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Who’s the FA? UDFA! 2020 Edition 28 Apr 2020 4:24 AM (5 years ago)
Well, here we are, folks, back with our rundown of the Patriots’ post-draft pick-ups. New England will look to continue their annual tradition of keeping at least one undrafted rookie free agent on their roster. Who among the chosen shall succeed? Tough to tell, but with the current roster shake-up happening, it’s more than likely one of the names you read below will don the new Patriots uniform that seems to have evolved from the movie The Replacements.
Many thanks to Pats Pulpit for their comprehensive list of undrafted free agents (UDFAs). And away we go…
Oh, Two One, Three Four – Send It To Zuber! Patriots fans weren’t exactly overjoyed and doing the Bernadette arm thingy after their team passed on every wide receiver in the draft. Enter Isaiah Zuber (5-11, 184) of Mississippi State to try to fill in a potential gap in talent.
Why Undrafted: Not exactly a huge guy, Zuber had one season at Mississippi State after transferring from Kansas State, catching an unremarkable 14 passes for 211 yards and two TDs.
Why Invited: New England has their stable of huge guys at receiver, with N’Keal Harry (6-4, 225) a prime example. Zuber led the Big 12 in punt return average in 2018 with almost 18 yards per return, scoring a touchdown that you can see in his highlight reel. Smooth athlete.
High School Fun Fact: At Stephenson High in Georgia, Zuber totaled 15 career touchdown returns (six punts, nine kicks).
With Iron Will: Oh, another receiver, you say? Auburn’s Will Hastings (5-10, 175) travels to Foxboro to state his case as a new Patriots pass-catcher.
Why Undrafted: At 174 pounds, Hastings might weigh less than our groceries from last week’s run. Totaled just 19 catches for 222 yards and one touchdown last year. Missed 2018 with a knee injury. Limited experience as a returner.
Why Invited: Before said injury, while playing with none other than New England’s own Jarrett Stidham in 2017, Hastings tallied 26 catches for 525 yards (a 20.2 average – yoiks!) and four TDs. Hastings had an early pro day and got to display his quicks, with a solid 4.51-second 40 and an electron-like 6.55-second 3-cone. (For reference, Julian Edelman ran a 6.62.)
High School Fun Fact: Hastings reached MaxPreps All-American status at Pulaski Academy in Arkansas his senior year, racking up 2,040 receiving yards.
J’Mar On It, J’Mar On It: Coach Bill Belichick also forewent (that’s a word: I looked it up) drafting a quarterback in 2020, which makes the signing of Louisiana Tech signal-caller J’Mar Smith (6-0, 228) all the more intriguing.
Why Undrafted: Not a ton of six-foot QBs in the NFL, considering the difficulty of passing over and through 6-foot-5 defensive linemen. Though touted as a running quarterback, Smith only averaged 2.6 yards per rush last season (100 carries for 264 yards).
Why Invited: Since when does New England care about QB rushing stats? Smith completed 64 percent of his passes (236 of 367) for 2,977 yards, 18 TDs, and five interceptions on his way to earning First Team All-Conference USA honors. (Highlights of some downfield darts here.)
High School Fun Fact: While at Meridian High in Mississippi, Smith got drafted by the San Diego Padres as a catcher.
Bonus! College Fun Fact: Smith threw for 300-plus yards 11 times in his career, breaking the previous record of Tech alum Terry Bradshaw (seven).
Berry Interesting: New England added to their rookie tight end pool, taking a flyer on Ohio State tight end Rashod Berry (6-4, 262).
Why Undrafted: In his OSU career, Berry had only 17 catches for 198 yards and four touchdowns. He was initially recruited as a defensive linemen and played there in the beginning as a Buckeye, converting to tight end in his redshirt sophomore season. Of course, the last time Patriots fans watched a tight end play defense, it did not go well. (Avert your eyes!)
Why Invited: Berry’s a solid athlete with versatility. He played both ways in two games his senior year, demonstrating his willingness to help the team. Played in an impressive 50 games over the course of his career.
High School Fun Fact: Entertaining highlight reel of Berry as a Lorain (Ohio) High School hoopster here. More dunks than your local donut shop.
And Myles To Go Before I Sleep: Though New England has a (lovely, dark and) deep defensive backfield, they’ve also had past success with UDFAs in that area (J. C. Jackson, Jonathan Jones, and Malcolm Butler all come to mind). Cornerback Myles Bryant (5-8, 183) of Washington hopes to add to that list.
Why Undrafted: Hey, 5-foot-8 would look great on Tom Cruise, but it doesn’t always look good on an NFL corner. Huskies only went 4-5 in the Pac-12 last season. Tied for second on the team with 68 tackles, which isn’t always what you want in a cover guy.
Why Invited: Also had 4.5 tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, and three interceptions in 2019, starting every game for Washington on his way to making All-Pac-12 Second Team. Capped off his career with an interception vs. Boise State to help win the Las Vegas Bowl. Fun to watch Bryant (number 5) zipping around the field vs. Cal in this video.
High School Fun Fact: Bryant played both corner and receiver his senior year at Loylola High in Pasadena, notching 68 tackles and 28 receptions (406 yards).
So I’ve Got That Going For Me, Which Is Nice: Looking to shore up their defensive line, New England brought in Bill Murray (6-4, 280) of William & Mary. (What’s with the ampersand? Is this a TNT drama? “He’s William. She’s Mary. They’re starting a school in the colonies!”)
Why Undrafted: William & Mary’s not known as an NFL pipeline. Murray’s a ‘tweener size where he may find it a rough go between the tackles yet may lack the slipperiness of a pass rusher. Missed out on showing his stuff at pro day by three days.
Why Invited: At the TEST Football Academy in Martinsville, New Jersey, during an impromptu pro day without scouts present, Murray reportedly had 30 bench presses and a 4.93-second 40-yard dash, both notable marks for D-linemen. A team captain (oh, how Belichick loves those team captains), Murray made All-CAA Second-Team, leading the Griffins with six sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss, and four blocked kicks. He’s also quite the dapper-looking fellow.
High School Fun Fact: Murray lettered in lacrosse at the Delbarton School in New Jersey (Belichick must know this, right?), winning New Jersey’s Tournament of Champions State Championship his junior year.
Bonus! Personal Fun Fact: Murray was an Eagle Scout. (Or still is an Eagle Scout? Does that ever go away?)
Razor Scoota: A few Patriots linebackers went elsewhere this off season, opening up opportunities for rookies to earn roster spots. Arkansas’ De’Jon “Scoota” Harris (6-0, 234) signed up for such an opportunity.
Why Undrafted: Undersized for his role, especially when compared to players New England tends to put at middle linebacker. Not the fleetest of foot (ran a 4.82 40 in high school). The Razorbacks went 2-10 last year, 0-8 vs. the venerable Southeastern Conference.
Why Invited: Comparable in size to former Patriot Elandon Roberts (6-0, 238), a dependable special-teamer and backup. Harris had impressive production for the Razorbacks, making the 2019 All-SEC Second Team after racking up 101 tackles (52 unassisted), his third year in a row surpassing the century mark. Had one sack, 6.5 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles.
High School Fun Fact: At John Ehret High in Louisiana, Harris had 83 tackles, rushed for 1,058 yards, threw for 495 yards, and chipped in on kicking and punting duties, earning Offensive Player of the Year honors on The New Orleans Advocate All-Metro Team.
Dy-no-mite! New England has numbers at running back but looks to bolster one of the most injury-prone positions in football. Arizona’s J. J. Taylor (5-5, 185) got the invite to take some backfield reps.
Why Undrafted: I mean, 5-foot-5? Is he a jockey? Ran a meh 4.61-second 40 at the combine. Also, the Wildcats went 4-8 last year after going 5-7 the year before. Not the best of times in the Copper State.
Why Invited: Height is one thing, but this kid’s built like a shot-put. He measures five inches shorter than receiver Hastings yet weighs 10 pounds more. Put up 19 reps at the combine, Popeye-worthy for running backs, while submitting a decent 7.0-second 3-cone and 4.15-second 20-yard shuttle (Shane Vereen had 6.95 and 4.28, respectively). Taylor made All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention in 2019 after rushing 148 times for 720 yards (4.9 avg) and catching 32 passes. Some nice elusiveness in this highlight reel.
High School Fun Fact: California’s Mr. Football at Centennial High, Taylor rushed for 2,290 yards and 44 touchdowns as a senior.
Casting A Coe Star? A versatile defensive end/linebacker from a highly-touted program, Nick Coe (6-5, 280) of Auburn plans to show Belichick and Co. what he can do.
Why Undrafted: Came out early after totaling just 15 tackles last season as a junior. Another so-called ‘tweener who seems too big for linebacker, but too small for defensive line. Coaches sat him against Arkansas due to a disciplinary issue.
Why Invited: Playing time decreased due to an influx of major talent at Auburn. As a sophomore in 2018, Coe had 13.5 tackles for loss, including seven sacks. Was named to the SEC All-freshman team as a defensive lineman. More potential than the bright-eyed ingenue in a musical walking into her first audition.
High School Fun Fact: Along with playing defensive end at Asheboro (NC) High (go Blue Comets!), Coe won three National High School Coaches Association titles as a wrestler.
You Better Watch Your Aztec: Much like Da’Jon Harris, San Diego State’s Kayla Tezino (6-0, 235) looks to make an impression as an undersized linebacker in Foxboro.
Why Undrafted: The whole undersized thing. Like many UDFAs, got snubbed by the combine. The Mountain West Conference gets about as much attention and care as a dog’s breakfast.
Why Invited: Tezino garnered All-American, First-Team All-Mountain West, and team MVP honors (the second year in a row as Aztec MVP). Totaled 99 tackles (10.5 for loss), 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions. He also pressured the QB more than James Van Der Beek’s dad in Varsity Blues with 21 hits on the year.
High School Fun Fact: Averaged 9.6 yards per rush at Salesian High in Los Angeles while also leading the team in tackles for three straight years.
Order In The Courtney: I mean, ordering in is a thing these days, so the Patriots got themselves one of the bigger D-lineman of their rookie class in Courtney Wallace Jr. (6-2, 305) from Louisiana Tech.
Why Undrafted: Not a huge run-stopper body type, though that seemed to be his role in college. Had only 41 tackles and two sacks last year.
Why Invited: Made Conference USA’s Second Team as a nose tackle, a position where stops matter about as much as they do in a TV car chase. Totaled 8.5 tackles for loss. You can watch highlights of his strong performance against Southern Miss here.
High School Fun Fact: At Neville High in Louisiana, Wallace lettered in football, basketball, and track and field.
Quarterback A-Hoyer! Not bad, not bad. But…
Life Of Brians: There we go. In 2009, New England signed undrafted rookie quarterback and current Patriot Brian Hoyer out of Michigan State. The Patriots turn to the Spartans again this year with the signing of Brian Lewerke (6-2, 213).
Why Undrafted: Not your prototypical stature for a pro quarterback. A 17-to-13 TD-to-INT ratio won’t exactly open the gates to NFL Valhalla.
Why Invited: Completed a respectable 60 percent of his passes (260 of 436), with a 70 percent or better average in his final three games vs. Rutgers, Maryland, and Wake Forest. Passed for 3,079 yards last season and 8,293 in his career. Tops in MSU school history with 9,548 total yards of offense. Lewerke shows a fine touch on the ball and a firm grasp of the Spartans offense in this definitive 15-minute highlight package from the Big Ten Network.
High School Fun Fact: Lewerke passed for 5,523 yards, 71 TDs, and 17 INTs in his career at Pinnacle High in Phoenix, adding 1,567 yards rushing (6.9 avg).
The Life Of Riley: Wait, that’s too easy. Hold on…
A Catcher In The Riley: Better. At least that’s what the Patriots hoped they’d find when they called receiver Sean Riley (5-8, 178) of Syracuse.
Why Undrafted: I feel like Belichick must’ve watched a slew of the Hobbit movies and thought, you know what, those little dudes get stuff done. (Note: this did not happen.) Caught an unremarkable 36 passes for an un-noteworthy 275 yards and a let’s-call-it-beige 7.6-yard average.
Why Invited: Had a much more noticeable junior season, when he led the team with 64 catches for 756 yards (11.8 avg) and three touchdowns. For his career, he set the Orangemen record for most kickoff returns with 115, edging out Qadry Ismail’s record of 105. Returned punts at 9.3 yards per clip. Played in all 49 games from 2016 to 2019.
High School Fun Fact: As a senior at Narbonne High in California, Riley rushed for 1,518 yards on 164 carries, a 9.3-yard average.
Here I Am: Miami Hurricane Jeff Thomas (5-9, 170) became yet another smallish receiver making the trek to Gillette in a bid to get on the Patriots roster.
Why Undrafted: Again with the diminutiveness. I mean, it’s like Belichick shipwrecked on Lillilput. Thomas had only 31 receptions for 379 yards and three touchdowns in 2019. Got suspended last year under a new coaching staff. Left after his junior year.
Why Invited: Ran a swift 4.45 40 at the combine. Did some positive things in 2018 as a sophomore (35 catches, 563 yards, three TDs), including a 26-yard kick return average (10 for 260) and a 24.6 punt return average (nine for 221, one TD). An exciting highlight reel, including a one-handed snag at about the one-minute mark, can be seen here.
High School Fun Fact: Rated as the number one player in Illinois as a senior at East St. Louis High, Thomas hauled in 50 passes for 1,101 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Running Up That Hill: The more the Patriots can pressure the passer, the better, which is why defensive lineman Trevon Hill (6-3, 240) of Miami got the call.
Why Undrafted: Not a ton of 240-pound defensive linemen at this level. Had only 27 tackles last season. Only one year in the program, as he transferred from Virginia Tech after four years there.
Why Invited: Hill had 9.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks for the Hurricanes in 2019. Belichick seems to like those Diamond City dwellers, as former Miami pass-rusher Trent Harris was signed by the Patriots as a UDFA in 2018 and was kept on the practice squad for the year. In his highlights, Hill shows more explosiveness than Mr. Creosote.
High School Fun Fact: ESPN ranked Hill the number 30 defensive end in the country his senior year at Salem High in Virginia.
Burt and Earnest: Boston College tight end Jake Burt (6-3, 260) gets into the tight end rookie mix at Gillette.
Why Undrafted: Totaled 15 catches for 212 yards and one touchdown last year after notching six receptions for 83 yards and one TD in 2018. Just a tad more production in the past four years than Cannon Films. Not the fleetest of foot.
Why Invited: A big, willing blocker and solid receiver when called upon, Burt could eke out a role as an H-back at the NFL level. A bit of a smartypants, as he played his redshirt senior season while enrolled as a graduate student at the Carroll School of Management.
High School Fun Fact: As a senior at St. John’s Prep in Danvers, Mass. (where my friend Eric went, so this is kind of going full circle for me), Burt made the Boston Herald’s “Dandy Dozen” after catching 28 passes for 255 yards and seven touchdowns.
And with that, I bit you a safe and healthy spring. Let’s all throw our expectations out with our spring social schedules and take whatever we can get this year. Thanks for reading.
Chris Warner always considered the idea that Tom Brady would play elsewhere but, I mean, damnit. You can try to distract him on Twitter at @cwarn89.
Patriots “Who’s The FA? UDFA!” (2019 Edition) 2 May 2019 4:45 AM (6 years ago)
Last weekend, 32 NFL teams drafted 254 players over the course of seven rounds. When those rounds ended, each team sought to fill their 90-man rosters with undrafted free agents (UDFAs), providing hundreds of underdogs with the opportunity to fight for a roster spot.
Just about every year during Coach Bill Belichick’s tenure, a UDFA has made the regular roster. In 2018, New England called on defensive back J. C. Jackson out of Maryland, who ended up playing in 13 games, starting five. From center David Andrews (2015) to cornerback Malcolm Butler (2014), you can always look for potential contributions from these rookies.
For a quick draft refresher, please see our Patriots “That Guy” Draft Review of their 2018 selections, and our New England-based Round-By-Round Review, a history of draft selections under Belichick.
As of this writing, we have 11 UDFAs listed. (Kudos to both patriotswire.com and patspulpit.com for the lists.) Here’s a breakdown of each. Plus: High School Fun Facts!
Jakobi & Meyers Working For You: Does everyone get this? Might be a local thing. Anyway, New England takes a look at receiver Jakobi Meyers (6-2, 203) of NC State to bolster a position that seems in flux in Foxboro.
Why Undrafted: Not the fastest (4.63-second 40-yard dash), nor the strongest (13 bench reps), nor the quickest (4.23-second 20-yard shuttle), Meyers often relied on guile to get open. Unfortunately for him, guile doesn’t show up at a combine workout. Served mostly as a possession-type receiver, as he averaged only 11.4 yards per catch.
Why Invited: My predictive pick for New England’s Take-A-Chance-On-This-Receiver Guy, Meyers racked up the stats, hauling in 92 passes for 1,047 yards and four touchdowns. And, really, what better place to bring a possession pass-catcher than New England, where Julian Edelman has averaged 10.8 yards per reception in his career? Meyers also ran a 7.07 3-cone drill, decent for a bigger receiver.
High School Fun Fact: Meyers played quarterback at Arabia Mountain High in Georgia, where he passed for 1,834 yards and 23 touchdowns and ran for 534 yards and eight TDs. For the Wolfpack, he moved to wide receiver his second year after redshirting as a freshman.
The X-Man Cometh: Hmm. Xavier Ubosi (6-3, 215) of Alabama-Birmingham makes yet another big receiver added to the stable. I feel like the Patriots are up to something. Jump ball offense, everybody!
Why Undrafted: Ubosi didn’t exactly give UAB statisticians carpal tunnel syndrome in 2018, as he caught a meager 35 passes for 837 yards and eight touchdowns. His 33.5-inch vertical at his pro day also falls short of notable for a receiver. Fascinating highlight reel for Ubosi where he seems to run a fly pattern along the sideline on every play. Seriously, the man’s route tree is a telephone pole.
Why Invited: Those meager stats added up (or divided, I guess?) to a jaw-plunking-the-table 23.9 yards-per-catch average. Ubosi ran a respectable 4.50-second 40 and executed a 10-foot-5 broad jump at his pro day. We’ll see what he can do this summer.
High School Fun Fact: At Reseda High in California, Ubosi lettered in football, basketball, and track.
Nothing Comes Between Me And My Calvin: Boy, the ’80s were a heady time. We mentioned Texas offensive tackle Calvin Anderson (6-4, 292) in our Combine Snubs Who Showed ‘Em column as a potential add to New England’s OL group.
Why Undrafted: A bit undersized for an NFL tackle at under 300 pounds (which sounds odd, but such is the life of an NFL tackle). Anderson only played one year at Texas after transferring from Rice, so his sample size of playing at that level remained small.
Why Invited: No matter the size, it proved a strong sample, as Anderson made All-Big-12 Honorable Mention, starting all 14 games. At Rice, he earned two All-Conference USA honors. As noted in our snubs piece, he had a great pro day, with what would have been a combine-OL-best 7.20-second 3-cone, a hypothetical second-place 4.45-second 20-yard shuttle, plus a sixth-best 30 bench presses.
High School Fun Fact: At Westlake High in Austin, Anderson was named to the All-Central Texas Team as a defensive end his senior year.
Hall In The Family: Linebacker Terez Hall (6-1, 228) out of Missouri makes our UDFA list as a potential special teams player and part-time linebacker. He was invited to the combine but could not participate due to suffering a pectoral strain during the bench press.
Why Undrafted: Not working out at the combine may have put scouts off a bit, and his pro day didn’t help much. Though we’d hope for a bit more speed from an undersized linebacker, Hall ran a 4.90 40, which is only slightly faster than an incoming tide. His 4.38 20-yard shuttle also failed to impress.
Why Invited: In terms of workouts, Hall’s 39.5-inch pro-day vertical would have tied for fourth-best combine linebacker. For what it’s worth, he also has massive, 10.38-inch hands, his palm fronds even bigger than 6-foot-5 Patriots rookie tackle Yody Cajuste’s 10-inchers. Hall also served as team captain as a senior. This mishmash of leadership and physicality helped Hall notch 75 tackles (nine for loss) and lead the team with five sacks and seven hurries. He also picked off a pass.
College Fun Fact: Hall tallied seven tackles as a true freshman, mostly as a special-teamer.
The Sitting Of St. Louis: Miami offensive tackle Tyree St. Louis (6-5, 314) waited patiently by the phone and eventually got the call, as the hefty Hurricane moves up the coast to Foxboro for the spring.
Why Undrafted: St. Louis ran a 5.42-second 40, a 4.78 20-yard shuttle, and an 8.12 3-cone, showing the agility of a clawfoot tub.
Why Invited: The man has notable size, plus an 85-inch wingspan that would make a condor self-conscious. He made All-ACC Honorable Mention as a left tackle, starting all 13 games of 2019, continuing an eventual streak of 34 starts in a row. Demonstrated versatility by starting at right tackle his junior year. Lots of tape on this guy, so we have to assume the Patriots liked what they saw.
High School Fun Fact: While a senior at IMG Academy in Florida, ESPN.com ranked St. Louis top nine for offensive linemen in the state.
OK Gauthier: Belichick a) seems to have had a good time in Miami, and b) does not seem satisfied with New England’s O-line depth. Waiting for teams to call must have turned Miami’s Tyler Gauthier (6-5, 300) upside-down and inside-out, but the interior lineman could add another body to the interior offensive line, an area that could see some changes once contracts start wrapping up next year.
Why Undrafted: Gauthier failed to run at his pro day – or rather, failed to complete his running drills because he pulled a hamstring on his 40. Also, Miami’s offense averaged only 167 yards passing per game.
Why Invited: Started at center for the last 25 games for the Hurricanes, earning All-ACC Honorable Mention in 2017. The Hurricanes rushed for 192 yards per contest, with their top two ball carriers combining for a 7.3-yard average. Gauthier has good size to play anywhere on the line, and has experience at guard (as a sophomore). Miami got beaten by LSU last season, but if you watch the game tape, you’ll see a center who consistently holds up in many different situations.
High School Fun Fact: Throughout his career at Venice High in Florida, Gauthier played every position on the offensive line.
Personal Fun Fact: My father lived in Venice, Florida, for years. Nice spot – and great school sports.
Catcher In The Ryan: New England skipped over slot receivers during the draft, so they look to Auburn’s Ryan Davis (5-10, 189) to take up some of the slack this summer. (Or is that “take up some of the slot?” Huh? Eh? Anyone?) Anyway, prepare for a strong statistical preseason from Davis, followed by an off-and-on tenure on the practice squad. (But again: who knows?)
Why Undrafted: A smaller pass-catcher like Davis needs speed and quickness to stick out, yet he showed little of either, running a so-so 7.09 3-cone and 4.23 20-yard shuttle at the combine, followed by a 4.63 40 at his pro day that could possibly outpace most beached jellyfish. He maintained a mediocre 8.7-yards-per-catch average at Auburn. Only scored one touchdown last season.
Why Invited: Davis reeled off more production than a South Asian film company, ending his career with a school-record 178 catches. Last season, he received an invite from the East-West Shrine Game after catching 69 passes (nice) for 546 yards and one TD. Davis also ran the ball three times last year for 12 yards, and he went two-for-two passing, scoring touchdowns both times. He averaged 9.9 yards per punt return (22 for 217). Fun highlight reel of Davis here, with the bonus of watching rookie Patriot Jarrett Stidham throwing to him.
High School Fun Fact: As a senior quarterback at Lakewood High in St. Petersburg, Florida, Davis passed for 2,140 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for 1,233 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Gant Get No Satisfaction: Even though safety Malik Gant (6-0, 209) had to wait around until after the draft to find out where his football career might take him, the Marshall product has a chance to stick around as a backup defensive back and special teams player.
Why Undrafted: Gant’s combine performance came off like beige wallpaper, as he didn’t tend to stand out. A 4.63-second 40, 34.5-inch vertical jump, and 9-foot-6 broad jump seem plain enough, but his 7.45-second 3-cone and 4.3 20-yard shuttle times took his draft stock down like Frazier.
Why Invited: Not a small guy, Gant had 17 reps on the bench press for a nice size/strength combo. The safety ranked second on the team in tackles with 89 total (nine for loss), with one sack, two interceptions, eight pass break-ups, and three QB hits, showing the stats of a player who covers almost as much field as the marching band. Also have to like the fact that Gant walked on to the team at Marshall and earned a scholarship before his redshirt sophomore season.
High School Fun Fact: The Woodson High (Wash., D. C.) product played both safety and corner and also participated in track and field.
College Fun Fact: Gant’s player page lists him at 6-foot-2. Love when that happens: Good God, he shrank!
You Set, Bro? Brosette?With running backs Sony Michel and Rex Burkhead both missing time last year due to injury, time to bring in another ball carrier to bolster the position. In this case, LSU’s Nick Brosette (5-11, 209) got the call and hopes to bring his SEC prowess to an even bigger stage.
Why Undrafted: As is the case with many UDFAs, Brosette’s combine numbers left more to be desired than the finale of “Lost,” summarized in one time – a 4.72-second 40 – that might fail to outrun certain species of kudzu.
Why Invited: We’ll give you three letters, starting with an “S,” ending with a “C,” and having an “E” in the middle. The LSU captain and East-West Shrine Game honoree ran for over 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2018, averaging 4.3 yards per carry this season and 4.7 in his career. He caught 14 passes for 78 yards (5.6 avg.). He has also shown strength off the field, overcoming hardships such as the sudden death of his older brother during Brosette’s freshman year at LSU.
High School Fun Fact: Named the Most Outstanding Player of University High’s Louisiana state championship game his senior year (37 rushes for 272 yards and three TDs), Brosette holds the state record for most rushing touchdowns over four years (141).
Ross Well, New Mexico: Things are looking pretty good for cornerback D’Angelo Ross (5-8, 185) of – you guessed it – New Mexico, who will probably take a fully identified flying object to Foxboro to show he can stick. A bit of a Keion Crossen vibe from him, as you’ll see below.
Why Undrafted: In short (ha!), while 5-foot-8 on a running back seems spunky and adorable, 5-foot-8 on a defensive back just seems inadequate. Also, New Mexico does not play in a football hotbed (all due respect, Mountain West Conference), and they went 3-9 last season.
Why Invited: Much like Crossen did in 2018, Ross had an eye-popping workout this spring, running a 4.32-second 40 at his pro day and jumping a notable 39-inch vertical. That 40 would have made him the second-fastest cornerback at the combine; the vertical would have tied for 10th. Ross ranked third in tackles for the Lobos with 57 (two for loss), with one interception, six pass break-ups, and one forced fumble.
High School Fun Fact: As a senior at South Hills High in West Covina, California, Ross played both defense (three interceptions), and offense (six TDs: four receiving, two rushing).
I’m A Loser, Baby, So Why Don’t You Kill Me? A player who goes undrafted might feel like a loser, but considering the “things-are-gonna-change-I-can-feel-it” level of turnover in Patriots tight end personnel this off-season, Texas’ Andrew Beck (6-3, 252) has a shot to contribute.
Why Undrafted: Beck has size but nothing remarkable for the NFL level. Came to Texas as a linebacker but converted before his freshman season began. His senior year stats (28 catches, 281 yards, two touchdowns) didn’t exactly send teams sprinting toward their draft boards. He missed all of last season due to a foot injury.
Why Invited: The First Team All-Big-12 pass-catcher and blocker had an amazing pro day with scores that would have come in top 10 for combine tight ends. His 24 bench reps would have tied for the most; his 4.55-second 40 would have come in second, his 4.19 20-yard shuttle third, 7.11 3-cone fourth, 9-foot-11 broad jump sixth, and 34-inch vertical tied for seventh. In this reel vs. USC, Beck lines up in the backfield, tight on the line, and spread out. Versatile guy.
High School Fun Fact: As a senior linebacker at Plant High in Tampa, Beck notched 110 tackles, seven sacks, and three fumble recoveries, helping the Panthers to an 11-2 record.
So, who makes the 53-man roster in September? Who sticks around Foxboro on the practice squad? Hard to say, but right now I’ll go with the guy whom I chose the Pats to pick during the draft, N. C. State’s Meyers. Should be good for a few catches in August, at least.
Readers, thank you so much for loaning my columns your eyeballs, not just this post-season, but for the past 10 years on BSMW and Patriots Daily. It’s been a great trip that has given me the pleasure of hanging on as a passenger. Hope to see you in Foxboro this summer.
Chris Warner wrote a column about Patriots camp in 2008. I say it still holds up. You can tell him your thoughts at chris.warner@patriotsdaily.com or on Twitter @cwarn89. Yeah, baby!
Patriots 2019 NFL Draft “That Guy” Review 30 Apr 2019 4:45 AM (6 years ago)
In terms of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Patriots broke one old pattern but revamped some others. Sure, last week’s “That Guy” draft preview broke down the types of players Coach Bill Belichick tends to select (you can see all past Patriots drafts summarized in our annual Round-By-Round Review). But every year, the old coach seems to do something he hasn’t before, like taking a wide receiver in the first round.
Some of the other tendencies, like taking an Alabama player, or a pouncing on a fifth-round special teamer? We’ve seen those before. For this wrap-up, I’ve stuck with the “That Guy” format and have included the names of players from previous columns I predicted would fit those categories. (Spoiler: in terms of predictions, Miss Cleo I ain’t.)
Three quick surprises regarding these selections: One, no tight end. Maybe the Patriots staff feels they can cobble together a scrappy band of TEs to replace Rob Gronkowski. (I think something notable happens in this spot during the summer, as I’m not depending on 6-5, 285-pound überfullback Jakob Johnson to bring der Donner.) Two, no slot receiver, per se, though said first-rounder showed some solid versatility at N. C. State. And three, they used 10 picks, which added up to way more than I figured considering most of their 2018 draft haul will come off of last year’s injury list.
This has shaped up as a fascinating year for New England’s roster. So many newbies. Guess Belichick might be looking toward the future more than some thought. My favorite quote from last year’s draft review column, re: talk of the coach retiring:
Yes, we all know BB enjoys fishing off of Great Point in a boat called VII Rings. But you know what he’d like even more? Fishing off Great Point in a boat called VIII Rings. So maybe let’s table the retirement talk for now.
Hmm. Maybe I can predict the future?
On to the draft!
THE TRADES: Did I do these right? I’ve gone over it a ton and I’m not even sure. Anyway…
Moves UP: New England moved up in the second round, trading their second (56) and third (101) for Los Angeles’ second (45). They also moved up in the fifth, trading 167 and a seventh (246) for Philadelphia’s fifth (163). The Patriots traded a fifth (162) and seventh (259) for Minnesota’s fifth (159).
Moves DOWN: The Patriots swapped their second (64) for Seattle’s third (77) and fourth (118). They also gave Chicago their third (73) and sixth (205) in exchange for the Bears’ fifth (162) and 2020 fourth. New England traded a third (97) and fifth (162) for Carolina’s third (101) and fourth (133). Lastly, the Patriots handed over a fourth (134) and seventh (243) for two Rams’ fifths (162 and 167).
Here’s the point where people joke around and say, “There will be a test.” Well, no. There will be no test. New England moved around, per usual. We need never speak the details again.
On to the picks!
THE PICKS: New England’s 2019 selections listed by round (and overall number):
Round One (32): N’Keal Harry (6-2, 228), Arizona State WR
Round Two (45): Joejuan Williams (6-4, 211), Vanderbilt CB
Round Three (77): Chase Winovich (6-3, 256), Michigan DE
Round Three (87): Damien Harris (5-10, 216), Alabama RB
Round Three (101): Yodny Cajuste (6-5, 312), West Virginia OL
Round Four (118): Hjalte Froholdt (6-5, 306), Arkansas OL
Round Four (133): Jarrett Stidham (6-2, 218), Auburn QB
Round Five (159): Byron Cowart (6-3, 298), Maryland DL
Round Five (163): Jake Bailey (6-1, 200), Stanford P
Round Seven (252): Ken Webster (5-11, 203), Mississippi CB
And now, some particulars about the picks, sans grades, because really, people: who knows?
The Solid First-Round Guy (Maybe?): Oh, we have reached uncharted territory, dear readers. For the first time since Belichick grabbed control of the Patriots’ draft pick pen in 2000, he wrote down a receiver’s name in the first round. N’Keal Harry has size, quickness (6.92-second 3-cone), and strength (27 bench reps, tied for top combine receiver), making a high-potential addition to the pass-catching crew.
Historically, New England has done a great job selecting 300-plus pounders in this round. I had them going in that direction and away from receivers after considering some of the difficulties they’ve had drafting rookies who can adapt to their system. On the plus side, Harry has shown the ability to run routes from different spots on the line, as well as a knack for plucking the football away from defenders’ reach. Last season he had 73 receptions for 1,088 yards (14.9 avg.) and nine touchdowns while also running the ball seven times, once for a TD.
A first-round receiver in Foxboro. Now I guess we have seen it all.
Fun Fact: This is not the first time the Patriots have drafted an ASU pass-catcher, as in 2016 they took Devin Lucien in the seventh, along with Lucien’s teammate D. J. Foster as an undrafted free agent.
My Pick Prediction: Dexter Lawrence, Clemson DL, who got drafted by the Giants 17th overall.
The Second-Round Defensive Back Guy: Figured out a new category for this column, though not a new move for New England, who have selected defensive backs here on a regular basis (last year’s Duke Dawson and 2016’s Cyrus Jones the most recent examples). Joejuan Williams brings his redwood height to the secondary, drawing comparisons to former Patriots corner Brandon Browner (only on the field, though, because off the field? Yikes). Williams made All-SEC Second Team for 2018 after coming up with 61 tackles and four interceptions. He also broke up more passes than a nun at a school dance, as his 14 swat-aways led the conference. Belichick appreciates players who excel in the bigger conferences like the SEC (which went into selecting a certain running back below).
Fun Fact: It appears that Lindy’s Sports Pro Football Draft magazine projected Williams as a fourth-round pick; however, they also listed him as 6-foot-2, so I’m not sure what to believe.
Not-So-Fun Fact: Williams had a difficult upbringing, documented in this video. You’ve got to root for the guy.
My Pick Prediction: It was more of a “Who’s That Guy?” Guy pick, but I liked the look of combine snub Chris Johnson, North Alabama safety. As of this writing, Johnson got signed by the Texans as an undrafted free agent (UDFA).
The Long-Limbed Defensive End Guy: A slight adjustment to this category, as the length of Chase Winovich’s 32.75-inch arms don’t quite reach (ha!) those of past Pats picks Trey Flowers (34.25 inches) and Deatrich Wise (35.63). Though less of an octopus and more of a bobtail squid, Winovich (who, by the way, has the perfect pass-rusher’s first name) has the size and speed of a versatile athlete who can play at different spots. His 4.11-second 20-yard shuttle beat all other edge defenders at the combine, while his 4.59-second 40-yard dash came in third and his 6.94-second 3-cone came in fourth. That horror-movie suddenness helped him turnstile numerous Big-Ten offensive linemen, to the tune of 69 tackles (nice: 17 for loss) with five sacks. Winovich played on the line for the Wolverines but has the agility to roam as a linebacker, much like former Patriots Rob Ninkovich.
Plus: amazing hair. Gorgeous.
Fun Fact: the suffix “-ovich” is Russian for “son of.”
My Pick Prediction: Renell Wren, Arizona State DL, who got drafted by the Bengals in the fourth round.
The Alabama Guy: At last, a category that needs no finessing, as Belichick’s longtime relationship with Alabama coach Nick Saban has given him the tendency to pluck players from this particular SEC team. Damien Harris seemed like too valuable a pick to pass up here. Though few would call him huge at 216 pounds, Harris runs with power and could help current Pats back Sony Michel avoid kicking the insides of the van too early. (Oh, dear Boxer.) In his talent-stacked conference, Harris managed 6.4 yards per carry for his career, a Crimson Tide record. In 2018, he compiled 876 yards on 150 totes (5.8 avg.) and scored nine TDs. He also caught 22 passes for 204 yards.
No, New England didn’t need a running back, but Harris has the potential to help.
My Pick Prediction: Christian Miller, OLB, who got drafted by the Panthers in the fourth.
The Offensive Line Double-Dip Guys: Not only did the Patriots regain their draft form of the previous few years (save 2018) by taking two offensive lineman, they did so back-to-back. This year, tackle Yodny Cajuste and interior lineman Hjalte Froholdt got the call. Cajuste played left tackle for West Virginia, earning a Big-13 Offensive Lineman of the Year Award and Second Team All-American Honors as a senior. He helped his Mountaineer offense rank eighth nationally in yards per game. He also had 32 reps on the bench at the combine, notable especially for a man in possession of 34-inch shoulder vines.
Froholdt hails from Denmark, land of strong men, and he lived up to that rep with 31 bench presses at the combine. He made Second Team All-SEC in 2018, allowing zero sacks for the second year in a row. Especially impressive considering that this past season he flipped from center to left guard and back again due to team injuries. Froholdt began his Razorback career as a defensive lineman, notching three tackles as a freshman. Crazy potential with this guy.
Fun Fact: Just like these two were selected back-to-back by New England, they ended up in the same positions for their bench press performances at the combine, coming in fourth and fifth for offensive linemen.
My Pick Predictions: Max Scharping of Northern Illinois and Trey Pipkins of Sioux Falls. Scharping went to the Texans in the second, one round before Pipkins went to the Chargers.
The Backup QB Guy: A quick reminder that Tom Brady will turn 42 on August 3. For perspective, Mike Brady was 37 when he realized he and Carol should somehow form a family (here’s the story). It makes sense to bring in a young quarterback for a possible apprenticeship. Jarrett Stidham has had a more up-and-down couple of years than a North Sea buoy. As a junior, he completed 66 percent of his passes for 3,158 yards. Playing in one fewer game as a senior, both of those numbers went down to 61 and 2,794, respectively. Stidham did manage to go out on the highest of notes at the Music City Bowl, composing a sweet symphony that had scouts swaying (okay, we get it) by completing 15 of 21 passes for 373 yards and five TDs to lead the Tigers over Purdue and win MVP. Another nice stat for Stidham: he owns the school record for consecutive pass attempts without an interception at 162.
There might be something Brady-ish about the guy’s tenacity in regards to his desire to play. Started at Baylor as a true freshman, transferred out of that flaming dog-pile of a program to McLennan Community College for a year, then on to Auburn to seek out a starting role. Doing whatever he could to get on the field.
Fun Fact, Maybe: According to his Auburn stats page, in 2018 Stidham rushed 72 times for one yard. Just to put that in perspective, that beats my rushing total from 2018 by one yard.
My Pick Prediction: Ryan Finley of N. C. State, who got scooped up by the Bengals in the fourth.
The Long-Limbed Defensive End Guy: Now, that’s better. New England picked up Byron Cowart to deepen their defensive line corps, bringing in yet another versatile defender with the physical ability to play at different positions along the line. Cowart ran a 5.16-second 40 and leapt a 30-inch vertical at the combine, both solid numbers for his position. He also put up a respectable 26 bench reps. At Maryland, Cowart earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention with 38 tackles (five for loss) three sacks, a forced fumble, and two interceptions. He played for two years at Auburn before transferring his junior year to Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida to be closer to his mother, who had taken ill. He became a bit of a redemption project for the Terps. It will prove interesting to watch where Cowart ends up on the line, either as an interior pass-rushing specialist or a flexible, every-down guy.
Fun Fact: Cowart was the nation’s top football recruit coming out of Armwood High in Tampa.
The Special Teams Guy: This category has become as much of a sure thing as any other in this area of the draft. New England picked up kicker Stephen Gostkowski (2006) in the fourth round, with punter Zoltan Mesko (2010), long snapper Joe Cardona (2015), and career special-teamer Matthew Slater (2008) all going in the fifth. Add another to their mid-round specialist haul, as Jake Bailey got the phone call. Bailey has a leg like a 2-wood. He made the All-Pac-12 Team three times, finishing with a 43.8-yard career average, Stanford’s all-time leader. He also kicked off, racking up 173 touchbacks in his career.
Kind of weird the Patriots would look to replace Ryan Allen after his all-star Super Bowl performance (five punts for 215 yards, 43.0 avg.). On the other hand…
Fun Fact: Bailey once punted the ball 84 yards. It’s true. He punted it so far that the ball rolled into the end zone for a touchback and still netted 64 yards. Yeesh.
My Pick Prediction: Dre Greenlaw, Arkansas OLB, whom the Niners picked … in the fifth round(!!).
The Freakishly Athletic Guy: The Jamie Collins Award for most notable NFL Combine performance goes to Ken Webster, as the Mississippi defensive back leapt a 43-inch vertical that bested all combine corners. Webster achieved top 10 scores in every event, completing a 4.43 40 (sixth corner), 18 bench reps (tied, second corner), an 11-foot-1 broad jump (third), a 6.85 3-cone (eighth), and a 4.14 20-yard shuttle (ninth). At Ole Miss, Webster totaled 33 tackles (one for loss), with two interceptions and eight passes defensed. With his athletic talent and experience in the (checks notes) SEC, Webster could work his way into a contributing role as a special-teamer/part-time defender.
Fun Fact: Webster’s career high in tackles came against rival Mississippi State as a junior, when he recorded eight stops.
Fun Addendum: The annual Mississippi vs. Mississippi State game is called the Egg Bowl, based on the football-shaped trophy given to the winner. Interesting history to that part of the rivalry.
My Pick Prediction: Miles Boykin, Notre Dame WR, taken by the Ravens in the third.
So, what to make of all this? My wrap-up note for this year’s selection process should ring eternal: draft grades are dumb. After past selections, very few people saw the potential of players like Trey Flowers, Julian Edelman, or a certain quarterback picked 199th in 2000. All had uninspiring first years in the league. Some players take time.
Draft coverage gets wrapped up on Thursday with a comprehensive look at New England undrafted rookie signees. See you then.
Chris Warner kind of misses reading up on potential draft picks. Crazy, he knows. Share his lament or mock him at Chris.warner.patriotsdaily.com or on Twitter @cwarn89.
Patriots “That Guy” Draft Preview Review 23 Apr 2019 4:45 AM (6 years ago)
It has been almost three months since the New England Patriots celebrated their sixth Super Bowl win. (I got six.) If you’ve had trouble keeping track of draft prospects, Coach Bill Belichick feels your pain, as he has lamented the difficulty of catching up on scouting when going late into the post-season. Ah, the troubles of the successful.
Since February, we’ve tried to preview potential New England draft selections by checking out a couple of college all-star games, reviewing past tendencies, and monitoring NFL combine (and non-combine) performances. Links to each of those columns below.
Patriots drafts tend to feel disappointing, and they usually work out for the best. For example, not many pundits seemed thrilled with the 2001 selection of Georgia defensive lineman Richard Seymour, but he became a potential Hall-of-Fame player. On the other hand (and speaking for myself), the 2006 trade up in the second round for Florida wide receiver Chad Jackson generated lots of excitement, but he washed out of the league after only a few years.
A bit of an unusual draft in Foxboro this year, in part because so many of last year’s injured rookies now hope to make the team after a kinda-sorta redshirt season. (Nice rundown of the potential return of the 2018 class in this 247sports piece.)
The three-day NFL Draft begins with the first round on Thursday night, April 25, moves on to the second and third rounds Friday evening, and wraps up with Rounds Four through Seven on Saturday afternoon. As of this writing, New England has 12 picks, with their only first-rounder scheduled for the end of Thursday night, number 32 overall. With all the returning redshirts, plus some specific needs in play, might prove a solid time to move up in the draft. But maybe Belichick will stay consistent, trade down and around, and go to another boring Super Bowl. We shall see.
The Links
Our first “That Guy” draft preview came after the Senior Bowl and the East-West Shrine Game. A few names popped up that have been bandied about as possible Patriots picks, including defensive lineman Anthony Nelson out of Iowa.
For an overall review of New England draft selections since 2000, please see our critically acclaimed (maybe) annual Round-By-Round Review. (Spoiler: It’s possible that, despite some mistakes here and there, Belichick tends to know what he’s doing come draft day.)
Our next “That Guy” column arose after the NFL Combine, allowing us to use some performance numbers with our projections. Here’s our first look at Clemson defensive lineman/boulder-from-Raiders-of-the-Lost-Ark Dexter Lawrence, plus Northern Illinois offensive lineman Max Scharping.
For every athlete chosen to participate in the NFL Combine, several more get overlooked. Our rundown of notable pro-day performances came in our annual “Combine Snubs Who Showed ‘Em” review. (Note: Nicholls receiver Damion Jeanpiere would have topped all speedsters at the combine, running a 4.25 40-yard dash and 6.41-second 3-cone drill.)
Finally, we put together our ultimate pre-draft “That Guy” column, throwing in Combine Snubs at certain positions.
We took another look at college linebackers who can contribute on special teams right away, sticking with Alabama’s Christian Miller and Arkansas’ Dre Greenlaw, for reasons listed in the column.
Here comes NFL Draft weekend. I can recommend the most fun way to follow it: check out our column after the weekend is over. See you then.
Chris Warner thought the Patriots would draft Greg Jennings but was thrilled they traded up for Jackson because he looked soo athletic. You can make fun of Chris via email at chris.warner.patriotsdaily.com or Twitter @cwarn89.
Patriots “That Guy” Final Draft Preview 17 Apr 2019 4:40 AM (6 years ago)
The NFL Draft begins on Thursday night, April 25 (for some of us, it’s about time). Over the past few months, we’ve tried to match up incoming NFL hopefuls with the types of players Coach Bill Belichick tends to draft. Our most recent “That Guy” column used NFL Combine numbers to help judge players’ athleticism and ability to fit in at Foxboro. After that, we sought out the best results from nationwide pro day testing and compiled them in our “Combine Snubs” piece.
This brings us to our penultimate “That Guy” column, using any free agent signings, pro day performances, and other updates to hone in on potential Pats selections for 2019. We’ve added a few noteworthy combine snubs while also keeping track of players named in previous columns.
Here, then, comes our last full pre-draft write-up. Let’s see how we do…
The Solid First-Round Guy: The Patriots have tended to do well picking first-rounders, especially those weighing over 300 pounds (Richard Seymour in 2001 and Vince Wilfork in 2004 serve as prime examples). With a number of defensive lineman ranked in the top 32, New England has a shot at continuing that success this year. If Clemson defensive tackle/human asteroid Dexter Lawrence (6-4, 342) remains available at the end of Round One, the Patriots have to take him. Lawrence’s size makes him an immediate contributor, especially considering his First-Team All-American status last year after 44 tackles (7.5 for loss), 1.5 sacks, three tipped passes, and a blocked kick. The big man also put up 36 reps in the bench press, the most among defensive linemen at the combine, second overall.
Thoughtful Aside: New England has succeeded in drafting tight ends here (Daniel Graham, 2002; Benjamin Watson, 2004), and – despite their bolstering the position by signing Austin Seferian-Jenkins – the retirement of Rob Gronkowski and free agent fleeing of Dwayne Allen might spur them to try another. I just don’t think any of the top guys they want will be available at 32. (NBC Sports Boston’s Phil Perry has had the Pats picking Iowa TE T. J. Hockenson in the first, possibly via trade up. From your lips to Belichick’s ears, Phil.)
Previously Mentioned Guy: Lawrence
The “Who’s That Guy?” Guy: We see reaches in the draft on a regular basis. For New England, sometimes they work (offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer, 2009), sometimes they do not (safety Jordan Richards, 2015). The second- or third-rounder the Patriots may perceptibly stretch for could be linebacker Sione Takitaki (6-1, 230) out of BYU. Ranked as a Day Three guy, Takitaki has some of the qualities the Coach and Co. look for, including solid production. The linebacker racked up 118 tackles last season, including nine for loss (three sacks). He also broke up three passes and forced a fumble. Takitaki did well for his position at the combine, with a 10-foot-5 broad jump (top two linebacker), 24 bench presses (top six LB), a 37-inch vertical (top eight), a 7.21-second 3-cone drill (top 12), and a 4.63-second 40 (top 13).
Takitaki got into some trouble early on in his career, reminding us of former BYU defender/current Patriot ‘backer Kyle Van Noy, who put similar types of troubles behind him. Like Van Noy, you can see Takitaki’s effectiveness on blitzes and stunts on his highlight reel.
Combine Snub Guy: Interesting and relevant fact here that neither Vollmer nor safety Tavon Wilson (2012) got invited to the NFL Combine. With that in mind, let’s try another safety, namely Chris Johnson (6-3, 200) of North Alabama. His 6.61-second 3-cone drill would have reigned supreme among combine safeties, while his 4.42-second 40 would have come in fifth. In 2018, Johnson notched 47 tackles, two interceptions, and three pass break-ups.
Previously Mentioned Guy: Saquan Hampton, Rutgers S
The 3-Cone Guy: Also known as the Julian Edelman category, New England looks at quickness as a better indicator of playing ability than straight-line speed. (Boston Sports Journal’s Chris Price elaborates here.) Enter David Long (5-11, 196) out of Michigan, as the cornerback’s 6.45-second 3-cone ranked tops at the combine. (For comparison, the Mercury-footed Edelman ran a 6.62). Long’s 3.97-second 20-yard shuttle also out-quicked all other combine participants. The corner’s 2018 stats demonstrate how offenses tended to avoid him, as he ended up with 17 tackles, one interception, and eight pass break-ups in 13 games.
Combine Snub Guy: Nicholls wide receiver Damion Jeanpiere (6-1, 185) lasered through a 6.41-second 3-cone that would have been the fastest time at this year’s combine. His 4.25-second 40 also would have topped all combine participants. Jeanpiere tracked down 44 passes for 850 yards, a 19.3-yard average, scoring thrice.
A Possible Metaphor For The NFL: If you look at the 3-Cone Top Performers combine page on NFL.com, you will see the misplaced photo of the other David Long, a linebacker from West Virginia who did not participate in most combine drills. Strange no one’s bothered to fix that over the past several weeks. (Get it together, dipturds.)
Previously Mentioned Guy: Long
The Freakishly Athletic Guy: Former Patriot linebacker Jamie Collins lit up his combine in 2013, besting all linebackers in multiple categories. Though they did not draft current New England safety Obi Melifonwu, who moon jumped at his combine, the Patriots tend to make use of the versatility that such athleticism affords. Wide receiver Miles Boykin (6-4, 220) presented some of the most impressive combine numbers in 2019, especially considering the Notre Dame product’s size. After running a notable 4.42-second 40, Boykin had top wideout numbers in the vertical jump (43.5 inches) and the 3-cone (6.77 seconds). He came in second for receivers with an 11-foot-8 broad jump, and third with his 4.07-second 20-yard shuttle. For the Irish, Boykin compiled 803 yards receiving on 54 grabs (14.9 avg.), with eight touchdowns. He was last year’s Citrus Bowl MVP with three catches for 102 yards and a TD.
If anything, Boykin’s highlights show that he can catch the ball in a crowd.
Previously Mentioned Guy: Boykin
The Backup QB Guy: Given that Tom Brady will turn 42 before the season begins, maybe we should change this category to The Groom-For-Future Guy. In any case, time to look at a young ‘un with the potential to take the helm at Gillette. Ever since the Senior Bowl I’ve focused on Ryan Finley (6-4, 213) of N. C. State, who has operated with a calmness and control that should serve him well in the NFL. Last season, Finley hit on 326 of 484 passes (67 percent) for 3,928 yards and 25 touchdowns (11 INTs).
Finley ran a 4.73-second 40-yard dash. (Not that it matters. Back to the Brady combine video!)
Previously Mentioned Guy: Finley; David Blough, Purdue
The Offensive Line Double-Dip Guys: Not including 2018’s draft, Belichick has tended to grab O-linemen in pairs. Over the past few years, this double-up approach has yielded guards Joe Thuney and Shaq Mason, as well as backup Joe Karras. Looking at two college tackles here with Max Scharping (6-5, 320) of Northern Illinois and Trey Pipkins (6-6, 309) of Sioux Falls. Scharping has solid size and submitted notable quickness times for an offensive lineman (4.69-second 20-yard shuttle, 7.77-second 3-cone). He made All-MAC First Team in both 2016 and 2017, starting 53 consecutive games in his career. He played every snap for the Huskies in 2018.
Pipkins showed some quick feet with a 7.61-second 3-cone and 4.7-second 20-yard shuttle, with a notable 5.12-second 40 to boot. He made First-Team Division 2 All-American status as a senior starting at left tackle, improving on his junior campaign where he started all 12 games and earned Second-Team All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference honors.
Combine Snub Guy: Texas tackle Calvin Anderson (6-4, 292) had a 7.20-second 3-cone that would have been the best of all combine linemen; meanwhile, his 4.45 second 20-yard shuttle would have placed second. He showed his strength at his pro day with 30 bench presses, sixth-best mark for combine OLs. Anderson made Honorable Mention All-Big 12.
Previously Mentioned Guys: Scharping; Mitch Hyatt, Clemson
The Small School Defender Guy: Last year New England picked Western Carolina cornerback Keion Crossen in the seventh round. They’ve also taken Central Arkansas defensive lineman Markell Carter (2011) and Concordia DL Zach Moore (2014), both in the sixth. Looking for a player with big numbers from a small school led us to pass-rusher Markus Jones (6-2, 255) out of itty-bitty Angelo State. Jones had to rack up some stats to get noticed at that level, and he delivered, winning the Gene Upshaw Award for Division 2 Lineman of the Year after leading the nation in tackles for loss with 34 and coming in second for sacks with 17.5. He also forced three fumbles and blocked two kicks. (Some of those highlights shown here.)
Combine Snub Guy: Cornerback Rodney Randle (5-10, 186) out of Lamar would have been the overall fastest (4.28 40) and quickest (3.88 3-cone) at the combine. That athleticism helped him produce 70 tackles, 12 pass break-ups, and an interception last season. If the Pats continue their run on small-school DB talent, Randle should get a long look.
Previously Mentioned Guys: John Cominsky, Charleston; Khalen Saunders, Western Illinois
The Long-Limbed Defensive End Guy: Former fourth-round pick Trey Flowers got injured his rookie year in 2015 and had to wait out the season to see what he could do. Well, what he could do was become a prominent part of two Super Bowl wins. In terms of new prospects, we can see Arizona State defenders on New England’s roster (tackle Lawrence Guy, linebacker Christian Sam), and realize it’s about time we said hello to Renell Wren (6-5, 315). The ASU product ran a nifty 5.01-second 40, put up 30 bench reps, and jumped 32 inches on his vertical, showing the type of speed and power that will give him some flexibility on the line next year. In 2018 for the Sun Devils, Wren had 43 tackles (4.5 for loss), one sack, and two pass break-ups. Wren proves difficult to block on the interior in his highlight reel.
Combine Snub Guy: Pass rusher Dylan Carroll (6-5, 245) out of Grand Valley State ran a respectable 4.76-second 40 at his pro day, and he shone in several other drills. His 38-inch vertical and 10-foot-5 broad jump both would have come in fourth for combine edge defenders, while his 30 bench reps would have been second-best for the position. Carroll had 47 tackles (seven for loss), 1.5 sacks, and six QB hits last year.
Previously Mentioned Guys: Austin Bryant, Clemson; Anthony Nelson, Iowa
The Take-A-Chance-On-This-Receiver Guy: No, he’s not a burner (we knew that even before his 4.63-second 40), but Jakobi Meyers (6-2, 203) of North Carolina State runs meticulous routes and shows the ability to snag passes in traffic. He also ran a respectable 7.07-second 3-cone drill. Meyers led the Wolfpack in receptions with 92, gaining 1,047 yards (11.4 avg.) and scoring four touchdowns. He began his career at N. C. State as a quarterback, but switched to receiver after redshirting. You can watch Meyers live off of a steady diet of slants and outs (catching passes from Finley, no less) in his highlight reel.
Previously Mentioned Guys: Bisi Johnson, Colorado State; Keelan Doss, UC Davis
The Backup Tight End Guy: Hunh. No longer a backup position, I see. Well, if we’re still looking at the projected middle of the draft, it’s tough to find a better all-around end than Drew Sample (6-5, 255) out of Washington. Sample caught 25 passes for the Huskies last season for 252 yards and three TDs. Though used largely as a blocker, he has shown the potential to become a productive receiver in the NFL, as his 4.71 40 and 7.15 3-cone both made top 10 for combine tight ends.
You can see Sample lining up in all sorts of different positions against Auburn here.
Combine Snub Guy: Northern Iowa’s Elias Nissen (6-4, 243) ran a 4.62-second 40 and a 7.05-second 3-cone, both of which would have come in third for tight ends at the combine. He also benched 23 reps, a number that would have placed second. Used as a blocker and special-teamer on the Panthers, Nissen caught 12 passes for 154 yards.
Previously Mentioned Guy: Sample
The Alabama Guy: Linebacker Dont’a Hightower has been a solid contributor to New England’s defense since his rookie season. It helps that the Crimson Tide coach, Nick Saban, coaches a similar defense to what Belichick prefers in Foxboro. This brings us to outside linebacker Christian Miller (6-3, 247), who showed some pop at the combine with a 38.5-inch vertical that came in third for edge defenders (he hasn’t run the 40 due to lingering hamstring issues). Miller notched 36 tackles last year, 11.5 for loss, with 8.5 sacks. Some examples of Miller’s quickness off the edge in this reel.
Previously Mentioned Guy: Miller
The Special Teams Guy: Both Matthew Slater (2008) and Nate Ebner (2012) fill roster spots specifically as special teamers. Their head coach, who got his start in that area and pays as much attention to it as any phase of the game, wouldn’t have it any other way. Now we’re looking at Dre Greenlaw (5-11, 237) out of Arkansas. Two reasons for this: one, he had great production in 2018, with 80 tackles, (6.5 for loss), two sacks, and two interceptions in only eight games; two, former Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema has worked with the Patriots as a coaching consultant, providing a natural connection.
Combine Snub Guy: Difficult to overlook the production of Oklahoma linebacker Curtis Bolton (6-0, 218), who tallied 139 tackles in 2018, with 12 for loss, including 4.5 sacks. In terms of special teams work, Bolton scored two ST TDs (the good kind), recovering blocked punts for points. Given his size, he may convert to safety in the NFL, and he has shown the capacity to do so, delivering both a 4.53 40 and 7.18 3-cone at his pro day that would have been top 14 numbers for combine safeties.
Previously Mentioned Guy: Greenlaw
The Seventh-Round Slot Receiver Guy: Since drafting Edelman here in 2009, New England has taken some shots trying to repeat the magic. Attempts with Northwestern’s Jeremy Ebert (2012) and Michigan’s Jeremy Gallon (2014) didn’t stick. We’ve gone full circle here to come back to Georgia’s Terry Godwin (5-11, 184), who wowed us at the East-West Shrine Game (four catches for 80 yards and two TDs) and came from the same program as Malcolm Mitchell, who had the best rookie season for a New England receiver in years before retiring due to chronic knee issues. Godwin caught 23 passes for 385 yards (16.7 avg.) and three touchdowns last season. He can return punts, too, as evidenced by his limited-yet-impressive four returns for 58 yards (14.5 avg.) as a freshman.
You can get a strong grasp of Godwin’s elusiveness in this reel.
Combine Snub Guy: Stanford’s Trenton Irwin (6-2, 204) might make sense here. Irwin got snubbed by the combine committee and couldn’t participate in Stanford’s pro day due to a nagging knee injury, meaning he should remain available late on Day Three. In 2018, he pulled in 60 passes for 685 yards (second on the team in both) and two touchdowns. On special teams, he returned 14 punts for a 11.6-yard average and tallied one tackle, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Plus, he’s a California kid with beautiful blond locks. Sure, it’s a long shot, but so was Edelman.
Previously Mentioned Guys: Godwin, Andy Isabella, UMass; Cody Thompson, Toledo
The Navy Guy: The Naval Academy and Belichick have a storied connection, as the coach’s father Steve worked as an assistant there for decades and literally wrote the book on scouting. The Patriots drafted long snapper Joe Cardona in the fifth round (another Special Teams Guy) and have brought multiple Navy fullbacks into camp. Though finding cadets seeking NFL employment has proven difficult this year, it looks like safety Sean Williams (6-1, 197) has shaken the trees, participating in Towson’s pro day on March 28 (thank you to Navy Football for that info). Williams, a 2018 co-captain, ranked third on the team in tackles with 85 (1.5 for loss). He intercepted two passes, broke up five, and forced a team-best five fumbles on the year. Another special teamer for the roster? We shall see.
Previously Mentioned Guy: Zach Abey, QB/RB/WR
And that’s all for this year’s pre-draft columns. We’ll post a review with links to all our draft pieces next week before the NFL Draft begins with Round One on Thursday evening, April 25. Rounds Two and Three happen Friday, with Rounds Four through Seven wrapping up on Saturday, aka Day Three.
Thanks for reading. We’ll see you soon.
Chris Warner hopes to get three or more of these picks correct but understands this all comes down to a fool’s errand. He’s at chris.warner@patriotsdaily.com and on Twitter @cwarn89.
Combine Snubs Who Showed ‘Em, 2019 Edition 9 Apr 2019 4:45 AM (6 years ago)
Hey, remember when NFL scouts held a combine, way back in February? Well, inviting hundreds of prospects meant leaving hundreds more without a winter showcase for their skills. College pro days pick up where (and whom) the combine left off, giving the snubbed a chance to shine. In 2018, New England cornerback Keion Crossen provided a successful example, as the Western Carolina product ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at Wake Forest’s pro day and got himself picked by the Patriots in the seventh round.
In order to make the list, our pro day protagonists needed to achieve two top five numbers at the position and/or one top overall combine mark and one top 10 position mark. Many, many snubs showed ’em this year (64 at last count), making this one of our longest columns in a while. Take your time, peruse, bookmark this page, and use it as a referral list as the draft approaches.
Who might NFL teams discover from the post-combine numbers? The possibilities abound.
The best combine performances (and brief explanations of each drill) can be found on the NFL’s helpful website. Speaking of helpful, thank you to WalterFootball.com for compiling many of the pro day times and measurements reported below. Special hat tip also to Herosports.com, who kept a comprehensive list of pro day numbers for FCS and Division 2 players that proved difficult to find otherwise.
To the snubs!
OFFENSE
Offensive Linemen
Which Farmer Got More Exposure? This answer to this question on multiple levels is Tanner Farmer (6-4, 315), who showcased his athleticism as an interior offensive lineman during his pro day at Nebraska. Farmer had 39 bench reps, which would have tied for best overall performance at the combine with Weber State’s Iosua Opeta. Farmer’s 9-foot-10 broad jump would have tied for best offensive lineman, while his 32.5-inch vertical would have come in fifth at the position.
Farmer played right guard for the Huskers before switching to center for the last eight games of 2018. Once he made the switch, Nebraska averaged 479 yards of offense per contest. Farmer was voted a Tom Osborne Citizenship Team member from 2016 through 2018 and made the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll in 2017 and 2018.
I Will Name Him George, And I Will Hug Him And Squeeze Him: Kentucky offensive tackle George Asafo-Adjei (6-5, 306) got a lot of love at his pro day, with a 4.93-second 40 that would have come in fourth among combine offensive linemen, 31 bench presses that would have tied for fifth OL, plus a 30-inch vertical and 9-foot-1 broad jump that both would have scored in the top 14 at the position. Asafo-Adjei, a team captain for the Wildcats, started 12 games at right tackle in 2018, earning two SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors. Over the past three seasons, Asafo-Adjei helped pave the way for UK’s first thrice-consecutive 1,000-yard rusher (Benny Snell).
Springtime For Hitner: Villanova tackle Brandon Hitner (6-6, 303) showed his preparedness for pro day season with a 9-foot, 7.5-inch broad jump that would have come in fourth for combine offensive linemen and a 32.5-inch vertical that would have tied for fifth. Hitner’s 5.16-second 40 would have tied for 15th best at the position. The tackle played in 28 games over his career, starting all 11 games his junior year.
How Good? How to rate the performance of Elon’s C. J. Toogood (6-2, 293)? Well, his 7.30-second 3-cone drill seems like the place to start, as it beat all combine offensive linemen by over a tenth of a second. His 35-inch vertical would have come in second for O-linemen, while his 4.93-second 40 would have come in fourth. Toogood earned AFCA Second-Team All-America Honors and First-Team All-CAA in 2018. He played left tackle as a senior after spending time at left guard.
Fun Fact: Toogood earned all-conference honors in wrestling at Holly Springs High in North Carolina.
Kiefer? Did You Say Kiefer? No, it’s guard Keaton Sutherland (6-5, 315), who leapt 36 vertical inches at Texas A&M’s pro day, tying the best combine mark for linemen. Sutherland’s 9-foot-6 broad jump would have tied for fifth best OL. Sutherland started as a true freshman at left guard, then switched between both guard positions over his four years with the Aggies. His senior year, A&M’s offense gained 5,590 total yards and featured the SEC’s top rusher (Trayveon Williams).
Mr. Anderson Took The Red Pill: Talk about moving like he’s CGI. The New England Patriots tend to gravitate toward linemen with quick feet, which means that Calvin Anderson (6-4, 292) probably popped up on their radar. Texas’ left tackle ran a 7.20-second 3-cone drill that would have bested all offensive linemen at the combine; his 4.45-second 20-yard shuttle would have come in second. The long-armed Longhorn also would have come in sixth with 30 bench presses. Anderson started all 14 games last season, getting named Honorable Mention All-Big 12 as a graduate transfer student from Rice, where he earned All-Conference USA honors twice.
Fun Fact: According to his Texas player page, Anderson, a mathematical economics major, can solve a Rubik’s cube behind his back.
Today Was A Good Davis: Nice workout from center Tyler Davis (6-1, 279) of The Citadel, as his 4.98-second 40 and 32.5-inch vertical both would have ranked top five for combine offensive linemen. His 28 bench reps and 4.60-second 20-yard shuttle both would have earned top 10. Davis started at center for two years and had experience at right guard.
Jumping Jack: I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised at a Jackrabbit showing off his jumping ability. Guard Tiano Pupungatoa (6-5, 310) powered through a 9-foot-8 broad jump at South Dakota State’s pro day that would have tied for third best combine offensive lineman, while his 32.5-inch vertical would have tied for fifth. He would have tied for sixth-best OL with 29 bench reps. Pupungatoa switched from defense to offense his sophomore year in 2016, making 25 consecutive starts at left guard before getting injured as a junior. This year, Pupungatoa helped the Jacks go 2-1 in the FCS playoffs, losing to eventual champion North Dakota State in the semifinals.
Glass Half Full: Positive outlook for Byron Glass (6-2, 293) out of Austin Peay, as his 4.51-second 20-yard shuttle would have come in third among combine offensive linemen. Both his 31 bench reps and 4.97-second 40 would have come in fifth. Glass made Second-Team All-Ohio Valley Conference as a center in 2018. He started 44 consecutive games for the Governors, a school record. Speaking of records, APSU set school marks in 2018 for points and touchdowns scored, as well as yards per game.
You’re Living In Your Own Brian Idaho: Don’t go on the patio. Nice leg work from Idaho State’s Brian Fineanganofo (6-6, 295), whose 33-inch vertical and 9-foot-7 broad jump both would have come in fourth for combine offensive linemen. Fineanganofo’s 5.05-second 40 and 29 bench reps both would have come in sixth. This past season as a left tackle he earned Second-Team Phil Steele FCS All-American honors and an invitation to the NFL Players Association Collegiate Bowl.
Running Backs/Returners
So Many Layers. Such A Laird Performance: Cal running back Patrick Laird (6-0, 200) put up some astounding numbers at his school’s pro day, including a slippery 3.96-second 20-yard shuttle that would have come in first among all combine performers. Laird’s 6.84-second 3-cone would have placed second for combine running backs, while his 11.36-second 60-yard shuttle would have beaten all rushers and come in third overall. His 4.56 40 would have been 11th for backs. Laird, who got an invitation to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl but could not participate due to injury, rushed for 2,153 yards and 14 touchdowns in his career. Last season, he ran 223 times for 961 yards (4.3 avg.) and five touchdowns, also catching 51 passes for 288 yards and four TDs.
Fun Fact: Laird’s love of reading compelled him to start the “Walk On Then Run” summer reading challenge that provides tickets to Cal athletic events for young fans who excel in the program.
“Hush, Hush, Keep It Down Now,” Voices Khari: A certain Vanderbilt running back did not heed his own advice, as Khari Blasingame’s 10-foot-11 broad jump would have proven best among combine running backs, while his 38-inch vertical leap would have come in fourth at the position. In 2018, Khari (6-1, 233) rushed 96 times for 401 yards and five touchdowns, with 28 catches for 320 yards and a TD. A high school safety, Khari had 13 tackles for the Commodores as a freshman linebacker before switching to halfback/special teamer by his sophomore year.
This Guy’s A Little Buff: Running back Kyle Evans (5-6, 180) of Colorado had a 6.93-second 3-cone that would have been the second-fastest time for combine running backs. His 4.17-second 20-yard shuttle (third), 26 bench reps (tied, third), 36.5-inch vertical (tied, fifth) and 4.50 40 (ninth) all would have made top 10 for the position. As a Buffalo, Evans gained 201 yards and three touchdowns on 69 rushes (nice), with 63 yards and one TD on five receptions in 2018. He also returned six kickoffs for 135 yards (22.5 avg.). Nice video of Evans doing a bit of everything here.
Brooks Was Here: Running back Tony Brooks-James (5-9, 180) got busy living at Oregon’s pro day, putting up multiple numbers that would have blended in well among combine ball carriers. Brooks-James’ 4.45 40 (tied, second), 4.17 20-yard shuttle (third), and 10-foot-7 broad jump (tied, fourth) all made top five, while his 7.2 3-cone would have come in 10th at the position. Last season, Brooks-James rushed 57 times for 306 yards (5.4 avg.) and four touchdowns while catching three passes for 73 yards (24.3 avg.). He also led the Ducks with 21 kick returns for 548 yards, a notable 26.1 yard average that got him onto Phil Steele’s Pac-12 All-Conference Third Team as a returner.
Hall Aflame: Looks like Pittsburgh running back Darrin Hall (5-11, 217) used his snub to stoke his fire, as his 6.72-second 3-cone would have come in first among combine backs, his estimated 4.44-second 40 would have made him the second-fastest RB, and his 27 bench reps would have tied for second at the position. Hall made All-ACC Third Team after carrying the ball 153 times for 1,144 yards (7.5-yard average that broke Tony Dorsett’s 1975 record of 6.6) and 10 touchdowns last season, also catching 15 passes for 66 yards.
The Whyte Time Is Now: Great sense of the moment from Florida Atlantic’s Kerrith Whyte, Jr. (5-10, 197) as the running back torched a 4.36 40 and exploded for a 42-inch vertical. Both marks would have come in first for combine backs, with that jump tying for fifth overall. Whyte had 134 carries for 866 yards (6.5 avg.) and eight touchdowns, with 10 catches for 160 yards and two TDs. As a kick returner, Whyte brought back 19 for 545 yards (28.7 avg.), including a 100-yarder for a TD.
Fun Fact: Whyte’s kickoff return for a score was the first in FAU’s history. You can watch a blurry, field-level version of it on YouTube.
One Order Of Holland Days To Go: Kennesaw State running back/returner Darnell Holland (5-10, 175) had his pro day covered when he ran a 4.38 40, better than all combine running backs and a top-10 time overall. His 37.5-inch vertical would have made the top four mark for backs, while his 7.09 3-cone would have qualified for top eight at the position. Holland led the Owls with 949 yards rushing in only 80 attempts, a what’s-that-now? 11.9-yard average. He scored nine touchdowns running the ball and two catching it, with nine receptions for 182 yards (another habba-wha? average of 20.2 yards per catch). Holland also returned kicks, bringing back 13 for 437 yards and a touchdown (a ya-wha-hunh? 33.6-yard average).
Fun highlight reel of Holland here. Also, I may have just used up all my shocked interjections, which is too bad, considering…
I’m Okay, You’re Oh, Qua: Georgia Tech running back Qua (kway) Searcy (5-11, 175) came up big at his pro day, putting up a 60-yard shuttle time of 11.63 seconds that would have bested all combine running backs. Searcy also ran a 6.97 3-cone, good enough for third back at Indy. His broad jump (10-foot-1) and vertical (35 inches) would have both earned top 10 scores for RBs. Much like Holland, Searcy did some special stuff in 2018, carrying the ball 35 times for 349 yards (10.0 avg.) and three touchdowns, and catching nine passes for 247 yards (27.4 average) and one touchdown. Another fun highlight reel for Searcy here.
No Doubting Thomas: Running back Johnathan Thomas (5-11, 217) out of Penn State ran a 4.40-second 40 that would have tied for best combine time at his position. Add a 39.5-inch vertical (tied, second running back) and a 10-foot-8 broad jump (fourth RB) and Mr. Thomas had himself a day. A career special teamer, Thomas had only seven rushes this season, gaining 87 yards and scoring a touchdown to finish the year with a 12.4-yard average. He also returned three kicks, one for 94 yards. Thomas shared the Bob Mitinger Award for character with safety Nick Scott (mentioned below).
Fun Fact: Mitinger, a two-way player at Penn State, played linebacker for the San Diego Chargers on the 1963 team that beat the Boston Patriots for the AFL Championship. So, for New England fans, not all that fun a fact.
Funner Fact: Thomas played his high school ball at St. John’s Prep in Danvers, Massachusetts. He once returned an interception 107 yards, a wacky-looking play that would deserve cynicism if it appeared in a movie. (Video here.)
It’s Not Crockett Science: Well, it is worth studying, at least, as Missouri’s Damarea Crockett (5-11, 226) sped through a 4.40-second 40 that would have tied him for best combine running back and jumped a 37-inch vertical that would have tied for top four RB. At Mizzou, Crockett rushed 12 times for 147 yards (4.8 avg.) and seven touchdowns in 2018, while hauling in 12 passes for 88 yards and one TD.
The Princeton And The Popper: Running back Charlie Volker (6-0, 220) of Princeton put up some expectation-bursting numbers at his pro day, as his 6.87-second 3-cone would have come in first among combine backs. His 4.25-second 20-yard shuttle and 4.48-second 40 would have both come in fifth at the position. Volker made First-Team All-Ivy in 2018 after compiling 675 yards and 14 touchdowns on 97 totes (7.0 avg.). Volker also scored 14 TDs as a junior.
Fun Fact: Under the personal section on Volker’s player page, it says he “enjoys sports.” Good. Good for him.
Ty One On: Running back Ty Johnson (5-10, 212) had reason to celebrate at Maryland’s pro day, speeding through a 4.41-second 40 and putting up 27 bench reps. Both of those numbers would have put him in second place for combine rushers. Johnson carried the ball for 506 yards on 66 rushes in 2018, good for a 7.7-yard average, with three touchdowns. He earned an even more impressive average on his kickoff returns, maintaining a 27.2-yard mark (14 for 381 yards), and returning a 98-yarder for a TD at Michigan.
Wake Up Aggie I Think I’ve Got Something To Say To You: Welcome to the list, Utah State running back Justen Hervey (5-10, 210). Hervey ran a 4.46 40 that would have come in third for combine running backs. His 38-inch vertical would have come in fourth for backs, while his 10-foot-6 broad jump would have tied for fifth. Hervey had 31 carries for 122 yards and one touchdown last year for the Aggies, adding two catches for 19 yards.
A lot of Utah State’s carries went to Hervey’s teammate, a fellow combine snub…
Darwin’s Evolution: Look how far he’s come. All the way from junior college at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M to Utah State, running back Darwin Thompson (5-8, 198) zipped through the 3-cone drill in 6.93 seconds, which would have qualified as the second-quickest time for combine backs. His 39-inch vertical would have come in third, and – just like Hervey above – Thompson’s 10-foot-6 broad jump would have come in fifth. He made Second-Team All-Mountain West after rushing 153 times for 1,044 yards (6.8 avg.) and 14 touchdowns, also snaring 23 passes for 351 yards (15.3 avg.) and two TDs.
He Can Brag With Friends, Or He Can… Quite the pro day for Lehigh running back Dominick Bragalone (5-11, 230), whose 4.44-second 40, 33 bench reps, and 6.95 3-cone all would have come in second for combine backs. Meanwhile, his 4.24 20-yard shuttle would have come in fourth and his 10-foot-2 broad jump would have placed eighth. As a senior, Bragalone made First Team All-Patriot League for the fourth year in a row, rushing for 757 yards and seven touchdowns. He also had four receptions. In 2017, he scored 22 touchdowns (18 rushing, four receiving).
Ongoing Battle: The fight to get noticed continues for running back Cedric Battle (5-10, 180), as the Central Arkansas alum ran a 6.75 3-cone that would have come in first among all combine backs. Battle’s 4.15 20-yard shuttle would have come in second at the position, while his 4.51 40 would have placed ninth. Last season, Battle returned 26 kicks for 579 yards (22.3 avg.). He carried the ball 40 times for 196 yards (4.9 avg.) and caught 17 passes for 178 yards (10.5 avg.) and three touchdowns. He also completed one pass for eight yards. Battle had one punt return in 2017 for 39 yards.
Jordan In The Clutch: Gutsy showing by running back Jordan Gowins (5-11, 230) at Stony Brook’s pro day, as his 4.05-second 20-yard shuttle would have bested all combine backs, while both his 4.43-second 40 and 30 bench reps would have come in second at the position. In 2018, Gowins carried 173 times for 995 yards (5.8 avg.) and eight touchdowns. He caught two passes for nine yards and had one kickoff return for 19. Gowins transferred to Stony Brook after playing his freshman year at Boston College (15 runs for 43 yards).
Receivers
If I Had A Nicholls: One of the best ways to respond to a snub? Show your speed. Receiver Damion Jeanpiere (6-1, 185) out of Nicholls ran a 4.25 40 and a 6.41-second 3-cone drill, both of which would have bested all combine participants. Jeanpiere caught 44 passes for 850 yards (19.3 avg.) and three touchdowns. He also earned All-Southland Second-Team Honors as a punt returner (12 for 82).
Fun Fact: Jeanpiere was named Southland Conference Player of the Week after his five-catch, 174-yard performance at Texas A&M.
It’s Not Easy Being Green: But it helps if you excel at North Texas’ pro day. Pass-catcher Jalen Guyton (6-1, 212) put up top-five combine receiver times in the 20-yard shuttle (4.09, fourth), and the 40 (4.35, fifth), plus a top-six 3-cone (6.90). Guyton had 54 receptions for 805 yards and six scores last season, wrapping up his Mean Green career in December with a four-catch, 103-yard, one TD performance in the New Mexico Bowl.
Winner With Andre: Sacramento State pass-catcher Andre Lindsey (6-3, 190) ran a 6.74 3-cone that would have bested all combine receivers, as well as a 4.13 20-yard shuttle that would have tied for fourth best. Lindsey’s 4.41-second 40 would have tied for eighth-best WR. The Hornet caught the ball 13 times for 270 yards (20.8 avg.) and one touchdown; he also ran the ball three times for 68 yards (22.7 avg.).
My Cruisin’ Vinny: One way to stick out like a sore thumb around here? Top all combine participants at your position. Vinny Grasso (5-7, 175) did just that, as the Monmouth product’s 4.01-second 20-yard shuttle would have been the best among receivers, third best overall. Grasso’s 6.80 3-cone would have tied for third receiver, while his 21 bench reps would have tied for fourth. Though small in stature, Grasso took on a lot of work for the Hawks. He hauled in 30 passes for 360 yards (12.0 avg.) and three touchdowns, rushed 17 times for 185 yards (10.9 avg.) and one score, returned 25 punts for 265 yards (10.6 avg.) and 21 kicks for 404 yards (19.2 avg.), and even completed his one pass attempt for 24 yards.
In The Za-a-a-allow, We’re Far From The Zallow Now: Youngstown State track star Chad Zallow (5-10, 175) went to the Penguins’ pro day and put up a doozy of a 40 time, an unofficial 4.25 seconds that would have bested all combine participants by almost half a second. The Horizon League Indoor Champion in the 60-meter hurdles and both the 60- and 200-meter dashes, Zallow also submitted a 39-inch vertical that would have come in sixth among combine receivers. About as raw as a plate of sashimi, Zallow could provide a camp body for teams looking to air it out this summer.
Tight Ends
Maine Man: A tight end needs quick feet to get open, so Maine’s Drew Belcher (6-3, 250) got stepping, delivering a 7.05 3-cone and a 4.22 20-yard shuttle that both would have come in third for tight ends. His 10-foot broad jump would have tied for fifth, while his 4.68 40 would have come in seventh at the position. For the Black Bears, Belcher caught 31 passes for 224 yards. He was named a UMaine Scholar-Athlete Gold Medalist.
Fun Fact: Belcher went to Maine as a quarterback recruit after having won the 2012 Division 2 Player of the Year at Reading (MA) Memorial High. He played QB for two years at Maine, passing for 1,468 yards, before converting to tight end as a redshirt junior in 2017. He completed all four of his passing attempts last season for 61 yards and two TDs.
Check Out This Pro Day, Justin Case: Nice showing by Mississippi State tight end Justin Johnson (6-3, 235), who submitted a trio of top five combine performances for the position. Johnson ran a 4.56 40 (tied, second TE), benched 22 reps (tied, second), and traveled 10 feet in the broad jump (tied, fifth). Last season, Johnson hauled in 17 passes for 238 yards (14.0 avg.) and one touchdown.
Fun Fact: Numerous scouting publications ranked Johnson as the number one high school receiver in Alabama.
Nissen Made Some Bread: Tight end Elias Nissen (6-4, 243) may have earned himself a future NFL paycheck, as he represented Northern Iowa quite well on his pro day. His 23 bench reps would have come in second for tight ends, while both his 4.62 40 and 7.05 3-cone would have come in third. Nissen caught 12 balls for 154 yards (12.83 avg.) and two touchdowns. A career blocking tight end and special-teamer, Nissen also had a 10-yard kick return.
A Little Pick-Me-Up With Creamer: Eastern Kentucky tight end Neiko Creamer (6-3, 220) poured it on at his pro day with a 40-inch vertical that would have out-jumped all combine tight ends. Both his 10-foot-6 broad jump and 7.02 3-cone would have earned second place at the position. His 4.75 40 would have come in 11th. Creamer wrapped up the season with 21 receptions for 245 yards (11.7 avg.), second-best on the team in both categories.
Fun Fact: The EKU mascot is the Colonel, which I suppose is a step up from the Famous Bowl.
Funner Fact: Neiko’s father is Andre Creamer, who played cornerback and returner for the Tennessee Volunteers in the early 1990s.
The Rad Hatter: Tight end Donald Parham (6-7, 241) out of Stetson wore one hat as a leaper with a 10-foot-five broad jump and a 38.5 vertical, coming in a would-be second in both events for combine TEs. He donned another cap as a sprinter and ran a 4.65-second 40 that came in a hypothetical fifth. Parham gained All-American status at Stetson, an FCS school based in Florida. He led all tight ends nationally in catches per game (9.4) and yards per game (146.6). For the season, he totaled 85 receptions for 1,319 yards (15.5 avg.) and 13 touchdowns.
Fun Fact: The Stetson team nickname is actually the Hatters. There’s a history and everything.
Quarterbacks
Fancy Drew And The Case Of The Combine Snub: Listen, we all know that athleticism fails to rank in the top 10 concerns New England fans have for their future signal-caller (cue the Tom Brady combine video!), but Murray State’s Drew Anderson (6-4, 221) deserves a mention for his prowess at pro day. Anderson’s 36.5-inch vertical would have bested all combine QBs by two inches, while his 6.89 3-cone would have placed second and his 10-foot-9 broad jump would have come in fourth. With the Racers, Anderson completed 258 of 429 passes (60 percent) for 2,864 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. He also rushed 82 times for 225 yards and five scores.
Fun Fact: Anderson transferred to Murray State after one season at Buffalo, where he threw for 597 yards and seven TDs vs. Western Michigan, both school records.
DEFENSE
Linebackers/Safeties
Which Farmer Got Slightly Less Exposure? Ah, nothing like a running joke from way, way back at the beginning of this thing. Penn State’s Koa Farmer (6-1, 228) got some of the spotlight, as his 4.48-second 40 would have come in fifth among combine linebackers. Farmer’s 10-foot-4 broad jump would have tied for third linebacker, while his 25 bench reps would have tied for fourth at the position. This past season Farmer had 53 tackles (2.5 for loss), two pass break-ups, and a forced fumble.
Ulysees’ Odyssey: If he’s going to make it in the NFL, Akron linebacker Ulysees Gilbert (6-0, 224) will have plenty of tasks to complete on his journey. He got off to a great start at the Zips’ pro day, leaping a 10-foot-6 broad jump and a 39.5-inch vertical that would have both placed second among combine linebackers. He also ran a reported 4.46-second 40, good enough for fifth. Gilbert made Second-Team All-MAC in 2018 as a strong-side LB, totaling 85 stops (7.5 for loss), with two fumble recoveries and a pass break-up. He returned both of the aforementioned fumbles for touchdowns (at Northwestern and vs. Miami).
Old King Cole Was A Merry Old Soul: And you would be too if you had the pro day of UNC’s Cole Holcomb (6-1, 235). Holcomb would have bested all combine linebackers in both the 3-cone drill (a super-swift 6.77-seconds) and broad jump (11 feet). His 4.48-second 40 would have come in fourth among combine linebackers. Holcomb made All-ACC Second Team, leading the Tarheels with 105 tackles (eight for loss), one sack, four forced fumbles, and four pass break-ups.
I Just Got Into Williams: Murray State linebacker Quincy Williams (5-10, 239) pinged a 6.78-second 3-cone drill that would have made him the quickest among combine linebackers. He jumped a 39-5-inch vertical that would have tied for second linebacker, and ran a 4.52 40 that would have come in sixth. Williams tallied an impressive stat sheet over 11 games last season, with 111 tackles (9.5 for loss), one sack, two interceptions (one returned for a TD), six passes defended, and two forced fumbles. He racked up a notable 17 stops vs. Jacksonville State.
Fun Fact: Given his vertical prowess, it may not surprise you that in 2013 Williams won the Alabama state high-jump championship.
The Battle Of Troy: Combine snubs fight to get noticed, so call linebacker Troy Reeder (6-3, 245) victorious. The Delaware product shazamed a 6.82-second 3-cone drill at his pro day, quicker than all combine linebackers. He popped a 10-foot-4 broad jump and put up 27 bench reps, both of which would have tied for third-best combine LB. He also leapt a 37.5-inch vertical that would have tied for fifth. Reeder racked up 131 tackles last year (in 12 games, by the way), with 13.5 for loss, including 2.5 sacks. He also forced two fumbles, intercepted a pass, and blocked a punt.
Fun Fact: Reeder began his college career at Penn State, where he earned First-Team Freshman All-Big 10 honors in 2015 with 67 tackles (5.5 for loss) and an interception.
Funner Fact: Reeder’s mother Cheryl played basketball at Elizabeth College in Pennsylvania, where she led the team to the 1982 Division 3 national championship.
Sooner Or Later, Your Legs Give Way, You Hit The Ground: As a snub, he had to save it for later, but Oklahoma linebacker-soon-to-be-NFL-safety Curtis Bolton (6-0, 218) would have ranked in the top five for combine safeties in the vertical (38 inches) and 60-yard shuttle (11.55 seconds). He also would have placed top 13 for safeties in the 3-cone (7.18) and top 14 in the 40 (4.53). Bolton could get a long look for his production with the Sooners, as he racked up 139 stops in 14 games last season, including 12 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and two pass break-ups. He also scored three touchdowns, one defensively (fumble return), two on special teams (blocked punt recovery/return).
Portrait Of The Artis As A Young Man: Another smaller-ish linebacker, Artis Johnson (6-1, 222), did some nice work at his pro day at Marshall, with numbers in the broad jump (10-foot-6) and bench press (29) that both would have come in third for combine ‘backers. Last year for the Thundering Herd, Johnson had 30 tackles, two fumble recoveries, and one interception.
Magic Micah: Kudos to safety Micah Abernathy for crushing it at Tennessee’s pro day. The 6-0, 195-pounder posted top-three combine scores for safeties in the 20-yard shuttle (4.09 seconds), 3-cone (6.6 seconds), and the broad jump (10-foot-10), adding a top five score for vertical (38.5 inches) and top seven for the 40 (4.45 seconds). Abernathy missed time in 2018 due to injury, but in eight games he totaled 38 tackles (three for loss), one fumble recovery, and one pass break-up.
Fun Fact: As a high school running back at Greater Atlanta Christian School in Georgia, Abernathy rushed for 1,526 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2014.
Better-Than-Average Scott: We’ll call it a great performance from Penn State’s Nick Scott (5-11, 201), whose 41-inch vertical (third) and 10-foot-8 broad jump (fourth) both would have come in top five for safeties at the combine. Scott’s 4.43 40 and 18 bench reps would have both placed sixth. Scott tallied 65 tackles this past season with one sack. He nabbed three interceptions and one fumble; he also blocked a kick at Michigan. Scott shared the aforementioned Bob Mitinger Award with Thomas.
Johnson And Johnson: No more tears for North Alabama safety Chris Johnson (though we’re not sure there were any in the first place), as the 6-3, 200-pound defender crushed two speed events. The Lion roared through a 6.61-second 3-cone drill that would have bested all combine safeties, and he sprinted a 4.42-second 40 that would have tied for fifth-best safety. As a senior in 2018, Johnson had 47 tackles (one for loss), two interceptions, and three pass break-ups. He reached D-2 All-American status as a junior with six interceptions and two sacks.
I Just Want Your Extra Time And Your … Chris: Defensive back Chris Westry (6-4, 199) wasted no time making an impression at Kentucky’s pro day, as the lanky Wildcat sprinted a 4.31-second 40 that would have come in second among combine safeties, third overall. Westry also had a 38-inch vertical that would have come in fifth for safeties. Westry played in all 51 games of his Kentucky career, starting 34 of them. Last season, he had 21 tackles, a sack, and two pass break-ups.
When It’s Time To Relax: One bear stands clear above the rest, and that’s Reid Miller (5-10, 208) of the Montana Grizzlies, who benched 25 reps for the woulda-been top spot among combine safeties. Miller also leapt a 40-inch vertical that would have come in third at the position, while his 7.15 3-cone would have come in 13th. Last season, Miller had 68 tackles, two interceptions, and four passes defended, recovering two fumbles. He transferred to Montana after three seasons at Arkansas, where he mostly played special teams. (Note: Patriots coaching consultant Bret Bielema was Arkansas’ head coach at that time. Coincidence? Yup. Totally. But maybe the coach will put a word in at Foxboro.)
Cornerbacks
Randle Savage: Too hot to handle, too cold to hold. Rodney Randle (5-10, 186) ran a 4.28-second 40 and a 3.88-second 20-yard shuttle at his pro day, both of which would have marked the fastest combine times for all participants. The Lamar cornerback had a 41-inch vertical that would have tied for third corner and a 10-foot-11 broad jump that would have tied for fifth. Randle made Honorable Mention All-Southland Conference with 70 tackles, one interception, and 12 pass break-ups last year. He returned 11 kickoffs for 214 yards and two punts for 39 yards, coincidentally for a 19.5 average in both.
Whoa-oh, Embry Is The Color Of Your Energy: Cornerback Jalen Embry (5-11, 197) displayed some shades of gold at Northern Illinois’ pro day, running a 20-yard shuttle in 4.07 seconds that would have posted third for combine corners, as well as an 11.38-second 60-yard shuttle that would have come in first at the position, third overall. The Huskies won the MAC Championship in 2018, with Embry playing a notable role. The redshirt senior led the team in pass break-ups with eight. He also had 60 tackles (4.5 for loss). Embry has experience returning kicks (two for 30 yards last year).
Fun Fact: Embry redshirted as a freshman at Iowa in 2014 (Belichick connection alert!) before transferring to Iowa Central CC for one year.
Hey, I Just Met You, And This Is Crazy, But Here’s My Number, So Call Me Maybin: Cornerback Dylan Mabin (6-1, 190) of Fordham ran a 4.41-second 40 at his pro day, the fifth-best time for combine corners. His 38-inch vertical would have tied for 12th. The First-Team All-Patriot League defender and Rams co-captain managed 48 tackles (2.5 for loss), one interception, and 10 pass break-ups despite missing two games due to injury. As a returner, he brought back 18 kicks for 399 yards (22.2 avg.).
Jump Into The Ponder: Cornerback Jermaine Ponder (6-2, 200) leapt toward the limelight on his pro day, as the St. Francis PA product put up an 11-foot-1 broad jump and a 40-inch vertical that would have come in third and fifth, respectively, for combine corners. Ponder’s 15 bench reps would have been ninth among CBs. Last season, Ponder totaled 25 tackles (one for loss), with one interception and a Red-Flash-leading 15 pass break-ups.
Oh What A Taelin Webb We Weave: Southern Utah’s Taelin Webb (5-11, 196) spun himself into the combine snub conversation with his 40-inch vertical and 10-foot-11 broad jump, both fifth-best distances for corners. Webb notched 36 tackles in 2018 (three for loss), with nine pass break-ups for the Thunderbirds.
Fun Fact: Webb played one season of basketball at Cal-State Northridge before switching sports and schools.
Defensive Ends/Edge Rushers
Looking For An Edge? Give This Bell A Ring: Defensive end Quinton Bell (6-4, 220) of Prairie View A&M ran a 4.38 40, skied a 41.5 inch vertical, and leapt an 11-foot-4 broad jump, numbers that would have bested all combine edge defenders. If Bell had gotten an invitation to the combine as a safety, all of those scores would have made top three for the position. Bell made 42 tackles last season (8.5 for loss), with six sacks.
Fun Fact: Bell had 19 receptions for 259 yards and a touchdown as a tight end for PVAMU before switching to defense in 2018. He also ran track as a sprinter. Raw potential alert.
An End To A Means: Playing defensive end wasn’t going to work at the next level for Pittsburgh defender James Folston at 6-3, 233 pounds, so he tested as a linebacker and did quite well for himself. Folston jumped a 40.5-inch vertical and ran a 6.80-second 3-cone, both of which would have topped all linebackers at the combine. His 10-foot-9 broad jump would have earned second-best for linebackers, while his 4.19-second 20-yard shuttle would have come in eighth. Playing at 245 pounds as part of a defensive line rotation, Folston managed 15 tackles and three quarterback hits.
Hendrix Plays The Blues (And Golds): The pro day performance of Pitt’s Dewayne Hendrix (6-4, 265) made some beautiful music to his agent’s ears, as the defensive end ran a 4.68 40 that would have come in second among combine defensive linemen. His 7.15 3-cone would have come in fourth among combine DLs, while his 9-foot-7 broad jump would have tied for eighth. Hendrix had 29 tackles last season (five for loss), with 4.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
Obinna Door Of Opportunity: College defensive end Obinna Iheoma (6-2, 245) made the best of Northwestern Louisiana’s pro day with his 11.65-second 60-yard shuttle, which would have come in fourth among combine linebackers. Iheoma’s 27 bench presses would have tied for third, while his 7.06-second 3-cone would have made eighth LB. The Honorable Mention All-Southland Conference defender had eight sacks in 2018, the second season in a row with that number. He totaled 54 tackles (8.5 for loss), with a forced fumble and a blocked kick.
Carroll, King: I feel the earth move, because it looks like edge defender Dylan Carroll (6-5, 245) looks ready to shake things up. The Grand Valley State pass rusher put up 30 reps in the bench, good enough for second place for combine edges. His 38-inch vertical and 10-foot-5 broad jump would have both come in fourth at the position, while his 4.76 40 would have made top 15. Carroll totaled 47 tackles last year, including 7.0 for loss (1.5 sacks). He also had six QB hits and a pass break-up.
Action Jackson: Central Arkansas’ Eric Jackson (6-1, 259) might look like a ‘tweener, but just plug him in and watch him go. He had a 6.90-second 3-cone that would have come in third for combine edge rushers (fourth for linebackers), as well as a 4.58-second 40 that would have placed fourth (ninth for LBs). His 23 bench reps would have been ninth-best (10th for LBs). Jackson totaled 36 tackles on the year (nine for loss), with three sacks and a forced fumble.
Fun Fact: New England picked Central Arkansas pass-rusher Markell Carter in the sixth round of the 2011 draft. Carter spent the season on the practice squad before the Patriots released him the following year.
Tackles
Ollie For One, And One For Ollie: Great day for Nicholls State defensive tackle/one-man-avalanche Ronald Ollie (6-2, 292), whose 4.87-second 40-yard dash would have come in second for combine DTs. His 35-inch vertical would have tied for top five among all combine defensive linemen, including defensive ends, while his 9-foot-6 broad jump would have come in sixth. Last season, Ollie had 33 tackles (13.5 for loss), with five sacks. He also had two fumble recoveries and a blocked kick.
Pardon Me, Mack, Is That The Chattanooga Choo-Choo? Chattanooga defensive tackle Isaiah Mack (6-2, 305) ran like a locomotive, posting what would have been the the third-best 40 time for combine tackles in 4.94 seconds. He also performed the second-best 3-cone time among defensive tackles in 7.50 seconds, as well as the third-best vertical jump with a 32.5-inch effort. Mack was voted All-Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year after tallying 11.5 tackles for loss (8.5 sacks) and two forced fumbles.
Fun Fact: Current Patriot pass-rusher Keionta Davis attended Chattanooga. Go Mocs!
Sterling Shines: Looks like defensive tackle Sterling Shippy (6-1, 300) had a combine-level pro day on behalf of Alcorn State, with 32 bench reps that would have tied him for third DL, a 4.82 40 that would have come in fourth, and a 32.5-inch vertical that would have placed eighth. Shippy was named 2018 Second-Team All-American after tallying 38 tackles (a sparkly 14.5 for loss) and eight sacks. He also broke up a pass and forced two fumbles.
Well, dear readers, that’s all for snubs this season. Please take a look below at how well the overlooked matched up with the invitees. Back with a Patriots potential selection preview the week of the NFL draft. Thanks for giving this column a look.
2019 COMBINE: TOP PERFORMANCES vs.Top 2019 Pro Day Numbers
40-YARD DASH: 4.29 seconds (Zedrick Woods, Mississippi S)
4.25 – Damion Jeanpiere, Nicholls WR
BENCH: 39 REPS (Iosua Opeta, Weber State OL)
39 – Tanner Farmer, Nebraska OL
VERTICAL JUMP: 44.0 inches (Juan Thornhill, Viriginia S)
42 – Kerrith Whyte, Jr., Florida A&M RB
BROAD JUMP: 11-foot-9 (Emanuel Hall, Missouri WR)
11-foot-4 – Quinton Bell, Prairie View A&M LB
3-CONE DRILL: 6.45 seconds (David Long, Michigan CB)
6.41 – Damion Jeanpiere, Nicholls WR
20-YARD SHUTTLE: 3.97 seconds (David Long, Michigan CB)
3.88 – Rodney Randle, Lamar CB
60-YARD SHUTTLE: 11.33 seconds (Taylor Rapp, Washington S)
11.36 seconds – Patrick Laird, California RB
Chris Warner has confirmed his addiction to jellybeans. He can be reached at chris.warner@patriotsdaily.com and on Twitter @cwarn89.
Patriots “That Guy” Draft Preview, 2019 Combine Edition 6 Mar 2019 4:45 AM (6 years ago)
Ah, that time of the year again, folks: the post-combine, pre-draft moment where I continue to miss on most of my Patriots draft predictions.
They say necessity is the mother of invention and, after years of scouting dozens of candidates every spring, I felt the necessity to cut down on my work. Therefore, in large part due to research that went into compiling my award-winning (note: status may be exaggerated) Round-By-Round Review of New England drafts since 2000, I switched to the “That Guy” method of pre-draft Pats predictions, basing upcoming picks on the types of players they have taken this century. You can read our first “That Guy” of 2019 posted after the Senior Bowl here.
The NFL draft begins with Round One on Thursday evening, April 25, Rounds Two and Three on Friday, and Rounds Four through Seven on Saturday. Gone is the glorious grind of a weekend beginning at noon on Saturdays and wrapping Sunday evening; gone with it is my pizza-and-Dr.-Pepper-fueled column rating new New Englanders. I kinda miss those days (the pizza and Dr. Pepper especially). For a rundown of various drills mentioned at last week’s NFL Combine in Indianapolis below, please see the NFL’s workouts page, with in-depth explanations of tests for speed (40-yard dash), quickness (3-cone drill, 20-yard shuttle), and strength (225-pound bench press), among others.
Now, get your pencils and programs. We’re on to the picks.
The Solid First-Round Guy: New England consistently does well with first-round picks weighing 300-plus pounds. Beginning with Richard Seymour in 2001, the list includes defenders Ty Warren (2003), Vince Wilfork (2004), and Malcom Brown (2015) and O-linemen Logan Mankins (2005) and Nate Solder (2011). All long-term starters, with Seymour and Wilfork qualifying as NFL Hall of Fame contenders.
New England will take a long look at Clemson defensive tackle/pick-up truck Dexter Lawrence, who measured in at 6-4, 342 pounds. Lawrence also had the second-best combine bench press with 36 reps, impressive for anyone, much less a guy with 34.75-inch arms. Last season, he made First-team All-American with 44 tackles (7.5 for loss), 1.5 sacks, three tipped passes, and a blocked kick. Lawrence suffered a setback last fall when he got suspended by the NCAA after a positive PED test showed he had something called ostarine in his system. Not sure what that is, but it sounds awful, like a 1970s-era cleaning product discontinued due to harmful side effects.
“You want it clean, use Ostarine! Right, Spot, buddy? Spot? Noooo!”
Anyway, the Patriots can get off to a big start by using their Day One pick on a big guy.
Fun Fact: Lawrence carried the ball once last year, resulting in a two-yard touchdown vs. Louisville. (Video here, but be warned: may cause Fridge flashbacks from Super Bowl 20.)
The “Who’s That Guy?” Guy: New England has chosen less-heralded players in the second and third rounds, with mixed results. While offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer worked out well in 2009, and safety Duron Harmon paid off in 2013, safety Jordan Richards disappointed in 2015. Rutgers safety Saquan Hampton (6-1, 206) seems to fit in this category. He’s rated as a later pick; meanwhile, New England has done well with Rutgers safeties over the past several years. Hampton gathered three interceptions, broke up 13 passes, and totaled 65 stops as a senior. He missed time in college due to injury, another condition of many Patriots second-round selections (looking at Gronk here while trying to ignore Ras-I Dowling). Hampton ran a 4.48 40, a top eight mark for combine safeties, and he put up a 10-foot-5 broad jump, top six for the position.
The 3-Cone Guy: Also known as the Julian Edelman award, the 3-cone drill measures a player’s quickness. While many NFL scouts get attracted to the shiny object of a blazing 40-yard dash, the Patriots tend to focus on players who can get open with sharp routes. (Some highlights of Edelman doing just that in the Super Bowl here.) Here comes Michigan cornerback David Long (not to be confused with West Virginia linebacker David Long, as the NFL Combine page seemed to do). Long (5-11, 196) ran a 6.45-second 3-cone drill and doubled-down on his quicksilver qualities with a 3.97-second 20-yard shuttle. Both of those times topped all participants at Indy. Long had 17 tackles last season, a sign that defenses tended to avoid him. He nabbed one interception and broke up nine passes. Oh, and his 4.45-second 40 didn’t look too shabby, either.
Fun Fact: The quickest 3-cone time from an offensive player this year came from North Dakota State QB Easton Stick, who scored an Edelmanesque 6.65 seconds.
Silly Fact: Quarterback Tim Tebow’s 3-cone time was 6.66, which I have always found hilarious.
The Freakishly Athletic Guy: We’ve referred to this as the Jamie Collins Pick, but now we’ll consider a current Patriot and call it the Obi Melifonwu Selection. Anyone who stands out at the combine with impressive results, such as when the 6-4, 224-pound Melifonwu put up a 44-inch vertical leap and 11-foot-8 broad jump, gets a nod here. Notre Dame receiver Miles Boykin put up similarly batguano-nutface numbers, jumping a 43.5-inch vertical and an 11-foot-8 broad jump. Measuring 6-4, 220 pounds makes his Riverdance-rapid feet look even more outlandish, with a 4.42-second 40, 6.77-second 3-cone, and 4.07 20-yard shuttle. (Some clips of him in action here.) Boykin led the Irish in 2018 with 803 yards receiving, 54 catches, and eight touchdowns.
The Backup QB Guy: The Patriots trading for Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen? I’ll believe it when I see it. New England recently added Jimmy Garoppolo (second round, 2014) and Jacoby Brissett (third round, 2016) as potential successors to Tom Brady, who would have none of it. Time to try again as Brady looks to play the 2019 season as a 42-year-old. I pointed out how well Ryan Finley played in the Senior Bowl, and I saw nothing from his combine performance to take him out of this category. (I mean, let’s face it: New Englanders don’t judge a quarterback by his combine performance.) Last season for N. C. State (Brissett’s alma mater, by the way), Finley completed 67 percent of his passes (326 of 484) for 3,928 yards and 25 touchdowns vs. 11 interceptions.
Previously Mentioned Guys: Finley; David Blough, Purdue
The Offensive Line Double-Dip Guys: Last year held the Patriots took top pick Isaiah Wynn and no other O-linemen, the first year since 2013 when they took fewer than two. They made a double-hit in 2016 with Joe Thuney and Ted Karras, followed by a double-miss in 2017 with Antonio Garcia and Conor McDermott.
My proper prediction of Shaq Mason in 2015 came in part due to a photo of him working out for O-line guru Dante Scarnecchia and belies my poor record calling these picks. With their interior line well-established, let’s look at some college tackles with mid-round rankings. Two guys stick out to me: Mitch Hyatt of Clemson and Max Scharping of Northern Illinois. Hyatt (6-5, 303) ranked third among all offensive linemen in the 20-yard shuttle with a time of 4.52 seconds, top three for combine offensive linemen. He also did well in the 3-cone drill (7.72 seconds) and showed solid strength in the bench press with 28 reps (a top 10 mark for OLs). Hyatt started 57 games over four years for Clemson, earning consensus All-American laurels during the Tigers’ championship run this year.
Scharping is something of a velociraptor at 6-6, 327 pounds, making his shuttle and 3-cone times (4.69 and 7.77 seconds, respectively) all the more impressive. In 2016 and 2017, Scharping made the All-MAC First Team, not allowing a sack in either season. He started 53 consecutive games in his career and played every snap in 2018.
Fun Fact: Scharping caught a 2-point conversion to help Northern Illinois defeat Ohio 24-21 in October.
The Small School Defender Guy: The Patriots picked sixth-rounders Zach Moore (2014) out of Concordia and Markell Carter (2011) out of Central Arkansas. Last year, they picked seventh-round cornerback Keion Crossen out of Western Carolina. They’ve also signed undrafted players such as linebacker Dane Fletcher out of Montana State and a certain “Go” defensive back out of West Alabama. New England scouts seek talent like your deft sibling getting the prize out of a cereal box: they put in the effort, but they seem to have a knack, too.
Looks like defensive end John Cominsky (6-5, 286) out of Division II Charleston fits the bill this year, especially after a whiplash-inducing combine performance. Cominsky ran a 4.69 40 yard dash, third best for all defensive linemen at Indy. He scored seventh for D-linemen in both the vertical and horizontal (broad) jumps. His 7.03-second 3-cone qualified him for third best DL (for comparison, that 3-cone time would have come in sixth among combine running backs). At Charleston, Cominsky had 67 tackles (16.5 for loss), with three sacks, two forced fumbles, and 10 quarterback hits.
Interesting to see what an NFL coach recognized for his defensive schemes could do with a big, quick guy like that. (You know, if any such coach were to come along.)
Previously Mentioned Guy: Khalen Saunders, Western Illinois
The Long-Limbed Defensive End Guy: In 2017, the Patriots took Derek Rivers and Deatrich Wise. In 2015, Trey Flowers got the nod. Though he didn’t test during the combine due to recent pectoral surgery, Austin Bryant (6-4, 271) out of Clemson allegedly has a nearly 81.5-inch wing span, which qualifies him here. (For comparison, LeBron James has an 84-inch wing span.) Bryant had 44 tackles in 2018 (14.5 for loss), including eight sacks in 15 games. He reportedly suffered a pectoral tear in November but played through the injury.
Meanwhile, I spend 30 seconds and at least two audible groans getting out of bed every morning.
Previously Mentioned Guy: Anthony Nelson, Iowa
The Take-A-Chance-On-This-Receiver Guy: Due to the variable nature of their offense, New England has had an overall difficult time drafting productive receivers. Georgia alum Malcolm Mitchell proved instrumental in the team’s 2016 Super Bowl run, but chronic knee issues have prevented him from playing since. The fun pick here looks like Andy Isabella from UMass. He’s too perfect, really: an undersized kid from a local university wowing everyone with a blistering 4.31-second 40? Do I take him here? Do I dare?
I do not. Instead, going with the post-combine high provided by Colorado State’s Bisi Johnson (6-0, 204), he of the sunflower-sized 10.75-inch hands who put up a respectable 4.51-second 40 and impressed in the quickness categories with a 6.88 3-cone (top five for combine receivers) and 4.16 20-yard shuttle (top 10). Last season, Johnson had 54 catches for 796 yards and four touchdowns in 11 games. Do I have the guy New England will pick, here? Probably not. Just trying to anticipate the Pats zigging-not-zagging.
Fun Fact: Johnson’s first career reception for CSU was a touchdown his freshman year.
Previously Mentioned Guy: Keelan Doss, UC Davis
The Backup Tight End Guy: With veteran Dwayne Allen getting cut and both Jacob Hollister and Ryan Izzo coming off IR, might be time to stock up on help for Rob Gronkowski. Historically, the Pats have done well picking tight ends early, with Daniel Graham (2002) and Benjamin Watson (2004) in the first round and Gronk (2010) in the second. The 2019 draft class has some top-heavy talent at the position, but maybe New England will (zigging, not zagging) wait a bit before bulking up there. That brings me to Drew Sample out of Washington.
Ever since his Senior Bowl performance, I’ve kept an eye onSample (6-5, 255), and he hasn’t disappointed. He ran a 4.71 40 and posted a 7.15 3-cone, the ninth- and fifth-best times respectively among combine tight ends. Used largely as a blocker, Sample managed 25 catches for Washington last season, gaining 252 yards and scoring three touchdowns.
Fun Fact: Sample earned the Iron Husky Award for his work in the weight room.
Previously Mentioned Guy: Sample
The Alabama Guy: Due to Belichick’s close, long-term relationship with Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban, Alabama alums have the advantage of playing with similar football concepts to those in Foxboro. The fact that 2012 first-rounder Dont’a Hightower performed so well as a rookie came from his time in Alabama’s defense. Depending on availability, I’m liking outside linebacker Christian Miller. He’s got good size at 6-3, 247, and he showed some power with a 38.5-inch vertical, top three for edge defenders at the combine (he did not run the 40 after dealing with a hamstring injury at the end of last season). Out of Miller’s 36 tackles last year for Alabama, 11.5 went for loss, including 8.5 sacks.
Fun Fact: As a senior at Spring Valley High in South Carolina, Miller tallied 188 tackles and 24 sacks. I mean, I know that’s just high school, but yikes.
The Alabama Backup Tight End Guy: New category this year, specifically for Irv Smith (6-2, 242). The ‘Bama tight end had a solid combine showing, looking smooth catching passes and scoring well in drills. His 4.63-second 40 put him in the top three for tight ends in Indy, while his 32.5-inch vertical put him in the top 10. As a junior this past season at Alabama, Smith caught 44 passes for 710 yards and seven touchdowns, the school’s single-season record for tight end TDs.
Strong TE class this year, which of course means the Patriots will forego the draft and sign some free agent from a sub-.500 team who will catch 30 balls.
The Special Teams Guy: In 2008, the Patriots drafted Matthew Slater out of UCLA. At the time, he was seen as a kick returner and fourth or fifth receiver. Instead, he turned into the Patriots’ best special teamer of this era. New England took Nate Ebner out of Ohio State in the 2012 sixth round, proving their willingness to spend picks on special teams talent (as if taking kicker Stephen Gostkowski with a 2006 fourth and long snapper Joe Cardona with a 2015 fifth hadn’t already convinced us). Looking at a smallish linebacker type with past production on his resumé brings us to Dre Greenlaw out of Arkansas (I mean, after Wise and Flowers, we’ve got to have another Arkansas connection, right?). Former Razorback coach/current Patriots consultant Bret Bielema could provide a connection here, as he recruited Greenlaw. The 5-11, 237-pound ‘backer only played eight games last season due to a foot injury, yet managed to rack up 80 tackles (6.5 for loss), two sacks, and two interceptions. He did not run at Indy but put up 24 reps on the bench press, top six for combine LBs.
The Seventh-Round Slot Receiver Guy: Edelman in 2009. Jeremy Ebert in 2012. Jeremy Gallon in 2014. The Pats haven’t been able to repeat that Edelman magic, but the relatively low expense of a last-round pick means they should keep trying. Would love to see Cody Thompson (6-1, 205) get a shot here. The former high school QB converted to receiver at Toledo (a MAC school like Edelman’s Kent State. Coincidence? Yeah, probably). Thompson ran a less-than-spectacular 4.57 40, which could keep his stock around the late-round level. However, he excelled in the all-hallowed quickness categories, running a 4.03-second 20-yard shuttle and a 6.87 3-cone, first and fourth among receivers, respectively.
Thompson caught 48 passes for 647 yards and a team-leading 10 touchdown receptions this past year. He set the Rockets’ career record for touchdown grabs with 30.
Fun Fact: As a high school senior quarterback in Huron, Ohio, Thompson threw for 1,883 yards and 17 touchdowns while rushing for 1,139 yards and 22 TDs.
Previously Mentioned Guys:Isabella, UMass; Terry Godwin, Georgia
The Navy Guy: Belichick has a storied relationship with the Naval Academy through his father’s time there as a coach. WhileCardona remains the only member of the Naval Academy to get picked by the Patriots, multiple cadets have made their way to Foxboro, including fullbacks Kyle Eckel and Eric Kettani. (Fun catching-up interview with Kettani including several mentions of Belichick and other Navy/Pats alums here.)
No Navy players received an NFL Combine invitation. We’ll keep an eye on whether former quarterback/running back/receiver Zach Abey (6-1, 212) tests at a pro day this spring.
Well, that’s all for now, Pats fans. We’ll review a few things – including a “Combine Snubs Who Showed ‘Em” pro day piece (last year’s included Pats seventh-round pick Crossen) – and post a quick “That Guy” rundown a couple of days before the draft. Thanks for giving this a read.
Chris Warner once jumped a 27-inch vertical in college, probably. His email is chris.warner@patriotsdaily.com; his Twitter is cwarn89.
Round-By-Round Review, Pats Draft 2019 25 Feb 2019 4:45 AM (6 years ago)
Trying to focus on the draft to distract from the thought of a 77-year-old multibillionaire flying down to Florida to spend eighty bucks on oh I can’t even let’s just please move on from this horror.
Draft grades are dumb. We had no idea that sixth-rounder Tom Brady would become the greatest quarterback, or that seventh-rounder Julian Edelman would become a Super Bowl MVP. Shoot, even this past fall, first-round running back Sony Michel took months to develop and got tagged as a bust. We won’t know how the 2018 draft will pan out for at least another year, as most of the class went to IR and has to wait until this summer before they can work toward finding a role on the team.
Grading year-to-year also gets problematic over time, because some years have better talent than others. Back in 2007, for example, New England selected nine players, with only first-round safety Brandon Meriweather making the active roster. We have to assume Belichick tried to trade those picks for future selections, but no one wanted to get bogged down with a less-than-stellar group. For this column, instead of dealing with the inconsistency of each years’ player options, we look at rounds, which has given us a better idea of how the Patriots front office has fared over the past 19 drafts.
After yet another Super Bowl win, we realize fans may have gotten behind in your Pats-centric draft research. We posted the first installment of our “That Guy” draft series after the Senior Bowl earlier this month, and look to post another after the NFL Combine in early March.
In terms of ratings, I’ve tried to keep it simple: those who stay with the team and play out their contracts are considered successes, while those who get cut do not. While some second-rounders (like safety Tavon Wilson, for example) may not have met expectations, late-rounders like Brady and Edelman far exceeded them; all are viewed as successes here, and they tend to balance each other out.
As of this writing, the Patriots have a whopping 12 picks in the 2019 draft, including six in the first three rounds. Round One is Day One; Rounds Two and Three are Day Two; Rounds Four through Seven are Day Three. The NFL Draft Three-Day Jamboree is right around the corner in (checks notes) late April? Yeesh. Well, we hope until then that you refer to this list often. There’s a reason New England contends for the championship every year, and it started back with a late-round selection in 2000.
Ready? On to the picks.
First Round –
2000: None (pick went to NYJ for BB)
2001: Richard Seymour,DL, Georgia
2002: Dan Graham,TE, Colorado
2003: Ty Warren, DL, Texas A&M
2004: Vince Wilfork, DL, Miami; Benjamin Watson, TE, Georgia
2005: Logan Mankins, OL, Fresno State
2006: Laurence Maroney, RB, Minnesota
2007: Brandon Meriweather, DB, Miami
2008: Jerod Mayo, LB, Tennessee
2009: (No Pick – traded down)
2010: Devin McCourty, DB, Rutgers
2011: Nate Solder, OT, Colorado
2012: Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse; Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama
2013: (No Pick – traded down)
2014: Dominique Easley, DL, Florida
2015: Malcom Brown, DL, Texas
2016: (No pick – Taken away because of the Ideal Gas Law)
2017: (No pick – traded to New Orleans for Brandin Cooks)
2018: Isaiah Wynn, OL, Georgia; Sony Michel, RB, Georgia
Total Picks: 17
Successful Picks: 14 (Seymour, Graham, Warren, Wilfork, Watson, Mankins, Mayo, McCourty, Solder, Jones, Hightower, Brown, Wynn, Michel)
Most Successful Pick: Seymour
Percentage: 82
New England does well with their earliest shots, as every first-round pick has started in Foxboro (even Easley had three starts). Here in the first round, I’m going against what I said before about rating the quality of player contributions by marking Maroney and Meriweather as non-successes. They don’t qualify as total busts, as Maroney started in Foxboro and rushed for 1,580 yards in his first two years, while Meriweather had 12 interceptions in four seasons with New England before hanging around the NFL for five more years. If they’d been second-rounders, they’d rate better; both just failed to live up to the lofty status set by most Patriots first-rounders.
The Patriots’ one first-round pick in 2019 comes right at the end of Day One. In the past, they’ve considered trading down to the second round for more picks and flexibility. This year, with so much trade fodder, they should consider moving up the board, because there’s a sharp drop off in success rate for Day Two. Case in point:
Second Round –
2000: Adrian Klemm, OT, Hawaii
2001: Matt Light, OT, Purdue
2002: Deion Branch, WR, Louisville
2003: Eugene Wilson, DB, Illinois; Bethel Johnson, WR, Texas A&M
2004: Marquise Hill, DE, LSU
2005: (No pick)
2006: Chad Jackson, WR, Florida
2007: (No pick – traded for Wes Welker)
2008: Terrence Wheatley, DB, Colorado
2009: Patrick Chung, DB, Oregon; Ron Brace, DT, BC; Darius Butler, DB, UConn; Sebastian Vollmer, OT, Houston
2010: Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona; Jermaine Cunningham, DE, Florida; Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida.
2011: Ras-I Dowling, DB, Virginia; Shane Vereen, RB, California
2012: Tavon Wilson, DB, Illinois
2013: Jamie Collins, OLB, Southern Miss; Aaron Dobson, WR, Marshall
2014: Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, Eastern Illinois
2015: Jordan Richards, DB, Stanford
2016: Cyrus Jones, DB, Alabama
2017: (No pick)
2018: Duke Dawson, DB, Florida
Total Picks: 24
Successful Picks: 12 (Light, Branch, E. Wilson, Vollmer, Gronkowski, Spikes, Vereen, T. Wilson, Collins, Garoppolo, Chung, Dawson)
Most Successful Pick: Gronkowski
Percentage: 50
See? Sharp drop. Precipitous, even. (Note: this is not a knock against Belichick’s drafting, merely a heads-up on the fickle nature of this process.) The Patriots tend to take some chances in Round Two, like picking high-potential-but-oft-injured players such as Gronkowski (woohoo!) and Dowling (oof). They also have a rough record drafting defensive backs in this round, with Jones as the latest example (writer Oliver Thomas sums up their DB woes in this piece on Jordan Richards from last September.)
Again, New England has shown a tendency to trade out of the first round into the second, which is why they’ve had 24 Round Twos vs. 17 Round Ones. They should reconsider this strategy in 2019 because they have two Round Two picks to play with, and it just makes sense that, when they pick higher, they do better.
Third Round –
2000: J. R. Redmond, RB, Arizona State
2001: Brock Williams, DB, Notre Dame
2002: (No pick)
2003: (No pick)
2004: Guss Scott, DB, Florida
2005: Ellis Hobbs III, CB, Iowa State; Nick Kaczur, OL, Toledo
2006: David Thomas, TE, Texas
2007: (No pick)
2008: Shawn Crable, OLB, Michigan; Kevin O’Connell, QB, San Diego State
2009: Brandon Tate, WR, North Carolina; Tyrone McKenzie, LB, South Florida
2010: Taylor Price, WR, Ohio
2011: Stevan Ridley, RB, LSU; Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas
2012: Jake Bequette, DE, Arkansas
2013: Logan Ryan, DB, Rutgers; Duron Harmon, DB, Rutgers
2014: (No pick)
2015: Geneo Grissom, DL, Oklahoma
2016: Joe Thuney, OL, N. C. State; Jacoby Brissett, QB, N. C. State; Vincent Valentine, DL, Nebraska
2017: Derek Rivers, DE, Youngstown State; Antonio Garcia, OT, Troy
2018: (No pick)
Total Picks: 22
Successful Picks: 9 (Hobbs, Kaczur, Ridley, Mallett, Ryan, Harmon, Thuney, Brissett, Rivers)
Most Successful Pick: Thuney (formerly Ryan)
Percentage: 41
Just a reminder that the Patriots picked Grissom before Trey Flowers in the 2015 draft, which tells us (yet again) that we can’t know how a draft haul will work out until at least a couple of seasons later. Once again, I’m linking to this 2013 post-draft analysis with Bruce Allen, Chad Finn, Chris Price, and Mike Reiss where I gave both Rutgers DBs a “fair” rating. (I’m so good at this, you guys!). I said last year that Thuney looked geared up to take over the Most Successful mantle, and his yeoman work with three straight Super-Bowl-bound offensive lines puts him there. Brissett earns a successful ranking because he provided value for two seasons as a backup quarterback and via trade.
Rivers showed preseason potential before missing all of his rookie year with a knee injury; he had two tackles and one sack in six games this season. Will he come back stronger in Year Three? Speaking of pass rushers with potential, here’s where I link to my annual visual reminder that Crable once jumped over a dude.
We begin to see wide fluctuations in draft success here, with some big hits and a few more misses. (Still think they should have held onto Tate as a receiver/returner instead of signing Ochocinco. Glad to get that off my chest after eight years.)
Fourth Round –
2000: Greg Robinson-Randall, OT, Michigan State
2001: Kenyatta Jones, OT, South Florida; Jabari Holloway, TE, Notre Dame
2002: Rohan Davey, QB, LSU; Jarvis Green, DE, LSU
2003: Dan Klecko, DL, Temple; Asante Samuel, CB, Central Florida
2004: Dexter Reid, DB, North Carolina; Cedric Cobbs, RB, Arkansas
2005: James Sanders, DB, Fresno State
2006: Garrett Mills, FB, Tulsa; Stephen Gostkowski, K, Memphis
2007: Kareem Brown, DL, Miami
2008: Jonathan Wilhite, DB, Auburn
2009: Rich Ohrnberger, OL, Penn State
2010: The Tight End Who Shan’t Be Named, Florida
2011: (No Pick)
2012: (No Pick)
2013: Josh Boyce, WR, TCU
2014: Bryan Stork, OL, Florida State; James White, RB, Wisconsin; Cameron Fleming, OL, Stanford
2015: Trey Flowers, DL, Arkansas; Tré Jackson, OL, Florida State; Shaq Mason, OL, Georgia Tech
2016: Malcolm Mitchell, WR, Georgia
2017: Deatrich Wise, DE, Arkansas
2018: (No pick)
Total Picks: 25
Successful Picks: 11 (Green, Samuel, Sanders, Gostkowski, Stork, White, Fleming, Flowers, Mason, Mitchell, Wise)
Most Successful Pick: Samuel
Percentage: 44
The Patriots remain consistent in these middle rounds, missing more often than not but managing enough success to help out the team on a regular basis. White, Flowers, and Mason all deserve credit for helping keep New England at their recent championship level, though none of them has individually risen above Samuel’s status. Wise, another Arkansas alum, has bolstered the D-line for the past two seasons. Wanted to keep Mitchell as a success, but after a strong rookie season, knee injuries have kept him off the field. So too with Tré Jackson, who looked like a keeper before knee woes shortened his NFL career. Jackson is currently starting at guard for the Orlando Apollos in the Alliance of American Football.
Upon review, the 2010 draft makes me wish Belichick had never met Urban Meyer. Good Heavens.
The Patriots have three picks in the third round this year and one in the fourth. Considering their success rate stays pretty level in the middle of the draft, expect them to use their capital to move around the board and pluck players they like on Day Two and early Day Three.
Fifth Round –
2000: Dave Stachelski, TE, Boise State; Jeff Marriott, DT, Missouri
2001: Hakim Akbar, DB, Washington
2002: (No pick)
2003: Dan Koppen, OL, Boston College
2004: P. K. Sam, WR, Florida State
2005: Ryan Claridge, OLB, UNLV
2006: Ryan O’Callaghan, OL, California
2007: Clint Oldenburg, OL, Colorado State
2008: Matthew Slater, WR, UCLA
2009: George Bussey, OL, Louisville
2010: Zoltan Mesko, P, Michigan
2011: Marcus Cannon, OL, TCU; Lee Smith, TE, Marshall
2012: (No pick)
2013: (No pick)
2014: (No pick)
2015: Joe Cardona, LS, Navy
2016: (No pick)
2017: (No pick)
2018: Ja’Whaun Bentley, LB, Purdue
Total Picks: 15
Successful Picks: 6 (Koppen, Slater, Mesko, Cannon, Cardona, Bentley)
Most Successful Pick: Koppen
Percentage: 40
With the fewest picks of any round, I wouldn’t blame you if you skipped the fifth and just went on to the next one. I used to refer to this round as “Koppen or Bust,” but Cannon and Cardona have given this area of the draft a better rep in Foxboro. Now Bentley, who showed some spark early this past season before getting injured, could add another success story. No fifth round picks for New England this year as of this writing (they traded theirs to Cleveland for Josh Gordon), though they may look to swap for one and bolster their special teams a lá Slater at this point on Day Three. Could just be coincidence, but Belichick has traded out of this round more than any other.
Fun fact: Went to look up how many tackles Slater had this season and discovered the NFL lists him as a receiver. He has one regular-season reception in his career (2011). Weird choice, NFL.
Posted this last year and wanted to reiterate that Ryan O’Callaghan came out in 2017 and is doing well now, thanks very much.
Sixth Round –
2000: Antwan Harris, CB, Virginia; Tom Brady, QB, Michigan; David Nugent, DT, Purdue.
2001: Arther Love, TE, South Carolina State; Leonard Myers, DB, Miami
2002: (No pick)
2003: Kliff Kingsbury, QB, Texas Tech
2004: (No pick)
2005: (No pick)
2006: Jeremy Mincey, OLB, Florida; Dan Stevenson, OL, Notre Dame; LeKevin Smith, DL, Nebraska
2007: Justin Rogers, OLB, SMU; Justise Hairston, RB, Central Connecticut; Corey Hilliard, OL, Oklahoma State
2008: Bo Ruud, OLB, Nebraska
2009: Jake Ingram, LS, Hawaii; Myron Pryor, DT, Kentucky
2010: Ted Larsen, C, NC State
2011: Markell Carter, DE, Central Arkansas
2012: Nate Ebner, DB, Ohio State
2013: (No Pick)
2014: John Halapio, OL, Florida; Zach Moore, DE, Concordia
2015: Matthew Wells, LB, Mississippi State; A. J. Derby, TE, Arkansas
2016: Kamu Grugier-Hill, OLB, Eastern Illinois; Elandon Roberts, ILB, Houston; Ted Karras, OL, Illinois
2017: Conor McDermott, OT, UCLA
2018: Christian Sam, LB, Arizona State; Braxton Berrios, WR, Miami
Total Picks: 28
Successful Picks: 7 (Brady, Pryor, Ebner, Roberts, Karras, Sam, Berrios)
Most Successful Pick: The Guy Who Needs The Other Thumb To Hold All His Rings
Percentage: 25
Round Six shows a sizable decrease in keepers and yields the lowest return overall. It demonstrates the amazing crapshoot of this whole process, as New England selected cornerback Harris before their quarterback of the future in 2000. They also took long snapper Ingram one round before choosing Edelman in 2009. At the time? No one cared.
Six Rounds, Six Rings. Nice. Recent pluses include Roberts, who totaled 65 tackles this season and was a real hit in the Super Bowl (guffaw!), as you’ll see at the 0:44 mark of this GMFB highlight where he floors Rams tackle Roger Saffold. Karras has been lauded as a smart, strong backup for the Patriots’ excellent interior O-line. Ebner came back this season after missing the latter part of 2017 with an injury, and he stood out on special teams with 13 tackles.
New England has one selection in the sixth this spring, a compensatory pick for Danny Amendola. Time to grab another receiver?
Actually, hold that thought…
Seventh Round –
2000: Casey Tisdale, OLB, New Mexico; Patrick Pass, RB, Georgia
2001: Owen Pochman, K, BYU; T. J. Turner, LB, Michigan State
2002: Antwoine Womack, RB, Virginia; David Givens, WR, Notre Dame
2003: Spencer Nead, TE, BYU; Tully Banta-Cain, LB, California; Ethan Kelley, NT, Baylor
2004: Christian Morton, CB, Florida State
2005: Matt Cassel, QB, Southern California; Andy Stokes, TE, William Penn
2006: Willie Andrews, DB, Baylor
2007: Oscar Lua, LB, Southern California; Mike Elgin, OL, Iowa
2008: (No pick)
2009: Julian Edelman, WR, Kent State; Darryl Richard, DT, Georgia Tech
2010: Thomas Welch, OT, Vanderbilt; Brandon Deaderick, DL, Alabama; Kade Weston, DL, Georgia; Zac Robinson, QB, Oklahoma State
2011: Malcolm Williams, CB, TCU
2012: Alfonso Dennard, DB, Nebraska; Jeremy Ebert, WR, Northwestern
2013: Michael Buchanan, DE, Illinois; Steve Beauharnais, LB, Rutgers
2014: Jeremy Gallon, WR, Michigan
2015: Darryl Roberts, DB, Marshall
2016: Devin Lucien, WR, Arizona State
2017: (No pick)
2018: Danny Etling, QB, LSU; Keion Crossen, DB, Western Carolina; Ryan Izzo, TE, Florida State
Total Picks: 32 (sooo many picks!)
Successful Picks: 10 (Pass, Givens, Banta-Cain, Cassel, Edelman, Deaderick, Dennard, Etling, Crossen, Izzo)
Most Successful Pick: Your Super Bowl MVP
Percentage: 31
New England selects more players in the seventh than any other round, treating this area of the draft as a place to nab promising rookies without having to outbid other teams for undrafted free agents. Not a high percentage, but quantity has provided some quality, with Edelman the most outstanding example and Crossen the most recent one. Contributors who didn’t make the “success” list include pass rusher Buchanan (nine tackles in 15 games as a rookie) and D-back/special teamer Andrews (24 tackles in two seasons).
Fun fact: Lucien, who spent time on New England’s practice squad, caught a touchdown pass for the Memphis Express in last Saturday’s AAF game against the Apollos.
The Patriots have four seventh-round picks in 2019. If they don’t seek out a slot-type receiver at some point during these final moments of Day Three, get me my fainting couch.
Post-draft, it’s on to the free-for-all to accumulate undrafted rookie talent. Segue!
UDFAs
Every team needs help from rookie free agents, but perhaps no team has gotten better aid recently than the Patriots. From Georgia center David Andrews anchoring the team’s O-line for three straight Super Bowls, to Auburn corner Jonathan Jones confusing the Rams by becoming a safety, to a certain West Alabama defensive back answering the call to “Go!” You can check out our “Who’s The FA? UDFA!” column from 2017 for another look at that year’s haul, including Wyoming tight end Jacob Hollister and Vanderbilt defensive lineman Adam Butler.
Some past UDFAs who contributed: Stephen Neal, OL; Tom Ashworth, OL; Eric Alexander, LB; Randall Gay, DB; Wesley Britt, OL; Antwain Spann, CB; Kyle Eckel, RB; Santonio Thomas, DL: Mike Wright, DL; Corey Mays, LB; Pierre Woods, OLB; BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB; Vince Redd, OLB, Tyson Devree, TE; Gary Guyton, LB; Ray Ventrone, DB; Chris Harper, WR; Josh Kline, OL.
Some UDFAs on the roster now: Andrews, Butler, Hollister, Jones, Brian Hoyer, QB, Michigan State; Cole Croston, OL, Iowa; Ryan Allen, P, Louisiana Tech; Brandon King, DB, Auburn; JC Jackson, Maryland; Trent Harris, DL, Miami; Frank Herron, DL, LSU; A. J. Howard, DB, Appalachian State; Damoun Patterson, WR, Youngstown State.
Only one undrafted rookie (Jackson) made the regular roster last year, in part because New England already had a plethora of picks and talent. Looks like a similar situation this year – especially with most of the 2018 draft class returning from injury – though we can’t count out the annual tradition of at least one Patriots UDFA making the team. Fun to keep track of this spring.
Please watch out for our next “That Guy” column after the NFL Combine wraps up early next week.
Chris Warner is looking forward to this draft, like he does every year, and he will end up getting bored, like he does every year. You can reach him via email at chris.warner@patriotsdaily.com or through Twitter @cwarn89.
Super Bowl Reviews, With A Little Bit Of Luck (2019 Edition) 13 Feb 2019 4:50 AM (6 years ago)
Here we go again with our mostly-annual rundown of every NFL champ since 2001 finding good fortune. A bounce, a call, an unforced error from their opponent: with the competitiveness of the playoffs, any one play can help determine a team’s fate.
Take New England’s win over Los Angeles as an example. While Rams receiver Brandin Cooks streaked toward the end zone, free as an antelope, quarterback Jared Goff took a few seconds to recognize the situation and threw a wrinkled paper airplane of a pass. Goff’s lack of recognition and ball control allowed cornerback Jason McCourty to zip toward Cooks and strike his arm, breaking up the attempt.
Without Goff’s misstep and McCourty’s efforts, the Rams take a 7-3 lead in the third quarter of a game where points were harder to come by than in a drawer of spoons. That, dear readers, becomes a different game, and then maybe we’re discussing how the Rams got lucky on Stephen Gostkowski’s missed first quarter field goal.
The next time someone tells you the Patriots got lucky, just say yes, they did, just like every other team on this list. That said, New England is the only team to do it six times out of 18, an accomplishment that is absolutely batguano banana nuts.
Let’s get this started with a snowy night in January 2002. (Note: each Super Bowl year is listed for the season just played, e.g., the 2001 Patriots played in the January/February 2002 playoffs.)
2001 Super Bowl: New England 20, St. Louis 17
Most Fortunate Moment: Has to be the Tuck Rule, right? An obscure, now-abolished rule – albeit one with which Patriots fans had become familiar in 2001 after their Week Two game against the Jets (take it away, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss!) – was implemented to overturn an apparent Tom Brady fumble, thus prolonging a drive and allowing Adam Vinatieri to kick the football into the maw of a blizzard for the greatest field goal in playoff history.
Hey, Raiders fans? Of course you’re upset. I’m just saying, consider the idea that your team may have lost in Pittsburgh the following week, or come up short against the Rams in the Super Bowl. Beating New England wouldn’t have necessarily put Oakland on the same championship path. We can all be friends, right?
Ah. I see. Fair enough.
Honorable Mention: Pittsburgh’s special teams collapse in the AFC Championship game, allowing two TDs (punt return and blocked kick return); having Drew Bledsoe as a bench QB after Brady hurt his ankle in the first half of that game; the Super Bowl refs adapting a “let ’em play” attitude, with Pats defensive backs getting more hands on more Rams than a consortium of sheep farmers.
2002 Super Bowl: Tampa Bay 48, Oakland 21
Most Fortunate Moment: Coach Jon Gruden got to play his previous team in the Super Bowl, which proved beneficial when new Oakland head coach Bill Callahan failed to make significant changes to the offense. Talk about an in-depth scouting report. Seriously, Raiders fans should stop obsessing over the Tuck Rule and wonder how their coach neglected to put in any dummy calls leading up to the Super Bowl. Deep-sea robots found a better map to success on the Titanic.
Honorable Mention: Oakland’s starting center Barret Robbins did not play after failing to show up to practice Super Bowl week (he was later diagnosed with manic depression).
2003 Super Bowl: New England 32, Carolina 29
Most Fortunate Moment: After Carolina tied it at 29, John Kasay’s kickoff sailed out-of-bounds, giving New England possession at their own 40 with 1:08 left. Vinatieri booted the game-winner with four seconds left on the clock.
Honorable Mention: Panthers coach John Fox went for two 2-point conversions in the fourth quarter and failed; in the divisional playoffs, normally sure-handed Titans receiver Drew Bennett dropped a pass that would have gotten Tennessee into field goal position to tie it; in the AFC Championship vs. Peyton Manning and the Colts, the refs allowed the Pats’ defensive backs to play with the type of aggression that would get penalized today; plus, snow fell in Foxboro, putting the dome-denizen Colts at a disadvantage.
2004 Super Bowl: New England 24, Philadelphia 21
Most Fortunate Moment: The failure of the Eagles to assist shaken QB Donovan McNabb. Down by 10, Philly failed to hurry on offense, in part because McNabb was having trouble breathing after getting hit by Tedy Bruschi. (You can read the myth- and vomit-busting story on that here.)
Honorable Mention: Optimum health at the optimum time. As they had in 2003, many New England starters missed games due to injury, but most came back in time for the playoffs. Once again, Elsa let it go in Foxboro vs. the Colts.
Overall, it’s tough to associate pure luck with this team: one of the best of the decade and certainly one of the strongest, deepest squads in Patriots history.
2005 Super Bowl: Pittsburgh 21, Seattle 10
Most Fortunate Moment: Not having to face the Patriots in the playoffs. (This isn’t pure homerism: New England had escorted Pittsburgh home twice in four years.)
Honorable Mention: Some close officiating in the big game. This is not to say that Pittsburgh didn’t deserve to win (they appeared to be the better squad), but had some of those close calls gone the other way, Seattle would have been the lucky ones. In the divisional playoffs at Indianapolis, Jerome Bettis fumbled on the Colts’ two-yard line, potentially paving the way for glory for Nick Harper on the fumble return, but Roethlisberger made a desperation tackle at Indy’s 42; Colts kicker/villain Mike Vanderjagt missed a potential game-tying 47-yard field goal.
2006 Super Bowl: Indianapolis 29, Chicago 17
Most Fortunate Moment: Peyton Manning finally figured out in the AFC Championship that he could settle for drive-sustaining first downs instead of heaving long passes. The Patriots defense had to stay on the field forever and couldn’t protect their halftime lead.
Honorable Mention: The Patriots defense was also suffering from the flu, wearing them down further; NE receiver Reche Caldwell dropped an easy pass that would have at least led to a clock-killing first down; cornerback Ellis Hobbs got a questionable pass interference call in the end zone that led to a Colts score; Troy Brown got flagged for offensive pass interference on a rarely called pick play; Indy got to play Rex Grossman in the Super Bowl.
2007 Super Bowl: New York 17, New England 14
Most Fortunate Moment: We think we know what most fans would say, but we’ll point to the NFC Championship, specifically Brett Favre and his ill-advised pass-punt in overtime. This easy interception led to the Giants’ game-winning field goal. Few New England fans doubt that the Pats would have cruised past the Packers.
Honorable Mention: The Helmet Catch, of course; Eli Manning fumbled twice in the Super Bowl but lost neither; Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel failed to secure what could have been the game-sealing interception on New York’s final drive.
2008 Super Bowl: Pittsburgh 27, Arizona 23
Most Fortunate Moment: This is one of the most overlooked plays in Super Bowl history. While Steelers defender James Harrison returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown, he got unintentional help from Cardinal Antrel Rolle who – stepping onto the edge of the field for a closer look – bumped receiver Larry Fitzgerald, preventing Fitzgerald from making the tackle in time. (Keep an eye on number 11 running along the sideline in this clip.) At least a 10-point swing in a four-point game.
Honorable Mention: Roethlisberger bounced back from a concussion suffered during the final week of the regular season to beat the Chargers in the divisional round (um, maybe “bounced back” is the wrong phrase to use when discussing concussions); in the AFC Championship, the QB fumbled twice but lost neither in a 24-19 win over the Jets.
2009 Super Bowl: New Orleans 31, Indianapolis 17
Most Fortunate Moment: On a potential game-tying drive, Colts receiver Reggie Wayne came up short on his route, allowing Tracy Porter to cut in front of him for a pick-six.
Honorable Mention: During their on-sides kick – a gamble akin to betting on the Patriots at halftime in SB 51 – Indy receiver Hank Baskett had the ball bounce off of him, giving the Saints possession to open the second half.
2010 Super Bowl: Green Bay 31, Pittsburgh 25
Most Fortunate Moment: As I’ve written for the past few years, honest to God, I remember nothing about these playoffs. Apparently the Chicago Bears were down to their third-string QB (Caleb Hanie) in the NFC Championship game; Hanie threw an interception directly at Packers defensive lineman B. J. Raji, which seems like trying to throw a crumpled-up piece of paper into a wastebasket and not realizing there’s a door in front of it.
Honorable Mention: Uh, health, probably? Seriously, I got nothing. Did these playoffs happen?
2011 Super Bowl: New York 21, New England 17
Most Fortunate Moment: An injury to regular San Francisco punt returner Ted Ginn, Jr. forced Kyle Williams into the spotlight for the NFC Championship. Not ideal for the Niners, as Williams muffed one return and fumbled the other, respectively leading to a regulation TD and the game-winning field goal in overtime for New York’s 20-17 win.
Honorable Mention: Gronkowski getting hurt during the AFC Championship, making him less than 100 percent for the Super Bowl; New York fumbling three times in the big game and – again – maintaining possession on each.
2012 Super Bowl: Baltimore 34, San Francisco 31
Most Fortunate Moment: In the divisional playoff, Denver safety Rahim Moore got lost on Joe Flacco’s 70-yard pass, allowing the tying touchdown with 31 seconds left to play. Baltimore won in OT.
Honorable Mention: Gronkowski’s absence from the AFC Championship game; Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib’s injury during that game opening up the passing lanes for Flacco; in the Super Bowl, terrible play-calling for the 49ers on their potential game-winning drive; on that drive, the refs allowed contact on a potential pass interference penalty in the end zone. (Something that probably would get the call this year.)
2013 Super Bowl: Seattle 43, Denver 8
Most Fortunate Moment: On the first snap of the game, Denver center Manny Ramirez shotgunned the football past Peyton Manning into the end zone for an oh-I-guess-the-game-started-already safety. Seattle’s D ended up having a huge game, but they didn’t have to lift a finger to get the lead. The Broncos’ lack of preparedness for the Seahawks’ 12th man set the tone for the night.
Honorable Mention: In the NFC title game, on a fourth-and-seven play, Niners defensive end Aldon Smith went offside, giving QB Russell Wilson a freebie (as he told in this game story); Jermaine Kearse snatched Wilson’s pass in the end zone, giving Seattle a 20-17 lead on their way to a 23-17 win.
2014 Super Bowl: New England 28, Seattle 24
Most Fortunate Moment: You know, considering the Seahawks failed to convert an earlier third-and-one, I never thought that play call was the worst in Super Bowl history (take it easy, Seattle Times). However, their decision to pass from the one-yard line gave rookie Patriots defensive back (and budding star) Malcolm Butler the chance to intercept the ball and seal the game. Call it a combination of fortune and diligence, as the Patriots had planned for that exact play in the previous week’s practice (cue the “Do Your Job” review).
Honorable Mention: After dealing with key injuries in previous playoffs, the Patriots finally got to compete with a mostly healthy roster, as Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Vince Wilfork and a full O-line contributed; Cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner signed with New England and re-shaped the defense. (For one year, at least. One remarkable year.)
Reviewing their final two playoff games, the Seahawks seemed destined to win. From Green Bay’s inexplicable breakdown in the NFC Championship to Tom Brady’s first interception (Not. Good.) to what is now deemed The Kearse Catch, Seattle looked like SB repeaters for sure. The Pats just needed a break. And they got it.
2015 Super Bowl: Denver 24, Carolina 10
Most Fortunate Moment: Stephen Gostkowski’s missed extra-point kick in the American Conference Championship. I know, Denver deserves credit for a great defensive effort throughout the playoffs. Still, Brady got knocked down and got back up again more than the lead singer of Chumbawumba, yet still managed to bring the Patriots down the field for a touchdown to Gronk in the final minute. We all have to agree that overtime would have been awfully interesting.
Honorable Mention: General good health throughout the year, plus a backup QB in Brock Osweiler who played well. Also (and I’m not sure where this lies in terms of luck), but it’s amazing that in the Super Bowl Peyton Manning converted only one of 14 third down attempts (a whopping seven percent). Lucky that everything came together for such a great defense, I guess?
2016 Super Bowl: New England 34, Atlanta 28
Most Fortunate Moment: Sticking with the idea of luck as something you do not control, I’m going with Atlanta calling a pass on second down from New England’s 23-yard line with under four minutes left and a 28-20 lead (running the ball would have been the safe call there, as this particular gambler would vehemently attest.) Sack, Trey Flowers. Atlanta drops back to pass again to make up some yardage – holding call. Third down again, incomplete pass. Fourth down, punt. Pats get the ball back with 3:30 left. A crazy sequence of events, there.
Honorable Mention: Kudos to Edelman for maintaining his focus during his Catch, but – considering every defensive back in the vicinity touched the football – the play seems more remarkable with each viewing; running back Tevin Coleman’s injury in the fourth quarter may have convinced the Falcons’ staff to pass on the ensuing third and one play; unfortunately for Atlanta, smaller back Devonta Freeman slowed down Dont’a Hightower only slightly more than wind resistance, leading to the linebacker’s game-changing strip sack. At that point (8:24 left), the Falcons’ 28-12 lead didn’t seem so safe anymore.
2017 Super Bowl: Philadelphia 41, New England 33
Most Fortunate Moment: At the end of the first half, the Eagles called a pass to the quarterback on fourth and goal at the one that netted them a touchdown. On that play, the Eagles receiver lined up a full yard off the line, yet the refs neglected to call illegal formation. “Philly Special,” indeed.
Honorable Mention: Gostkowski missed a short field goal and an extra point; a Philly touchdown to Corey Clement was called a catch when it did not qualify as a catch according to 2017 rules (it was later revealed that the replay crew applied 2018 rules, according to this well-researched piece by CBS Boston Sports’ Michael Hurley); cornerback Malcolm Butler joined the team late due to illness and admitted to lacking focus, which influenced Belichick to keep the long-term starter on the sideline.
2018 Super Bowl: New England 13, Los Angeles 3
Most Fortunate Moment: Heads. Yeah, I think if you look at their entire playoff run, the coin coming up heads in overtime at Kansas City, where that offense had awoken after a three-quarter dormancy like Godzilla from the deep, qualifies as the luckiest event in all three games. (Of course, the Pats followed through with three consecutive third-and-10 conversions on their game-winning touchdown drive. Luck only gets you so far.)
Honorable Mention: A Brady interception that could have ended the game was nullified by Chiefs defensive end Dee Ford lining up offside; KC’s Patrick Mahomes overthrew a wide open Damien Williams in the end zone; in the Super Bowl, as with the first Pats-Rams meeting, the officials letting both teams’ defensive backs get physical probably helped New England more; the aforementioned late read by Goff looking for Cooks, though New England’s defense should take some credit for Goff’s confusion; the Rams strip-sacked Brady but couldn’t recover the football, as center Dave Andrews pounced on it first.
Not to be overlooked? Just as in 2003 and 2004, New England found optimal roster health at the end of the year, a consistent trend through this review.
In the next couple of months, we’re on to the draft. We’ll follow up the NFL Combine February 26 through March 4 with our Patriots “That Guy” Combine column (last year’s here) and our annual Patriots Round-By-Round Review.
Now that Six is in the books, Chris Warner keeps thinking of that Seinfeld episode where George wants to name his kid Seven. You can reach him (Chris, not George) at chris.warner@patriotsdaily.com or @cwarn89 on Twitter.