Which draft prospects are best fits to fill Patriots’ needs?

April 9, 2023 admin

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:

1. Nagy’s NE fits: Leading into last year’s draft, a handful of “need” spots on the Patriots’ roster were identified, and Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy — a former Patriots scout — pinpointed Senior Bowl players he viewed as a fit for the team.

Nagy nailed first-round pick Cole Strange and third-rounder Marcus Jones in 2022. So let’s do it again for 2023.

Cornerback/safety: Deep-field safety Devin McCourty retired and 2022 fourth-round pick Jack Jones is coming off a team suspension that sparks questions about how much the team can depend on him at corner.

Nagy’s fit: Illinois’ Jartavius “Quan” Martin — “He probably has as much position flexibility as anybody in the draft. He’s played outside, has played nickel and also safety, so he has proven versatility. He’s feisty, will tackle, a good solid all-around football player. I know some teams had him in the low 4.4s [in the 40-yard dash], a 44-inch vertical jump and an 11-1 broad [jump]; high-end tester who absolutely blew away the combine. Good tape, good process here in the spring, I think he’ll be fringe top 100.”

Offensive tackle: Free agent signings of Riley Reiff, Calvin Anderson and Conor McDermott potentially provide short-term relief, but a long-term answer on either side would be ideal.

Nagy’s fit: Alabama’s Tyler Steen — “He transferred from Vandy [in 2022], so just one year in Tuscaloosa. He’s started on both sides. We studied him over the summer at Vandy and he was a right tackle, but they played him on the left side at Alabama, and when he came here to the Senior Bowl, he played guard as well. He is really thick from the waist down. So he’s a true four-position guy. You wouldn’t say ‘This is an ideal, high-end Pro Bowl-caliber left tackle [physically],’ but I think he can legit play there. He plays with really good patience. He has a nice playing demeanor to him, never looks stressed. Nice feet. Plays within himself. I think he goes in the second round.”

Receiver: DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton and Kendrick Bourne return, while coach Bill Belichick hinted that Mike Gesicki is viewed as more of a big receiver than a traditional tight end. Defensive back Marcus Jones could also be a factor on offense (18 snaps last season).

Nagy’s fits: Houston’s Nathaniel “Tank” Dell/Michigan’s Ronnie Bell — “Tank had 23 red zone touchdowns over the last two years, almost more than double the next closest guy. He’s pretty unique — 166 pounds, so he’s on the smaller side — but he plays through contact. He’s so explosive. Acceleration out of breaks. Ability to separate and get open. Tough. Really dynamic after the catch and a legit punt returner. I think he could go in the third. On Ronnie, he is tough, competitive. Really good route runner. Good release package. Good at the top of a route. Separator. Works the middle. Not afraid to get hit and blocks his tail off — kind of a dirty-work guy. He ran a ridiculous 3-cone at Michigan’s pro day and had a 1.52 in the 10-yard split, so he’s fast off the line like [Wes] Welker was. I think he’s going to be a productive slot, the type of guy who will outplay where he gets drafted. He’s dealt with some injuries, but I think he could go in that fourth-round area.”

Tight end: Hunter Henry and Gesicki have contracts that expire after the 2023 season, and developmental prospects Matt Sokol and Scotty Washington are behind them. A tight end with blocking prowess, in addition to pass-catching skills, would best complement the current personnel.

Nagy’s fits: Miami’s Will Mallory/Purdue’s Payne Durham — “I think Will is an underrated guy. He ran the fastest time at the combine (4.51). He’s 6-4 3/8 in the 240s, with a frame to play on the line; he’s long enough. And he can obviously get down the seam; he looked quicker off the line and in the routes down here than I remembered on tape. I think the Patriots will appreciate his football acumen and background; he comes from a football family, with his dad [Mike] coaching on the Broncos’ staff last year. He’s a pro, loves the game and he’s been interviewing off the charts. I would think third- or fourth-round range. On Payne, he had a really good week at the Senior Bowl. Got open all week. He’s 6-5 2/8 and 258 — a bigger guy, but with some craftiness to him. Good in contested situations. Nice feel in the red area. A gritty throwback type of personality. He’s probably going somewhere on Day 3; could see fifth round.”

Edge defender: Matthew Judon has been a top performer for most of the past two seasons, while Deatrich Wise Jr., Anfernee Jennings and Josh Uche (contract expires after 2023) fill notable roles at the premium position in the defense’s multiple schemes.

Nagy’s fit: Notre Dame’s Isaiah Foskey — “An every-down player, with the size, length and heaviness to set the edge. He’s a double-digit back-to-back sack guy. Not a flashy rusher, but effective — knows how to use his length, stays alive in a rush, plays with a good motor. If you have guys like Judon and Uche who can create some fast pressure, this guy is playing his butt off on the other side and he’s going to get to the quarterback. He was a junior who graduated; a mature guy, loves football and they won’t have to wait around for him to figure it out. He was business-like down here all week. I think he’ll go somewhere on Day 2.”

2. Mac’s presence: Quarterback Mac Jones has been a daily presence at Gillette Stadium — using the workout facilities and Socios.com Fieldhouse to throw — one of a small handful of players who has stayed in the region for the majority of the offseason. He surprised the League School, which helps students with autism reach their full potential, with a visit on Wednesday.

Our surprise guests yesterday were AMAZING! Patriots QB Mac Jones and girlfriend Sophie Scott toured the school and learned about what we do. Both were so kind and thoughtful while engaging with our students! Many thanks to @PatsFoundation and the entire @Patriots organization! pic.twitter.com/EarrLw31bC
— League School (@LeagueforAutism) April 6, 2023

Our surprise guests yesterday were AMAZING! Patriots QB Mac Jones and girlfriend Sophie Scott toured the school and learned about what we do. Both were so kind and thoughtful while engaging with our students! Many thanks to @PatsFoundation and the entire @Patriots organization! pic.twitter.com/EarrLw31bC

3. Mac vs. other draft QBs: Jones’ promising rookie season in 2021 under coordinator Josh McDaniels was followed up with a disappointing 2022 campaign in a new offensive system under playcaller Matt Patricia and quarterbacks coach Joe Judge, sparking the question of what the Patriots have in him. In the opinion of one anonymous national scout who evaluated QBs this year and the past two drafts, Jones, based on his grade coming out of Alabama, would still be topped only by Trevor Lawrence over that stretch. It sets up a critical year for Jones to prove it, working under new coordinator Bill O’Brien.

4. Lombardi’s take: Would Belichick offer Jones to other teams in a trade after just two years? Here’s the take of Michael Lombardi, who served as an assistant to the head coach in New England from 2014 to 2015, on the GM Shuffle podcast: “The idea he is shopping Mac is against everything he would do. First of all, he’s the most secretive person in the league. He’s not going to tell you anything he’s doing; even some people in the organization don’t know. But if somebody comes to him and tells him, ‘I’ll give you a [first-round pick] for Mac,’ does that mean he’s shopping him? No. That just means somebody asked the question. I think we’re at a semantical issue here. … Did the Patriots mess up with their decision with the staffing [last season]? That’s fairly obvious, and I think [Belichick’s] admitted that. Was Mac Jones’ behavior conducive to that of an ultimate leader? No. He’s got to admit that too. So there’s culpability on both sides. The only way they’re going to improve is [acknowledging that] together.”

5. Uche in town: The Patriots’ voluntary offseason program begins April 17, but Uche — reflective of his knack for getting to the quarterback — got a head start by arriving early. It serves up a reminder that the Michigan alum is coming off a career-best 11.5-sack season, enters the final year of his contract and would put himself in position for a career-altering payday by following it up with similar production in 2023.

6. Top 30 visits: The Patriots spent the past week welcoming prospects on top-30 visits at Gillette Stadium — a group that reportedly included offensive tackle Broderick Jones (Georgia), receivers Jordan Addison (USC) and Zay Flowers (Boston College), linebacker Nolan Smith (Georgia), tight end Tucker Kraft (South Dakota State), defensive tackle Scott Matlock (Boise State) and defensive end Viliami Fehoko (San Jose State), among others — and that is scheduled to continue this week (one day devoted to local specific prospects). The visits don’t necessarily indicate a clear-cut intention that the team hopes to draft the players but can help fill in potential holes on scouting reports.

7. TE’s plentiful: One theme from draft analysts is how deep the tight end position is this year, with ESPN’s Todd McShay noting he has six rated in his top 62 players for the first time in more than a decade and NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah with 11 slotted within the first three rounds. But not all tight ends are created equal — some are bigger receivers, others are more like a sixth offensive lineman — and that’s where Belichick’s history and what he values at the position are worthy of revisiting. A true combination type with elite physical traits is rare in Belichick’s view, which sparked a question to me: Why wouldn’t he consider Georgia’s Darnell Washington (6-foot-7, 264 pounds, 4.64 in the 40) as early as the No. 14 overall pick?

8. Patriots Hall: The three finalists for the Patriots Hall of Fame are expected to be announced within the week, and then a fan vote will choose one inductee to join contributor Dante Scarnecchia. There was insightful discussion among the Hall of Fame committee on the following candidates: defensive lineman Julius Adams; center/alumni contributor Pete Brock; coach Chuck Fairbanks; tight end Russ Francis; guard Logan Mankins; safety Lawyer Milloy; coach Bill Parcells; kicker John Smith; running back/special teamer Mosi Tatupu; linebacker Mike Vrabel; and receiver Wes Welker. An announcement on the three finalists is expected Thursday.

9. Did You Know, Part I: The Patriots are tied for the second-most picks in this year’s draft with 11, joining the Rams and 49ers. Only the Texans and Raiders have more, with 12 apiece. The Dolphins have the fewest picks (4), followed by the Ravens (5), Broncos (5) and Vikings (5).

10. Did You Know, Part II: The Patriots have selected 24 players from Michigan in the NFL draft, the most of any school in franchise history, including one apiece in each of the past four drafts.

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