2020 Patriots Draft Prospects

RedOctober3829

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Here is a preliminary list of draft prospects that I would think fit the Patriots. Shenault and Hamler would be primary WR targets for me due to their explosiveness. It's tough to know for me at least which OL are good fits.

QB
Tua
Jordan Love(Utah State)
Jacob Eason(Washington)
Jake Fromm(Georgia)
Nate Stanley(Iowa)
Steven Montez(Colorado)

RB
Jonathan Taylor(Wisconsin)
JK Dobbins(Ohio State)
Travis Etienne(Clemson)
Clyde Edwards-Heliare(LSU)
Lamical Perine(Florida)

WR
CeeDee Lamb(Oklahoma)
Jerry Jeudy(Alabama)
Henry Ruggs(Alabama)
Tyler Johnson(Minnesota)
Justin Jefferson(LSU)
Henry Ruggs III(Alabama)
Laviska Shenault(Colorado)
Tee Higgins(Clemson)
KJ Hamler(Penn St)

TE
Brycen Hopkins(Purdue)
Cole Kmet(ND)

Edge
K'Lavon Chaisson(LSU)
Yetur Gross-Matos(PSU)
Julian Okwara(ND)
Curtis Weaver(Boise St)
Anfernee Jennings(Alabama)

DL
Derrick Brown(Auburn)
Javon Kinlaw(South Carolina)
Raekwon Davis(Alabama)
Jordan Scott(Oregon)
Neville Gallimore(Oklahoma)

LB
Isaiah Simmons(Clemson)
Kenneth Murray(Oklahoma)
Malik Harrison(Ohio State)
Troy Dye(Oregon)

CB
Jeff Okudah(Ohio State)
Kristian Fulton(LSU)
Trevon Diggs(Alabama)
Bryce Hall(Virginia)

SAF
Grant Delpit(LSU)
Xavier McKinney(Alabama)
Antoine Winfield, Jr.(Minnesota)
Hamsah Nasirildeen(FSU)
Ashtyn Davis(Cal)
 
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nolasoxfan

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To me, Travis Etienne looks like Matt Forte 2.0. I would be beyond thrilled if the Pats were able to land him in the draft.
 

DJnVa

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To me, Travis Etienne looks like Matt Forte 2.0. I would be beyond thrilled if the Pats were able to land him in the draft.
Our top 3 RBs from this season plus Damien Harris, are all under contract for next season. I'm not sure using another top pick on a runner is the best use of resources unless they are parting ways with one or 2.
 

RedOctober3829

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Our top 3 RBs from this season plus Damien Harris, are all under contract for next season. I'm not sure using another top pick on a runner is the best use of resources unless they are parting ways with one or 2.
A RB makes sense because White and Burkhead are going into their last year of their respective contracts. I'm not even sure if Burkhead will be there anyways. They can save $3 million by getting rid of him.
 

nolasoxfan

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Our top 3 RBs from this season plus Damien Harris, are all under contract for next season. I'm not sure using another top pick on a runner is the best use of resources unless they are parting ways with one or 2.
Great. Trade one. Ettiene looks like a guy that can make an immediate impact. That’s all I’m saying.
 

OurF'ingCity

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No Jalen Hurts on the list of QBs? He has accuracy issues, to be sure, but I was really impressed with his demeanor at Oklahoma this year and he seems to get tons of praise for maturity/leadership qualities that the Pats often value more than other teams, plus he brings an obvious athleticism that Stidham doesn't have at the position. Going into the 2020 season with Stidham and Hurts vying for the Brady heir spot (or the new starting QB if Brady moves on) would be pretty ideal, I would think - kind of like Jimmy G/Jacoby 2.0.

Of course, the Pats have so many holes they need to be very judicious with their early picks, especially given the Sanu trade and possible punishment for the stupid Bengals thing, so Hurts may be a luxury they can't afford - just thought he should be added to the list.
 

Mooch

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I LOVE Justin Jefferson from LSU. If Brady stays, he's my guy.
 

( . ) ( . ) and (_!_)

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Here is a preliminary list of draft prospects that I would think fit the Patriots. Shenault and Hamler would be primary WR targets for me due to their explosiveness. It's tough to know for me at least which OL are good fits.

QB
Tua
Jordan Love(Utah State)
Jacob Eason(Washington)
Jake Fromm(Georgia)
Nate Stanley(Iowa)
Steven Montez(Colorado)
With the exception of Tua all of these QBs seem like they are going to be mid to late round picks.
I guess there are two ways to think about drafting a QB this year. The first is if he is an obvious upgrade over what they have in Stidham. The second is let's take as many bites from the apple as we can, grab another mid-round guy and hope competition brings out the best in one of them.

Do you see any of these guys as obviously having more potential than Stidham or are you suggesting them thinking that having two lottery tickets is better than one?
 

RedOctober3829

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With the exception of Tua all of these QBs seem like they are going to be mid to late round picks.
I guess there are two ways to think about drafting a QB this year. The first is if he is an obvious upgrade over what they have in Stidham. The second is let's take as many bites from the apple as we can, grab another mid-round guy and hope competition brings out the best in one of them.

Do you see any of these guys as obviously having more potential than Stidham or are you suggesting them thinking that having two lottery tickets is better than one?
Jordan Love is being talked about as even a low first round to 2nd round pick. I think he has a lot of potential at least as much as Stidham. With QB's yes having more bites at the apple is advantageous. I've been a huge fan of Jake Fromm at Georgia, but he has regressed and that may have been due to the lack of quality WRs in Athens this year. I think he will have a long career as a capable backup QB with a slight chance at a fringe starter with the right system and talent around him. His makeup is off the charts
 

Buck Showalter

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No Jalen Hurts on the list of QBs? He has accuracy issues, to be sure, but I was really impressed with his demeanor at Oklahoma this year and he seems to get tons of praise for maturity/leadership qualities that the Pats often value more than other teams, plus he brings an obvious athleticism that Stidham doesn't have at the position. Going into the 2020 season with Stidham and Hurts vying for the Brady heir spot (or the new starting QB if Brady moves on) would be pretty ideal, I would think - kind of like Jimmy G/Jacoby 2.0.

Of course, the Pats have so many holes they need to be very judicious with their early picks, especially given the Sanu trade and possible punishment for the stupid Bengals thing, so Hurts may be a luxury they can't afford - just thought he should be added to the list.
I agree. Jalen Hurts would certainly be someone that NE would target on Day 2.
 

RedOctober3829

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I'm not a huge fan of Hurts at the NFL level. To me, he is a great college QB but did not perform that well against the elite competition in college. His decision making to me leaves something to be desired.
 

DJnVa

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Great. Trade one. Ettiene looks like a guy that can make an immediate impact. That’s all I’m saying.
Yeah, that's what I'm saying. And that if they don't, I doubt they're picking him.

I think BB is targeting Tua.
 

RedOctober3829

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Yeah, that's what I'm saying. And that if they don't, I doubt they're picking him.

I think BB is targeting Tua.
I think you're going to have to get up into the top 5 to get Tua. Teams aren't going to be scared off by the money commitment now that top picks aren't getting $50 million. Cincy is taking Burrow, Redskins are taking Young, then the draft starts at 3. Do the Lions take Tua to sit behind Stafford for 2 years or do they hold the 3 pick up for ransom? If they don't trade or bypass on Tua, then the Giants will definitely entertain the thought of trading down(if Gettelman can understand the concept).
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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I definitely do not want to devote more high end draft capital to the RB position.

Tua is likely to go in the top 10. I don't see a scenario in which we devote the draft capital to get that high (at least our 2020 and 2021 firsts, probably another pick) unless its one in which Brady has retired.

I would not be surprised to see us pick a safety in the first round.
 

DJnVa

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I think you're going to have to get up into the top 5 to get Tua.
Yeah, if he ends up staying at the tip top of the draft then it won't matter. But if he slides a bit, then I think BB pulls the trigger.

And regarding Hurts, sure he struggled against LSU, but other than that he had 32 TDs and 7 INTs. His only other rough game was TCU.
 

EL Jeffe

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I haven't done any type of deep dive on the prospects yet. I watched two ND games this weekend (UGA, VT) for Kmet; his blocking wasn't as good as I anticipated (although it looked better against VT later in the year). Physically, he looks really good and moves well. Good ball skills, some toughness. He's definitely not Hockenson as a prospect, but he reminded me some of Zach Ertz coming out of Stanford. I don't think Kmet is ready for prime-time as a rooke, so 23 might be a tad rich. But as TE1, he could easily get pushed up the board to that range.

I watched one game each on a few more TEs (Adam Trautman, Mitchell Wilcox, Harrison Bryant). Trautman was playing on a wet field, and maybe he was injured (?) but his movement skills looked awful. Like Scott Chandler bad. But he's a genuinely big dude and looked good in the run game. I'll need to see him again because he has to be a better athlete than what I saw. I liked Wilcox for what he is; mid-round TE who has okay size (a shade under 6'4, 245#) and runs fairly well. Good hands, good routes. Can threaten the seam. Didn't see enough blocking to get a feel for it. I've heard Wilcox described as a future Patriot. I can see it. Harrison from FAU was pretty impressive. Reminded me some of Gesicki; long, athletic. Caught it well. Not much interest in blocking and will need to bulk up. He didn't seem to fit the traditional NE TE role, but he'll be a mismatch weapon for someone.

Watched a game from Darrell Taylor and DJ Wonnum, two edge players from the SEC. I really liked Taylor; 6'4, 255# and a nice get-off and good motor. Okay against the run. More athletic than Wino but kind of the same role. Wonnum is an interesting dude at a legit 6'5, 260#. Not as explosive as Taylor, but sets an edge and uses his long arms well. SC would play him off the ball at times (sometimes even at MLB) and drop him into coverage where he looked okay. I know BB has a lot of respect for Muschamp, so that's a player to keep an eye on. His best football is in front of him. Both guys will be at the Senior Bowl.

I want to dive a little deeper into Cameron Brown, off-the-ball LB from Penn State. Has some Jamie Collins qualities; legit 6'5, lanky 233# frame. Easy mover, tough to throw over. Covers a lot of ground. Didn't seem as physical as NE likes its LBs, but if he were, he'd be like Edmunds from Buffalo with that frame and movement.

Xavier McKinney is another favorite of mine. Really good at everything he does; chess piece who can play high or low, cover, tackles in the open field, blitzes, explosive movement skills. Also a really good special teams player. Certainly looks like a 1st round safety to me. Patriots definitely need to get younger there.
 

BaseballJones

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Great. Trade one. Ettiene looks like a guy that can make an immediate impact. That’s all I’m saying.
Not sure where Ettiene would go in the draft but hell yes. Guy is dynamic. I like our RB corps, but it would save money and make them younger for the Pats to move on from, say, Burkhead. Plus when James White becomes too expensive, Ettiene immediately becomes the primary receiving back.

But I doubt the Pats would make this move. But imagine a formation with both Ettiene and White out there? Not enough quality LBs to cover both.
 

SMU_Sox

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No Jalen Hurts on the list of QBs? He has accuracy issues, to be sure, but I was really impressed with his demeanor at Oklahoma this year and he seems to get tons of praise for maturity/leadership qualities that the Pats often value more than other teams, plus he brings an obvious athleticism that Stidham doesn't have at the position. Going into the 2020 season with Stidham and Hurts vying for the Brady heir spot (or the new starting QB if Brady moves on) would be pretty ideal, I would think - kind of like Jimmy G/Jacoby 2.0.

Of course, the Pats have so many holes they need to be very judicious with their early picks, especially given the Sanu trade and possible punishment for the stupid Bengals thing, so Hurts may be a luxury they can't afford - just thought he should be added to the list.

100% out on Hurts unless it is day 3. His ceiling as a passer is too limited. Slow processor and inaccurate. All the leadership and off the field stuff is great but he is not a viable option as a starter.

I haven't gotten deep on anyone in particular yet but as for the RB chatter goes reminder that Pats tend to value backs with pass pro skills. Even James White knows how to use every pound he has to slow down a blitzer. I like the RB class this year and if they find another weapon late day 2 or day 3 I am all for it. I do think that means you have to get rid of Rex or Bolden and even though I like Rex a lot I think Bolden is the guy they'd keep. Harris should be able to step more into his role.

The one guy I like for the Pats is probably a day 2 or early 3 Pinkney from Vandy. He's a large tight end who needs cleaning up on blocking technique. He has the size and power to block and when he can execute correctly but often he doesn't. He can lunge and get off balance that way.
 

BaseballJones

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Hard pass on Hurts. I'd much rather see what Stidham can do than Hurts. Use a draft pick on another spot that they need help with.
 

SMU_Sox

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I haven't made my determination re: Love but I like Herbert. Herbert is my favorite dual-threat of the QBs this year. I know the stats don't show it but his last game is a good place to start. I think both Love and Herbert suffer from bad decision making. Herbert to me reminds me of Josh Allen where you are wondering why he is hanging on that long or he did everything perfect and spun out of a sack and set up his scrambling receivers until he tosses it to the one guy in triple coverage going to the sideline. I'd say Herbert makes far fewer bad decisions than Josh. I think Herbert gets a bad rap because some of his mistakes were more high profile and his team never had a signature year.
 

jmanny24

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Not having a 2nd is gonna hurt, I think all but 12 of those names are gone by the time they pick in the 3rd. They could literally go in any direction, but I would love a shot at Isaiah Simmons.
 

DJnVa

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100% out on Hurts unless it is day 3. His ceiling as a passer is too limited. Slow processor and inaccurate.
I'm not disputing anything here, but wondering what you saw from him this past season that would make you call him inaccurate? Granted as a freshman and sophomore he wasn't in the upper 60s, but he was near 70% this season.
 

SMU_Sox

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I'm not disputing anything here, but wondering what you saw from him this past season that would make you call him inaccurate? Granted as a freshman and sophomore he wasn't in the upper 60s, but he was near 70% this season.
I think that’s one of the perils of box score scouting. Playing at OU helped him out. He has a strong arm and can hit wide open guys but he doesn’t have pinpoint accuracy and I would list lack of touch as a negative. When he has to go up against smaller windows like his first half of the championship game he can’t hit them. He stares down his targets, doesn’t consistently make reads, and while he is a dynamic runner and can throw on the go he doesn’t do enough well imo to be more than a gadget player as a pro.
 

EL Jeffe

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I watched a little of Ruggs last night. Yes, he plays at a different speed than the rest of the players on the field, but there's some real red flags/warning signs. He saw a lot of press coverage in the games I watched, and while he generally got off the line well, he did get swallowed up a bit more than you'd like. The LSU game stood out there (and LSU has really good corners). His route tree wasn't very sophisticated (The Paris Cambell Effect?) and his routes weren't very sharp; he really rounded off his cuts. How much of that could be play design, how much of that is sloppy route running, and how much of that is an indication that he's too straight-linish (inventing words is fun!), it's hard to tell. The combine and pro day will be big for him. Yes, he'll run a 4.2 40 and jump 40". I'd like to see him run precision NFL routes and see what sort of shuttle and cone times he puts up. You can point to Metcalf and say the agility numbers don't matter, but Metcalf is also 6'3, 230#. Ruggs is a shade under 6' and 190#. He's not the the physical beast Metcalf is.

I know a lot of Draft Twitter loves Ruggs and I've seen some WR1 talk, which I find crazy. Ruggs is definitely talented, but putting him ahead of Jeudy or Lamb is just trying to get too cute with your rankings or evaluation. His ceiling is high, I'm not there yet for Ruggs at #23.
 

bakahump

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Am I crazy to think a LT might be in the Mix? Draft a LT, move Wynn over to replace Thuney (was a stud G in college) and hope that 1 of the 2019 kids can beat out Cannon? Instantly the OL is better. Draft a TE who can block. I mean we havent had one of those in forever :eyeroll:.
Michel, Harris get a real FB back.

We can also Pray Andrews comes back (and look in the 3rd round and later to get a good young center).

We (continue to/"re-institute" the idea of) build around the run.
 

BaseballJones

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Simmons would be incredible on this team. But he's like the 6th overall ranked prospect (by cbssports.com's rankings) so I don't really see how NE could get him. That would be a major trade up for the Pats. But 6'4", 230 lbs, that can play anywhere from MLB to safety?
 

ramfan

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Am I crazy to think a LT might be in the Mix? Draft a LT, move Wynn over to replace Thuney (was a stud G in college) and hope that 1 of the 2019 kids can beat out Cannon? Instantly the OL is better. Draft a TE who can block. I mean we havent had one of those in forever :eyeroll:.
Michel, Harris get a real FB back.

We can also Pray Andrews comes back (and look in the 3rd round and later to get a good young center).

We (continue to/"re-institute" the idea of) build around the run.
Isn't there only 1 2019 kid that plays tackle? The other a guard?
 

EL Jeffe

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The QB rankings are going to be fascinating. I'd assumed Herbert was going to be in the top tier with Tua (with Burrow seeming a lock for 1-1). But according to Daniel Jeremiah, teams are going to be mixed on how they rank Herbert vs Love vs Eason. And then there's Fromm, who's going to be evaluated very differently based on scheme and organizational philosophy (sounds like the Patriots are one of the teams who'd be high on Fromm).

I'd be a little surprised if NE had Eason or Love in play at #23, but I could see them pulling the trigger on Herbert (if he does actually fall; sounds improbable but Aaron Rodgers and all) or Fromm at #23 if Brady leaves and they aren't convinced on Stidham.

Senior Bowl will be huge for Herbert and Love.
 

lexrageorge

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In the later rounds, what about Randy's kid Thaddeus Moss? He is an exceptional blocker at TE and has some ball skills as well.
The QB rankings are going to be fascinating. I'd assumed Herbert was going to be in the top tier with Tua (with Burrow seeming a lock for 1-1). But according to Daniel Jeremiah, teams are going to be mixed on how they rank Herbert vs Love vs Eason. And then there's Fromm, who's going to be evaluated very differently based on scheme and organizational philosophy (sounds like the Patriots are one of the teams who'd be high on Fromm).

I'd be a little surprised if NE had Eason or Love in play at #23, but I could see them pulling the trigger on Herbert (if he does actually fall; sounds improbable but Aaron Rodgers and all) or Fromm at #23 if Brady leaves and they aren't convinced on Stidham.

Senior Bowl will be huge for Herbert and Love.
Probably cannot happen, but for us long time fans the thought of "Eason to Moss" to lead the post-Brady era would have a certain amount of irony.
 

SMU_Sox

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Some of my my early favorites:

Justin Jefferson LSU WR. Guy is such a good route runner. He can play different spots, run pretty much any route concept you want and will sell it well.

Jerry Jeudy: I don’t care that he doesn’t have elite top end speed. Route runner with exceptional vision. One of my favorite WR prospects in some time.

Two guys who can line up on the DL but one is more of a Van Noy Replacement and that’s K’Lavon Chaisson LSU edge/LB and heir to the Trey Flowers role, AJ Epenesa, a prototypical Patriot out of Iowa so you have the Ferentz connection.
Epenesa is an edge who can play inside rusher as well. He’s long, great hands, and is very strong against the run. I think the front seven needs some reinforcements especially the DL.
As for tight ends I still like Jared Pinkney the most but O’Grady out of Arkansas intrigues me as a late round flyer depending on how he tests. He plays with a nasty streak to him. Character flags.
 

EL Jeffe

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Some of my early favorites:

Gabriel Davis, WR UCF: Good size (about 6'3, 210#) and extremely productive. Outside receiver who plays fast and won on all three levels. Gained good separation and showed some grit in his blocking. Really good player who Draft Twitter hasn't talked a ton about. Has feature WR ability.

Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR Liberty: Jumbo WR (about 6'4, 220#) who was also very productive. For a large WR, he was a very impressive route runner. I invite everyone to take a look at his Syracuse game. He ran about 3-4 slant routes where he toasted jam coverage off the line and gained instant separation. He was like the anti-N'Keal Harry. His play speed overall is solid and he'll win some jump balls with his catch radius. Another guy Draft Twitter might be underrating.

Javon Kinlaw, DT USC: I expect he'll be long gone by 23. Rare explosiveness for a 6'5, 310# DT. Impacts the run and pass games. Really good motor. Surprising closing burst. Someone is getting a War Daddy.

Jordan Elliott, DT Missouri: Looks really good getting off the bus. 6'4, 315# and well put together. Not as consistent in anything he does as Kinlaw, was but plenty of flashes. Looks like a 3-down DT who can threaten the edge well enough to play some 5-technique. Lots of upside.

Leki Fotu, DT Utah: A Danny Shelton type (6'5, 330#) who will throw in a wow play every once in a while. Very strong and can move a little. Fits the physical profile of what the Patriots like in their DTs.

Benito Jones, NT, Ole Miss: A personal favorite, but not the type of player the Patriots covet (only 6'1, but a stout 325). Really explosive, short area quickness and can move his feet. Gets washed out of some plays, but he was really fun to watch. Teams that don't care about DT length will like him.

Yetur Gross-Matos, DE PSU: I ended up liking him a lot more than I thought I would. I imagine the Patriots will have a high grade on him; he's a complete DE who set a good edge, played hard, and was a disruptive rusher off the edge. Very disciplined in his pass rush and didn't sell-out to get sacks (rush wide and get behind the QB). I'd be very happy with YGM at #23. 3-down DE. Fits what the Patriots generally like in a 1st round pick: checks lots of boxes between character, production, size, program, and high floor.

David Woodard, LB Utah St: Looks like a NE LB. Big (6'3, 245 # or so), moves fairly well. Good tackler, good blitzer. Looked okay in space. ST mentality.

Jordyn Brooks, LB Texas Tech: I really, really liked watching him. Wish he were a bit longer (6'1, 240#) but he's an explosive player. Runs really well, like a heat seeking missile. Fits the modern NFL with his speed, range and enough size to hold up on early downs. Fun player to watch. I'd be okay with him at #23, but I know I'm higher on him than most. Just had shoulder surgery which will put him out of action for a few months but should be back by this summer.

Evan Weaver, LB Cal: Another guy who fits the NE physical profile (6'3, 245#). Tackling machine who plays fast. No hesitation in his game; sees the ball and goes after it. Didn't always look comfortable in coverage. Not sure he'd be a great compliment to a guy like Bentley at ILB (similar skill sets) but he was a good player and a fun watch.

I haven't dug into the OL, TE sor DBs just yet.
 

Super Nomario

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Leki Fotu, DT Utah: A Danny Shelton type (6'5, 330#) who will throw in a wow play every once in a while. Very strong and can move a little. Fits the physical profile of what the Patriots like in their DTs.

Benito Jones, NT, Ole Miss: A personal favorite, but not the type of player the Patriots covet (only 6'1, but a stout 325). Really explosive, short area quickness and can move his feet. Gets washed out of some plays, but he was really fun to watch. Teams that don't care about DT length will like him.
Thanks for your list. FWIW, Shelton is only 6'2" and Wilfork was only 6'1", so I don't think they're opposed to DTs lacking height as long as they're stout in the middle. Malcom Brown and Dominique Easley were also only 6'2" and the Pats used firsts on them, though Easley was certainly a departure in terms of weight / build.
 

EL Jeffe

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Thanks for your list. FWIW, Shelton is only 6'2" and Wilfork was only 6'1", so I don't think they're opposed to DTs lacking height as long as they're stout in the middle. Malcom Brown and Dominique Easley were also only 6'2" and the Pats used firsts on them, though Easley was certainly a departure in terms of weight / build.
Holy crap - in my head, Shelton was 6'4 but you're completely right. He's only 6'2. So I'm keeping the Benito Jones dream alive. Seriously though, you guys should take a look at his games. Very disruptive, runs well.
 

RedOctober3829

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Some of my early favorites:

Gabriel Davis, WR UCF: Good size (about 6'3, 210#) and extremely productive. Outside receiver who plays fast and won on all three levels. Gained good separation and showed some grit in his blocking. Really good player who Draft Twitter hasn't talked a ton about. Has feature WR ability.

Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR Liberty: Jumbo WR (about 6'4, 220#) who was also very productive. For a large WR, he was a very impressive route runner. I invite everyone to take a look at his Syracuse game. He ran about 3-4 slant routes where he toasted jam coverage off the line and gained instant separation. He was like the anti-N'Keal Harry. His play speed overall is solid and he'll win some jump balls with his catch radius. Another guy Draft Twitter might be underrating.

Javon Kinlaw, DT USC: I expect he'll be long gone by 23. Rare explosiveness for a 6'5, 310# DT. Impacts the run and pass games. Really good motor. Surprising closing burst. Someone is getting a War Daddy.

Jordan Elliott, DT Missouri: Looks really good getting off the bus. 6'4, 315# and well put together. Not as consistent in anything he does as Kinlaw, was but plenty of flashes. Looks like a 3-down DT who can threaten the edge well enough to play some 5-technique. Lots of upside.

Leki Fotu, DT Utah: A Danny Shelton type (6'5, 330#) who will throw in a wow play every once in a while. Very strong and can move a little. Fits the physical profile of what the Patriots like in their DTs.

Benito Jones, NT, Ole Miss: A personal favorite, but not the type of player the Patriots covet (only 6'1, but a stout 325). Really explosive, short area quickness and can move his feet. Gets washed out of some plays, but he was really fun to watch. Teams that don't care about DT length will like him.

Yetur Gross-Matos, DE PSU: I ended up liking him a lot more than I thought I would. I imagine the Patriots will have a high grade on him; he's a complete DE who set a good edge, played hard, and was a disruptive rusher off the edge. Very disciplined in his pass rush and didn't sell-out to get sacks (rush wide and get behind the QB). I'd be very happy with YGM at #23. 3-down DE. Fits what the Patriots generally like in a 1st round pick: checks lots of boxes between character, production, size, program, and high floor.

David Woodard, LB Utah St: Looks like a NE LB. Big (6'3, 245 # or so), moves fairly well. Good tackler, good blitzer. Looked okay in space. ST mentality.

Jordyn Brooks, LB Texas Tech: I really, really liked watching him. Wish he were a bit longer (6'1, 240#) but he's an explosive player. Runs really well, like a heat seeking missile. Fits the modern NFL with his speed, range and enough size to hold up on early downs. Fun player to watch. I'd be okay with him at #23, but I know I'm higher on him than most. Just had shoulder surgery which will put him out of action for a few months but should be back by this summer.

Evan Weaver, LB Cal: Another guy who fits the NE physical profile (6'3, 245#). Tackling machine who plays fast. No hesitation in his game; sees the ball and goes after it. Didn't always look comfortable in coverage. Not sure he'd be a great compliment to a guy like Bentley at ILB (similar skill sets) but he was a good player and a fun watch.

I haven't dug into the OL, TE sor DBs just yet.
I like a lot of the guys you mentioned. Funny you say that the Liberty WR runs great routes because a lot of draft scouting reports lists one of his big cons is route running. Seems like he's very similar to Harry. On the D-line, Mike Panasiuk of Michigan State is someone that intrigues me for the Pats. They need another two-gap run stuffing lineman and he fits the bill. Very productive player in the Big Ten.
 

RedOctober3829

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Daniel Jeremiah's Mock Draft 1.0 has the Pats getting Grant Delpit at 23(with Justin Jefferson, Javon Kinlaw, and Laviska Shenault still on the board). That would be a steal IMO. He also says Michigan center Cesar Ruiz may be an option there as well.
 

EL Jeffe

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Delpit is a good player, but if Kinlaw is on the board at 23, you sprint that pick to the podium.

I think I like McKinney better than Delpit, to be honest. Something was off with Delpit this year.
 

Super Nomario

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Delpit is a good player, but if Kinlaw is on the board at 23, you sprint that pick to the podium.

I think I like McKinney better than Delpit, to be honest. Something was off with Delpit this year.
That's why Delpit might be available at 23, though, right? If he'd played up to expectations he would be easily gone in the top half of the first round. At least based on the way people were talking about him before the season.
 

EL Jeffe

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That's why Delpit might be available at 23, though, right? If he'd played up to expectations he would be easily gone in the top half of the first round. At least based on the way people were talking about him before the season.
My personal bias is to take the safer player in the 1st round. McKinney had a better season than Delpit; Delpit is about 2" taller and probably has the better physical profile. But McKinney should test out well next month, and he has the better trajectory of the two. That's part of the fun of the draft though; so much of this stuff is in the eye of the beholder.

Now if it turns out Delpit had a down(ish) year because of injury, or something easily fixable, then that's a different story. But as an amateur draft follower, I can only go off what I see and what's publicly available. But also, draft Kinlaw if he's there :)
 

SMU_Sox

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My personal bias is to take the safer player in the 1st round. McKinney had a better season than Delpit; Delpit is about 2" taller and probably has the better physical profile. But McKinney should test out well next month, and he has the better trajectory of the two. That's part of the fun of the draft though; so much of this stuff is in the eye of the beholder.

Now if it turns out Delpit had a down(ish) year because of injury, or something easily fixable, then that's a different story. But as an amateur draft follower, I can only go off what I see and what's publicly available. But also, draft Kinlaw if he's there :)
I’m another in the McKinney > Delpit camp. McKinney can play virtually any role as a safety. Great instincts. He’s a better tackler and I think a more explosive athlete.
I want to see his athletic testing and more tape but I think he has the traits to develop into a single high safety but his best role is probably in the box. McKinney’s relentless downhill pursuit reminds me a bit of Johnathan Abram last year but McKinney has much better lateral mobility. McKinney can cover in man and zone and does both well... guy screams versatility.
 

EL Jeffe

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I looked at a few WRs last night...

Devin Duvernay, TX: He wasn't really on my radar, to be honest, by Schofield did the eyeball emoji to Dvuernay's Senior Bowl weigh in which drew my attention. And I'm really glad it did because Duvernay was really fun to watch. If you were a Debo fan last year, you'll really like Duvernay. A somewhat unorthodox, compact frame at 5'10 1/2, 204#, built a bit like a 3rd down RB. Quick accelerator, strong after the catch and looked fast and sudden getting in and out of his breaks. Checks a lot of Patriots boxes; productive, honor roll student, ST value (returns kicks). I'd definitely put a higher grade on Debo though for a couple of reasons: Debo was a bit bigger and showed more positional versatility. Duvernay generally played slot and only moved outside in 2 WR formations. I also never saw him against press coverage. So there's more projection here, but I like the traits. He'd be a good use of one the 3rd round picks in my view.

Jalen Reagor, TCU: Fast. Really explosive and twitchy and he's a legit threat to score from anywhere on the field. He's a tough evaluation because his QB was hot garbage and I wasn't a fan of their offense in general. Never got a chance to see a full route tree, but he looked fine against press and had inside/outside versatility. Also a high-end punt returner. I liked his physicality in the running game; finishes his blocks and has some chippiness to his game. Hands and ball skills (in particular) were inconsistent. Too many question marks for me at #23 and with his speed, I can't see him lasting to the 3rd round. If you like prospect comparisons, I'd say Mecole Hardman.

Justin Jefferson, LSU: Long, smooth slot WR who was extremely productive at a top program. Everything he does looks natural; it was like watching Reggie Wayne. That said, he was a tough evaluation for me transitioning to the NFL. LSU's offense was so good, and he generally had freedom, space and time. He was exclusively out of the slot in the action I saw, and I'm not sure how he'd look outside or versus tight press coverage. He was also inconsistent physically. Auburn bullied him in the running game a few times, but he also had some good sustained blocks. I didn't see much after the catch. Also didn't see much explosion or suddeness. I have no idea what to make of him. He'll probably go in the 2nd, but at the same time, I don't know how much better he is than Jakobi Meyers. He'll run a better 40 time, but they have a lot of similarities.
 

EL Jeffe

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I like a lot of the guys you mentioned. Funny you say that the Liberty WR runs great routes because a lot of draft scouting reports lists one of his big cons is route running. Seems like he's very similar to Harry. On the D-line, Mike Panasiuk of Michigan State is someone that intrigues me for the Pats. They need another two-gap run stuffing lineman and he fits the bill. Very productive player in the Big Ten.
AG-G is still my guy! I like this clip from Jim Nagy. I just never saw this sort of twitch/explosion off the line when watching N'Keal Harry, and this is exactly what I saw from AG-G in the Syracuse game.

View: https://twitter.com/JimNagy_SB/status/1223247427676835841


For those who can't see, it's a Twitter clip from Jim Nagy showing Antonio Gandy-Golden cleanly beating press coverage at a Senior Bowl practice:

"Biggest reason why bigger WR struggle transitioning from college to the NFL is that they lack the body twitch to beat press-man and create separation at the top of routes.
@LibertyFootball
WR Antonio Gandy-Golden (6035v, 222 lbs) won’t have those issues! #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE"