A member of the 2005 NFL draft class will be joining head coach Mike Vrabel’s staff.

The New England Patriots have hired Mike Smith as their next outside linebackers coach, according to a report Wednesday from ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

Smith, 43, most recently served as the outside linebackers coach and pass rush specialist for the Minnesota Vikings under head coach Kevin O’Connell in 2022. He took a personal leave of absence in the fall of 2023 and did not return to the organization.

A former linebacker, Smith was chosen by the Baltimore Ravens in the seventh round at No. 234 overall. The Texas Tech product appeared in 14 NFL games, starting his last, before being released with an injury settlement during training camp in 2008.

In 2009, Smith entered the coaching ranks as the linebackers coach at the University of Hawaii. He then headed to the AFC East as a coaching intern and eventual outside linebackers coach with the New York Jets before circling back to his alma mater. The roles of co-defensive coordinator, interim defensive coordinator, outside linebackers coach and defensive line coach were held with the Red Raiders from 2013 through 2015.

From there, the Lubbock native spent three campaigns with the Kansas City Chiefs, going from assistant defensive line coach to outside linebackers coach. He continued under the latter title while with the Green Bay Packers from 2019 through 2021 before staying in the NFC North.

Drew Wilkins, the outside linebackers coach in Foxborough this past season, has since been hired as the pass rush coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams.