[VT] had just extended its lead to 24-14 on a 57-yard field goal. It appeared that it was time to head to the locker room and regroup.”

However, when the ensuing kickoff was returned 34 yards near midfield, Borregales had other ideas regarding his team’s halftime strategy.

“He’s looking at me, looking at the head coach … It would be 70 yards, and he would say, ‘I have it in me.’ That defines him to the core,” Kalter said, via Reiss. “No kick is too long. No moment is too big.”

While it may be quite some time before he is mentioned alongside the heralded Pats of the past, Borregales has the skill set to become a fan favorite in short order. The 23-year-old spent four seasons with the Miami Hurricanes, appearing in 50 games. During that span, he made 74 of 86 field goal attempts as well as 183 of 184 extra points. His best season came in 2025, when he went 18-of-19 on field goals — including a long of 56 — and a perfect 62-of-62 on extra point attempts.

Having used valuable draft capital to secure his services, the Patriots are clearly advising Borregales of the high regard with which they hold him. Though veteran John Parker Romo is expected to compete for the starting job in training camp, Kalter is confident in Borregales’ chances of earning the job.

“The Patriots aren’t just getting a placekicker; they’re getting a football player,” Kalter said. “That’s something Andy takes a lot of pride in, and he has from the second he stepped foot in Miami at 140 pounds and left at around 205 pounds and set the all-time points record. How he carries himself on and off the field, his work ethic, passion for the game, passion for his teammates, and competitive spirit is what makes him special.”

In the final analysis, Borregales’ draft status may give him the upper hand in the competition — at least, in the minds of Patriots fans. However, Kalter knows that there is much work to be done to write his name into the same hallowed tomes as Vinatieri, Stephen Gostkowski, Gino Cappelletti and others — especially when attempting to kick through potentially harsh New England winters.

“The snow factor, I think, that’s something he is going to embrace,” Borregales’ former coach advised. “Andy is always looking for someone to doubt him, some chip on his shoulder.”

New England’s rookies, including Borregales, are required to report by July 19, while veteran players must be in attendance by July 22. The team will conduct their first training camp practices on July 23 on the fields adjacent to Gillette Stadium.

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