The NFL mix is subsequent week.
The NFL draft is 2 months away.
Too early for a seven-round mock draft? Hardly.
Behold, the Herald’s first projection for the way the Patriots’ new entrance workplace will draft in late April.
Of observe: The official draft order won’t be decided till compensatory picks are awarded subsequent month, so the alternatives beneath in rounds 4-7 account for projected compensatory picks. The Patriots should not anticipated to obtain any comp. picks, based mostly on their internet free company exercise final offseason.
1st spherical
QB Jayden Daniels, LSU
Ht./Wt.: 6-4, 210
The new face of the franchise.
Daniels is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, who scored 50 whole touchdowns final season, handed for nearly 4,000 yards, rushed for greater than 1,100 and fired simply 4 interceptions. He’s a multi-year starter with the most effective deep ball on this class. Daniels additionally receives excessive marks from scouts for his accuracy in any respect ranges, knack for shielding the ball and uncommon 4.5 velocity at his place.
Bottom line: Daniels is a playmaker, the sort the Patriots have sorely wanted at this place since Tom Brady left. He can gash defenses on designed runs or scrambles, or lengthen passing performs earlier than uncorking a vital third-down completion. He is a contemporary quarterback, the sort who checks all the standard bins and may create on his personal when wanted.
If Daniels can shield himself — he has a behavior of slamming into tacklers on runs, regardless of his skinny body — this needs to be a no brainer decide.
2nd spherical
WR Ladd McConkey, Georgia
Ht./Wt.: 6-0, 185
Resist the lazy white-guy comparisons to Patriots receivers previous. McConkey is his personal wideout.
He possesses glorious lengthy velocity and quickness. He can separate versus man-to-man and averaged 6.3 yards after the catch final season. McConkey’s ability set ought to enable him to play each within the slot and outdoors on the subsequent stage.
The 22-year-old rose up draft boards earlier this month, when teammates voted him the most effective large receiver on the American Team on the Senior Bowl. The Patriots took discover. Assistant coach Troy Brown served as McConkey’s offensive coordinator on the American Team, and a number of other high executives had been on-hand to scout prospects.
The Pats take a receiver right here due to the dearth of offensive deal with prospects on this vary. And that’s if McConkey is even accessible. Some media consultants consider he shall be a first-round decide.
third spherical
OT Kiran Amegadjie, Yale
Ht./Wt.: 6-5, 318
Surprise!
Source: Patriots, Kendrick Bourne free-agent talks haven’t superior regardless of go to
An Ivy Leaguer cracks the Patriots’ top notch below Wolf and fills a long-term want. Amegadjie is a developmental offensive deal with prospect, who first performed soccer halfway by means of highschool. He’s considered a strong, athletic participant with ultimate measurement, lengthy arms and a great deal of potential.
Senior Bowl government directorJim Nagy, an ex-Patriots scout, rated Amegadjie as the highest small-school offensive deal with prospect within the nation final September. Amegadjie’s senior season was reduce quick by harm, which additionally prevented him from collaborating in all-star video games. However, he did obtain an invitation to the mix, when he’ll have the ability to exhibit his soccer IQ throughout interviews as he continues to get better in time for Yale’s Pro Day in April.
4th spherical
TE Cade Stover, Ohio State
Ht./Wt.: 6-4, 251
An All-Big Ten first-team choice, Stover boasts prototypical measurement and above-average receiving abilities for the place. He performed in-line and in area at Ohio State, the place he developed into a troublesome, keen blocker. Stover’s ability set is extra well-rounded than it’s constructed round a single elite trait, although there could also be extra potential right here than meets the attention.
Until 2022, he performed tight finish and protection for the Buckeyes. Given time to focus solely on one place, Stover may develop right into a dependable starter on the subsequent stage. If so, the Patriots ought to welcome him with open arms, contemplating they’ve zero tight ends below contract heading into free company.
fifth spherical
CB Dwight McGlothern, Arkansas
Ht./Wt.: 6-2, 188
The second-highest graded cornerback at Pro Football Focus final season, McGlothern is a protracted, bodily ballhawk. After transferring from LSU in 2022, he recorded seven interceptions, three pressured fumbles and 16 move deflections the previous two years mixed at Arkansas. According to PFF, McGlothern missed only a single deal with in 2023, when he allowed a passer ranking of 51.2 when focused.
The downsides? He’s lean, might not wow scouts together with his velocity or quickness. But for an SEC participant with that kind of manufacturing, McGlothern makes for a worthy Day 3 decide.
sixth spherical
RB Dillon Johnson, Washington
Ht./Wt.: 6-0, 218
Rhamondre Stevenson is headed right into a contract 12 months with loads of unproven depth behind him, so anticipate the Patriots to handle working again someday throughout the draft.
In Johnson, they discover an all-around again who averaged 5.1 yards per carry final season. He can discover holes working behind hole schemes or zone-blocked runs. While not elusive in open area, Johnson caught 24 of 25 targets as a receiver and will discover his means onto a roster as a backup working again with some particular groups worth.
seventh spherical
Evan Anderson, Florida Atlantic
Ht./Wt.: 6-3, 326
One of the biggest defenders on this 12 months’s class, Anderson fills a quiet want for the Patriots after the launched 34-year-old defensive deal with Lawrence Guy final week. Anderson was a workforce captain at FAU, the place he additionally registered 3.5 sacks. He initiatives to have an early-down, run-stuffing position within the NFL.
Free-agent projections
After consulting with two AFC front-office executives, the Herald formulated contract projections for the Patriots’ high 4 free brokers.
NFL free company will formally open at midday on Monday, March 11, with the beginning of the league’s “legal tampering” interval.
S Kyle Dugger: 3 years, $40 million
Dugger not too long ago switched illustration from powerhouse company Athletes First to veteran agent Andy Simms. Simms, from 1 of 1 company, has a historical past of representing Patriots defensive backs who re-signed with the workforce: Devin McCourty, Jonathan Jones, Jason McCourty and Duron Harmon. Dugger was within the workforce facility this week, per sources, who say he was figuring out and connecting with the workforce’s new management.
Bottom line: the percentages of Dugger staying in New England seem like growing, although he’ll command a large contract wherever he lands subsequent month. Related: Harmon was the final Patriots top-100 draft decide to signal a second contract with the workforce again in 2017. That ugly historical past might inspire the Patriots, who will see one in all their greatest gamers land a hefty, multi-year deal at residence or elsewhere subsequent month.
OL Mike Onwenu: 4 years, $62 million
ESPN reported final month the Patriots “basically” know Onwenu won’t re-sign. He’s anticipated to have a powerful market, now enjoying a premium place (proper deal with) that doubles as an space of want for a number of groups. Onwenu also can play each guard spots.
The Pats may hold him by way of the franchise tag — they usually do have money to burn — however the $20.98 tag for offensive linemen feels steep. Look at a long-term deal for Onwenu that lands within the neighborhood of what the highest offensive tackles landed final 12 months in free company.
WR Kendrick Bourne: 3 years, $23 million
Bourne is in a tough spot. The 28-year-old receiver tore his ACL simply 4 months in the past, however is properly forward of schedule in his restoration, in response to a supply. Still, given his age the very fact he hasn’t loved a wholesome, productive season since 2021, Bourne could have a tough time commanding the deal he desires.
At this stage of his profession, Bourne ought to search long-term safety, which he finds right here on the expense of high greenback. Both executives advised a median annual worth round $7 million, however Bourne lands some incentives with this contract that takes the entire worth nearer to $8 million per 12 months.
OLB Josh Uche: 1 12 months, $9 million
The 25-year-old move rusher didn’t construct on a breakout 2022 marketing campaign, tallying three sacks and 15 tackles in as many video games final 12 months. Uche has performed greater than 33% of the Patriots’ defensive snaps in solely one in all his 4 profession seasons. Yet, he might merely be miscast in New England.
NFL Network draft knowledgeable Daniel Jeremiah: Tough for Patriots to move on QB at No. 3
Another workforce, working a four-down defensive scheme, may fall for Uche’s elite per-snap effectivity as a move rusher and hand him a bag. Either means, Uche may very well be headed for a prove-it deal that may enable him to hit the market once more subsequent offseason, nonetheless in his prime and with the wage cap anticipated to leap once more.
Jeremiah scouts Wolf
Patriots de facto basic supervisor Eliot Wolf is a 20-year veteran of NFL entrance places of work, a well-respected government and expertise evaluator.
But when he received began, Wolf was only a west coast faculty scout in Green Bay. During that point, he crossed paths with the NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, an ex-Ravens, Browns and Eagles scout. During a convention name with reporters this week, Jeremiah supplied his personal scouting report on Wolf and the way the Patriots’ draft method may change below Wolf’s management.
“Scouts, we know kind of who everybody is, and you pay attention. He was always somebody that worked hard,” Jeremiah stated. “Obviously when you’ve gotten the household historical past that he does, it might have been straightforward to possibly attempt to coast or cruise. He by no means did that. He began on the backside and labored his means up. He form of grinded by means of it.
“In phrases of the way it can change, I’d say the Patriots had been possibly one of many extra area of interest drafting groups within the league the place they might catch you off-guard somewhat bit as a result of (they) had been so obsessive about match that they could take a man two or three rounds earlier than anyone else within the league would take them. And they do not actually care, as a result of they’re simply profitable trophies yearly. They may very well be somewhat bit exterior the strains, somewhat exterior the norm with a number of the stuff. I do not suppose Eliot will try this.
“I think you look at the Green Bay history and some of the track record there, yu look at offensive linemen that are versatile, you look at wide receivers who have kick return backgrounds that are really, really good after the catch. Those are some of the traits that just jump out to me from the Packers and the way they’ve done things forever.”
Quote of the Week
“It wasn’t like yesterday, ‘hey man, you want to be my linebacker coach’? This was an extensive search.” — Jerod Mayo on hiring new linebackers coach Dont’a Hightower
Source: www.bostonherald.com