The New England Patriots’ newest practice-squad wide receiver brings a resume that reaches far beyond football.
At 25, Brayboy is one of three receivers currently on New England’s practice squad and one of eight players working in practice ahead of Week 3. But the part of his story that stands out most isn’t just the catches, touchdowns or return scores. It’s the path that got him here - a path shaped by the Lumbee Tribe, by family, and by a serious run toward a nursing career alongside football.
Brayboy was born in Pembroke, North Carolina, in 2001, and as a kid he liked to grass dance, using the ritual and its long, colorful cloth strands as a way to stay connected to the Lumbee Tribe. The tribe, known as the People of the Dark Water, is centered in southeastern North Carolina and includes Robeson, Hoke, Cumberland and Scotland counties.
It was recognized as a tribal nation by the state in 1885 and as an Indian Tribe by Congress in 1956, but it went more than a century without federal benefits. That changed when the Lumbee Fairness Act was signed in December of 2025, making the Lumbee Tribe the 575th tribe in the United States.
For Brayboy, that recognition meant something.
"I didn't even know there was that many Native American tribes," Brayboy told Patriots on SI. "Being on Lumbee, nobody knows really what it is. But we're a small group, all in the same area."
His surname is a rough translation of “Brave Boy,” and he’s part of a small but meaningful line of Lumbee players to reach the NFL. Linebacker Kenwin Cummings spent three seasons in the league with the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys from 2008 to 2010. Brayboy knows what that representation means.
"Me being one of the blessed guys to make it out and put a name out there for us, it's been great," Brayboy said. "The Lumbee people are great."
He grew up around dancing and drumming, but at some point he had to make a choice. Football won out over grass dancing.
"There'd be dancing on the weekends and ball tournaments on the weekends," Brayboy said. "I had to choose, so I chose sports and ran with it from there."
That choice took him to Purnell Sweat High School, where he also played baseball and basketball and scored 16 touchdowns as a senior. Elon noticed him, but so did something else.
"The nursing program at Elon basically recruited me," Brayboy said.
He initially wanted to become a physician’s assistant, but the demands of football and that track made it unrealistic. Nursing fit better, especially with help from Elon’s athletic academic staff and nursing program. He already had an exercise science degree, and he knew he needed a plan if football didn’t work out.
"The athletic academic staff at Elon worked together with the nursing program," Brayboy said. "I had an exercise science degree, and if football didn't work out, I didn't know where I was going to go.
"So the medical field, nursing, (it) worked hand in hand. They were able to work with my schedule, and so it was a blessing. Just fit right in the line."
His interest in medicine started at home. He said he correctly identified Parkinson’s disease symptoms in his grandfather, and his mother’s emphasis on education made a lasting impression.
"My mom was strict on education, and so I took that very serious," he said. "I decided the medical field was for me when I was younger, but I was blessed enough to play football, and so football came first."
Brayboy’s college production backed up the rest of his profile. He finished his Elon career with 165 receptions, 2,660 receiving yards, 19 receiving touchdowns, two kick return touchdowns and First Team FCS All-American honors. He also passed the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) while in school.
That combination carried him into the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars last spring. He spent his rookie season on their practice squad before being released on Aug.
- Less than two weeks later, on Sept. 14, he joined New England’s practice squad.
For now, he’s still getting his bearings.
"I've been so worked up and mentally straining in the playbook, and trying to learn how they run things here that excitement ain't kicked in yet," Brayboy admitted. "I know it's a blessing. It's a great opportunity, but I'm so focused on learning the system, learning everything that's going on, trying to fit in where they need me."
Even with the uncertainty that comes with practice-squad life, Brayboy says he’s prepared for whatever comes next, whether that ends up being an NFL opportunity or a future in medicine. And no matter where the road goes, he keeps coming back to the same foundation.
"Nobody really knows the Lumbee Tribe," Brayboy said. "We're a great group of individuals."
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