Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Be Aware, The Mocks of March - Patriots Mock Draft Monday - 3/30/2020

Episode Date: March 30, 2020

The Mocks of March has been a fun and interactive exercise on Locked On Patriots. This week, host Mike D’Abate evaluates the latest prognostications by the TheDraftNetwork.com, and offers his analysis on the attempts of our listeners to wear the GM shoes for your New England Patriots in the 2020 NFL Draft.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Patriots fans, you are now locked in to the Locked On Patriots Podcast. I'm going to show you how to make a beautiful and beautiful flower. I'm going to use a small flower pot. I'm going to use a small pot Welcome to all of you Foxborough football faithful. It is Mock Draft Monday here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, your daily home for news notes and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots.

My name is Mike DeBate. I am your host of the Locked On Patriots podcast, which, of course, as always, is a proud part of the Locked On podcast network, your team, every day. And because it's your team every day, that means your questions, your comments, and your feedback, always appreciated and always encouraged. Feel free to send that feedback to me anytime by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at MDABATEFPC.

And while you're out there roaming around on that Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots. Once again, Patriots fans, it is Mock Draft Monday here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. And that means only one thing. Wall-to-wall draft coverage to help get you through your Monday, wherever you might be working from today. Hopefully the majority of you listening to this podcast are working from home and doing so safely.

However, if any of you today listening are essential personnel, whether it be those of you working in the medical profession, especially those that work in hospitals, treatment centers, to our brave first responders and law enforcement officials, whether it be those of you working in the medical profession, especially those that work in hospitals, treatment centers, to our brave first responders and law enforcement officials, and certainly our truck drivers, delivery drivers, those that work in stores providing essential goods to all of us, no matter where you may be,

I personally cannot thank you enough for the sacrifice and the great things that you do for all of us each and every day. I usually don't like to speak for others, but I think I can speak on behalf of people all over the world. Your efforts are greatly appreciated, and we may never be able to adequately show our appreciation for all you've done for us and all you continue to do for us, but please rest assured to know that your efforts will not be forgotten by us, and we appreciate you more than words can say.

And if you're tuning in today to Locked On Patriots for a bit of a break from everything else going on in the world, then I am proud and humbled that you've chose this podcast, and I will definitely do my best to bring you the best possible pod that I possibly can. So without further ado, folks, let's talk some football. And again, because it is

Mock Draft Monday, we once again break down the latest submission from our friends at TheDraftNetwork.com. And this week, a voice you know pretty well here on Locked On Patriots, Joe Marino of thedraftnetwork.com, who you also will recognize as host of Locked On Builds here on the Locked On Podcast Network, offers his prediction as to what the Patriots might do in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. And here's a hint, folks.

He does not have them picking at the number 23 position. What does he have in store for your beloved New England Patriots? I'll tell you what, we'll get to that in just a moment. But in addition to that, Monday is also the day that we break down the Mocks of March submissions by all of you here on the podcast. And each and every week, I continue to be more and more impressed by the submissions that are provided by all of you listeners out there. I humbly thank you for taking the time out to participate, and I have some great submissions to share with you today. So if you're ready for some draft talk, folks, settle in, and I hope that you find that we have a great pod planned for you today

here on the Locked on Patriots podcast. And as we sit here today on Monday, March 30th, we are less than a month away from the NFL draft, which will in fact take place starting on Thursday, April 23rd. That's according to a Friday memo from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Now, because of all of the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 scare, I know that many of you were wondering whether or not the NFL draft would indeed be pushed back. And there was even some talk that the format might be played with a little bit.

But the plan right now is to move ahead with the draft starting on Thursday, April 23rd and then concluding on Saturday, April 25th. Now, the only thing right now that we know for sure, folks, is that the draft starting on Thursday, April 23rd, and then concluding on Saturday, April 25th. Now, the only thing right now that we know for sure, folks, is that the draft will in fact be held virtually in some manner. We don't have a whole lot of details on exactly what that means, how it will be publicized or even covered, how the draftees will be notified and introduced, and most importantly, what this means for GMs and coaches,

who typically hunker down in the quote-unquote war rooms, going over draft strategy and who is available. Now, on the surface, it seems like all this could be done via video conference or teleconference, and that's my best guess at this point, too. However, as the weeks turn into days for the countdown to the draft, we expect more definitive details to be released at that time. But what this means for all of you is some live content when it comes to professional sports.

And even though NFL Free Agency has dominated the last couple of weeks, especially up here in New England, folks, talk of the draft is about to be kicked up a notch. And of course, that starts here today on the Locked On Patriots podcast. And in just a moment, I'll delve into my colleague Joe Marino's Belichickian prognostication of what the Patriots have in store for the first three rounds of the NFL draft. And last but certainly not least, we will take it all home today on Locked On Patriots with you. Yes, you, all of the great listeners here on the podcast, slipping into your general manager shoes over the weekend

and making some very intriguing and, in my opinion, some great submissions. But first, if you've been a regular listener of this podcast, I'm sure you've heard all of the great advertisers working with Locked On to reach sports fans. But you may not know that Locked On Patriots is a great way for your local business to reach passionate Patriots fans just like you. Unlike any other podcast, Locked On gives your local company the unique ability to reach local podcast listeners. Not just any podcast listener, a Locked On podcast listener.

If your company wants to connect with Patriots fans and a predominantly male audience that is well-educated with disposable income, then let's put your company right here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. Local fans love to support local businesses. Text the word advertising to 33777 or visit lockedonpod podcast.com slash advertising and let us know who you are. We'll get our team to help your team achieve locked on advertising success. Once again, text the word advertising to three,

three, seven, seven, seven, or visit locked on podcast.com slash advertising. We look forward to hearing from you. Patriots fans. It is mock draft Monday here on the locked on Patriots podcast.

And in today's episode, we take a bit of a break from Brady and free agency to look ahead to the 2020 NFL Draft coming up on April 23rd. And as hard and as harrowing of a month as this has been for all of us, I continue to be honored by all of your support. Your participation in this month's Mocks of March exercise has been nothing short of amazing. Many of the mock drafts and scenarios that I've seen have had some great insight, and in my opinion, some of them even rival that of the nation's leading experts when it comes to draft analysis in sports media.

While technically this might be the last Monday in March before the NFL draft, the interactive draft segments that you know and love will not be going away, so keep a sharp eye and ear on Locked On, Patriots. And if you like the Mocs of March, I think you're really going to enjoy what we have planned here for the next couple of weeks in April. But before we turn the spotlight on you today and your Mocs of March, you be the GM submissions, we start with the Belichickian prognostication of one of those leading experts that I spoke of just a few moments ago.

And folks, I do not say that tongue-in-cheek. There are few, if any, draft opinions that I value as much as my colleague Joe Marino of TheDraftNetwork.com and the host of Locked On Bills. And in Joe's mock draft 7.0 this week, he has the Patriots making a pretty bold move in the first round. Now, as you sit here listening to this, the New England Patriots currently hold the 23rd pick in the upcoming NFL draft. But according to Joe Marino's mock draft 7.0, they do not, and that means a trade.

And instead of the typical Bill Belichick trade down for value, he has the Patriots trading up all the way to the number 7 position. To do what, you might ask? Well, that's draft a quarterback and a potential successor to Tom Brady. Joe has your New England Patriots acquiring the number seven pick from the Carolina Panthers. And the haul they give up to get that seventh pick is a pretty significant one. The Carolina Panthers would acquire the numbers 23rd and 87th pick and a 2021 first and third round selection. Aggressive? Yeah, aggressive to say the least, folks. And with the number seventh pick in the NFL Draft, according to Joe Marino of TheDraftNetwork.com,

the Patriots select quarterback Jordan Love out of Utah State. Now Joe points out that the Patriots haven't drafted a quarterback in the first round since 1993, and they did so with the first overall pick with Drew Bledsoe. He believes that it's time for that to change. Now he doesn't dispute the fact that Jarrett Stidham could be the starting signal caller moving forward. In fact, he kind of insinuates that at least for the 2020 season, he will be. But Joe believes that the idea that the Patriots could be aggressive in the quarterback market on draft day should not be dismissed. Now, Love is one of the more highly touted quarterbacks in the NFL draft.

And with Joe making the assumption that the Bengals would choose Joe Burrow number one overall, he has the Los Angeles Chargers making a trade with the New York Giants, acquiring the number four pick for the Giants number 71 and number 151 pick. Doing so, they leapfrog the Miami Dolphins, and the Chargers take Tua Tongavaloa out of Alabama. The Dolphins, not to be outdone and sitting tight at the number five position, select Justin Herbert out of Oregon. So in Joe's prognostication, that leaves Love as the next big name on the block. And if I'm being honest, folks, I don't necessarily agree with this, and I'll get into the reasons why in just a moment. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that I hate Joe's logic

here. Quite the contrary. Jordan Love would be an eyebrow-raising fit here in New England. He brings an elite physical skill set to the table. The opportunity to work with Josh McDaniels could make him one of the NFL's most dynamic players at the position. This would also be an opportunity for the Patriots to modernize the position in the wake of Tom Brady's departure. So on paper, this one doesn't look too bad. But when I look at this trade, there are two factors here that make this unlikely at best. The first is that from those that I've spoken with with ties to the organization, they seem to be prioritizing other positions as greater positions

of need. Now, I know, folks, that may be a little hard to believe considering that you've just lost the greatest quarterback of all time to free agency. But to me, what that shows is that the Patriots have a lot of faith in Jarrett Stidham. They believe that he can be the guy. And judging by the analysis and film review done by myself and a lot of my colleagues within the Boston media, it's hard to argue that point. Stidham already has a year under his belt knowing the system. Stidham can bring to the table what no other potential draftee or even available free agent could possibly do, and that is experience learning from the greatest to ever play the game. To me, that solidifies Stidham's value, and again folks, this is just my opinion, but I think it puts him in the driver's seat for the

starting job in 2020. And if I'm being honest, my opinion from what team sources have had to say on the matter is that the Patriots seem committed to Stidham even beyond 2020. If you need some logistical proof of that, like I've said here before on Locked On Patriots, they brought in Brian Hoyer for a reason, folks. Hoyer knows the Patriots' playbook inside and out, he can give you spot starts if he needs to, and he is among the best scout team quarterbacks and mentors that you'll find anywhere in professional football. If the Patriots weren't sold on Jarrett, Bill Belichick values winning far too much

to turn the keys over to a six-championship deep dynasty to a player that can't handle the job. That's why you haven't seen the Patriots be more aggressive in pursuing free agents like Cam Newton or Jameis Winston or trade for a guy like Andy Dalton or even Nick Foles who ended up going to the Chicago Bears. The Patriots like what they have in Jarrett, and I in no way doubt that they will look to the quarterback position in the draft this year. I think Joe's prognostication is a little bit too aggressive, especially considering the Patriots' needs at other positions.

Most notably on defense, the linebacker position, edge rusher is definitely a possibility, and then on offense, you're in need of wide receiver and tight end help, maybe even a little bit more than help at the quarterback position. But again, as I said earlier, just because I don't agree with it doesn't mean I don't like Joe's logic. If the Patriots were to make a quarterback splash in the draft, such as the one he's describing, I think Love might be a guy they'd do it for. He isn't without his faults, but he does have the size and the body composition to make an immediate impact.

He has good mobility and athleticism, and he is capable of extending plays with his feet. The new wave of quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Deshaun Watson. Hmm, Deshaun Watson. Tell you what, folks, we'll get back to that name in just a minute. But these guys are capable of hitting throws on the move and taking off with the ball in their hands. Love is unquestionably in that mode. For a young quarterback, he has very sound throwing mechanics, and he really does well to follow through and get his legs involved on his

throws. He hangs in the pocket well, and he keeps his eyes down the field. If there is one drawback to his game, and I think Joe articulates this perfectly in his scouting report on Jordan Love, it's that his decision making can be a liability. If he's going to be the guy in New England, he needs to improve his field vision and his awareness. He's been known to have difficulty recognizing coverage rotations. In some cases, he completely disregards them. And that causes him to make some haphazard throws that can lead to killing the drive momentum or even turnovers.

If the Patriots took a chance on Love, I look for Josh McDaniels to target that from the moment he steps foot in Foxborough. I would expect Josh to immediately tone down Jordan's aggression and help him find more consistency with timing and progressions. If he can master that, Love has the chance to be a big-time impact player at the NFL level. So overall, I actually like Jordan Love as a potential target for the Patriots. Again, I just think that trading all of that capital up to get him at the number 7 position is a bit too overly aggressive for my taste. But Joe wasn't exactly done with the Patriots' prognostication in the first three rounds.

Don't forget that even in Joe's scenario where they traded the number 87 selection, they still have two picks remaining in the third round, number 98 and number 100. And in this world, they were in an offensive state of mind. With the number 98 pick, the Patriots selected tight end Adam Troutman out of Dayton. And here on Locked On Patriots, we have talked several times about the potential fit of Troutman in this offense. He's a good receiver, a good blocker, a good route runner, and I believe him to be a prototypical New England Patriot.

But again, folks, as much as I'm talking up Trotman's prowess, let's remember, he's not going to come in here and be Rob Gronkowski right off the bat. Let's face it, no one is going to be Rob Gronkowski right off the bat. But I think Trotman checks all the boxes when it comes to finding a tight end that would be able to thrive in a Josh McDaniels offense. I absolutely agree with Joe that if he's there at number 98, the Patriots definitely take a shot on him. And if I'm being honest, I might even consider using the number 87 pick on him

if the Patriots hold on to it when the real draft comes in April. And rounding out his thoughts on offensive improvement, Joe Marino has the Patriots going wide receiver at the number 100 pick in the third round. And his selection would enter New England already with a little bit of Patriots pedigree. He is wide receiver Van Jefferson out of the University of Florida. And for those of you whose Patriots fandom predates the Brady Belichick era, you might remember Van's dad, Sean Jefferson, who played for the New England Patriots from 1996 to 1999. And while Sean was here in New England, he was a pretty good wide receiver. He was a frequent target of then Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe and even helped them to a Super Bowl appearance

in 1996 in Super Bowl XXXI against the Green Bay Packers. Sean is now an assistant offensive coach and a wide receivers coach for the New York Jets under Adam Gase. But in this case, we're talking about Van, and this might be an interesting choice for the Patriots. Joe describes him as a technically refined receiver that runs nuanced routes. In other words, folks, he's very good at running complicated routes. Jefferson is known to have very good hands folks, he's very good at running complicated routes. Jefferson is known to have very good hands, and he's able to get a significant amount of separation in the short to intermediate areas of the field. Now, despite having some pretty impressive ball skills, Jefferson might be considered a bit old for a rookie. He's going

to turn 24 before he takes his first NFL snap. And even though at Florida he was pretty good at earning some yards after the catch, his athletic profile and his age suggest that he might have some difficulty doing that at the NFL level. He's most comfortable in the slot, but he could play outside. And I agree with Joe. I like his fit here in New England because Jefferson is at his best when he's in a timing-based offense. The Patriots are so predicated on that. And I think based on that, Jefferson could come in here and produce right away. So in the final analysis, I am a fan of Joe Marino's draft haul for the New England Patriots

in his mock draft 7.0. How could you not be? Jordan Love, Adam Troutman, Van Jefferson, three big holes in the offense filled with some very capable players. The only thing I have my doubts about is the draft haul that was given up to get Jordan Love in the first round. If Jordan is there with the number 23 selection, I absolutely believe the Patriots might take a shot on him,

but trading that pick along with a third rounder and then a first and a third in 2021 might just be a bit too rich for Bill Belichick's palette at this point in time. But the real question is, what do you think? All of our Foxborough Football faithful Locked On Patriots listeners, this past weekend you were the pseudo GMs. And in just a moment, I'll review some of your submissions from the Mocs of March exercise as Mock Draft Monday rolls right along here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. Patriots fans, it is the moment you've all been waiting for.

The main event here on Mocs of March. Part of Mock Draft Monday here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. And these weekend submissions were pretty impressive, folks. Six pseudo GMs were chosen to be featured here today on Locked On Patriots. And I was really impressed by these submissions, folks. A lot of insight, a lot of ingenuity, and a lot of creativity by some of you. This month-long exercise has been a great experience for me. I want to thank each and every one of you that took the time out to send in a trade

scenario, a trade scenario, a draft suggestion, or in this case, a full-on mock draft. So without further ado, let's dive right into it. And what would Mocks of March be without the weekly contribution from our friend here at Locked On Patriots, Top Ducker. Yes, that's with a D, folks, at yourduckingright.com. And Sully's weekly breakdown gives position by position who the Patriots might target, whether they're a day one, day two, or day three consideration. And what I really enjoy is that he incorporates his suggestions for the draft into the Patriots' current roster. I particularly enjoyed his take on special teams, including a pretty funny line about

Al Davis, which I won't ruin. I encourage you to check it out. But all in all, Sully does a great job of analyzing all positions, including those on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. So again, folks, I highly recommend the read. You can find it at yourduckingright.com or you can find Sully on Twitter at TopDucker. It may not have been a traditional mock draft submission, but I always enjoy including Sully's work among the top GMs that submitted mocks of March here over the weekend.

And we move right along to the submission by AWL Sabermetrics at AWL Sabermetrics. Of the submissions that we received this weekend here on Locked On Patriots, AWL Sabermetrics were the only ones that agreed with Joe Marino of the DraftNetwork.com. They have the Patriots going quarterback in the first round. But unlike Joe, AWL Sabermetrics does not have them trading up to get one. His first selection with the number 23 pick is quarterback Justin Herbert out of Oregon. And I know some of you might be thinking that's a little wishful thinking. Herbert is unlikely to slip to number 23. But I like the outside the box thinking. Sometimes teams based on draft needs might end up foregoing a quarterback, and this could lead

to a potential windfall for the Patriots. Now earlier, I talked about Jordan Love and his potential fit in New England, and how I believed if the Patriots were to make a splash for a quarterback, Love might be a guy they'd consider doing it for. In my opinion, that's even more true for Justin Herbert. He possesses all of the physical traits that you'd want in a quarterback, but unquestionably has the right attitude to succeed here in Foxborough. It also doesn't help that both Herbert and your New England Patriots enjoyed

a proverbial love fest when both sides met at the Combine last month. If you're asking me whether or not I believe that Herbert will be there when the Patriots pick at number 23, I would say it's more unlikely than likely. But here's the thing, folks. It's not impossible. Depending on the needs of the teams drafting ahead of them and also potential draft day trades, the Patriots could find themselves staring at a potential opportunity to draft Herbert with the number 23 pick. If he's there, I think it's going to be tough for the Patriots to turn it down. So I like the suggestion of my friends over at AWL Sabermetrics to think outside the box and potentially bring Justin Herbert to New England. However, I was equally intrigued by their suggestion at number 87, and that is wide

receiver Brandon Ayuk out of Arizona State, which would make him the second Sun Devil wide receiver that the Patriots have chosen in the last two years. Remember, that's where Nikhil Harry is from. And Brandon is best known as a quote-unquote big play threat. He's very good at creating after the catch, he stretches the defense vertically, and he also can be a factor in the return game. Brandon has been compared a lot to Cordero Patterson, and the Patriots used him very effectively. If they could mold him into a similar type of player, they might be onto something, and Brandon could theoretically be a type of player that might be there for the Patriots taking in the third round. So, once again, pretty smart suggestion here. I also like that AWL Sabermetrics wasn't afraid to project some of that Patriots late round value that they love to covet so much, particularly at pick number 172, outside linebacker Cameron Brown out of Penn State, and some help on the offensive line in the form of Trey Adams, tackle out of Washington with number 212. But perhaps my favorite pick from my friends at AWL Sabermetrics was the last

pick that the Patriots would make at number 241. They have them selecting wide receiver Isaiah Coulter out of the University of Rhode Island. And I'm not sure if they knew this or not, but Rhode Island is my home state. It's where I live. And if the Patriots were to bring Coulter aboard from URI, I for one would love it. So kudos on the University of Rhode Island reference. I thank AWL Sabermetrics for their submission, and I encourage you to submit more of your draft thoughts to the Locked On Patriots Twitter account at any time. We move on to our next submission, and this comes from Alan Hitchens, who can be found on Twitter at Alan, A-L-L-E-N underscore Hitchens.

And Alan was flexing his trade muscles over the weekend, and I commend him for doing so. He has the Patriots trading out of the first round and into the second round for a little bit of a draft haul here. With the number 34 pick, he has the Patriots taking safety Xavier McKinney out of Alabama. And we've profiled McKinney several times here on Locked On Patriots. He is the type of defensive back, especially at the safety position that the Patriots love. Physical, smart, and quick. Coming from the Nick Saban system, there's no question the learning curve would be pretty easy for him to pick up. Allen also has the Patriots taking not one, not two, but three tight ends in this draft. At number 67, Adam Trotman out of Dayton. At number 122, Albert Okwegbonam, otherwise known as Albert O out of Missouri. Albert O really showed off his

speed at the combine. And then of course in the late round at 204, Cheyenne as Albert O, out of Missouri. Albert O really showed off his speed at the Combine. And then, of course, in the late round at 2-0-4, Cheyenne O'Grady out of Arkansas. And Allen also prognosticates that the New England Patriots have found their replacement for Steven Gostowski with the number 2-12 pick. And that is the hot rod himself, Rodrigo Blankenship, out of the University of Georgia.

And Allen, I wholeheartedly agree with you. As the Patriots get into mid-to- late rounds, I think it's going to be very tough for them to lay off Blankenship. In fact, it would not surprise me to see them go a little bit higher than 2-12 to bring him in. Not much higher, but maybe a little higher than 2-12. All in all, I like the submission. I like the creativity that

you used in the trade market. And I think you got a good amount of value in the second round that would make Bill Belichick maybe just a little bit proud. So Alan, again, thank you for your submission. I encourage you to keep sending your ideas to the Locked On Patriots account all throughout the month of April as we march toward the 23rd and the beginning of the 2020 draft. The remaining three submissions here on Mocs of March all have the Patriots feeling linebacker with their first pick in the upcoming 2020 draft. And our next mock draft submission from Fred, who can be found on Twitter,

at Fred58145924, believes the Patriots with the 23rd pick in the NFL draft will select linebacker Patrick Queen out of LSU. And again, Queen is a name that we've discussed here on Locked On Patriots and even saw pop up in a couple of mock drafts in last week's submissions. Now, prior to the start of free agency, I would have told you that the Patriots would be likely to go offensive line in the first round. I'm still not completely turning my back on that, but when you consider that the Patriots have lost guys like Kyle Van Noy,

Jamie Collins, and Alandon Roberts, they need to replicate that athleticism somehow. And if they do that, Queen is one of the best linebackers in this draft. He is very versatile and could succeed in either a 4-3, or if the Patriots wanted to remain in a 3-4 set, he would be able to play there as well. From there, Fred has the Patriots addressing some offensive needs. At number 87, he has them taking Bryson Hopkins, a tight end out of Purdue. With the number 98 pick, old friend Van Jefferson,

who was suggested by Joe Marino in this week's Mock Draft 7.0, giving the Patriots some wide receiver help, and then at the number 100 pick in the third round, he has the Patriots dipping back into the tight end pool and taking Hunter Bryant out of the University of Washington, who is another speedy tight end. What I most liked about Fred's submission was his realism. I like the Hopkins pick and the Bryant pick. Both have pretty high potential, but I don't believe either one of them are going to be all pro tight ends for a long period of time. But it gives the Patriots much-needed youth

and even some speed at the position. I think the overall first choice of Queen at linebacker is very smart, and if he's available, again, I think the Patriots definitely do their due diligence, and it would not shock me to see Patrick Queen wearing Patriot blue in 2020. So again, Fred, thank you for your submission, and I look forward to seeing more of your suggestions, which I hope you will continue to send to the Locked On Patriots Twitter account.

Moving right along to our next submission, and that comes from Liam at LC underscore 3344. And Liam also flexed his trade muscle a little bit this weekend, because he too has the Patriots trading out of the first round into the second round. And in Liam's scenario, the number 46 pick would be the Patriots' first selection, and he selected outside linebacker Zach Baum out of the University of Wisconsin. Now Baum was someone that we discussed last Monday here on Locked On Patriots. Much like Queen, a versatile linebacker that can play in either the 4-3 or the 3-4 sets.

Maybe not as much pedigree as Patrick Queen, but definitely a whole lot of potential in upside. Picking him up with the 42nd pick in the second round would be great value for the New England Patriots. Liam also has the Pats, getting two of the top tight end prospects in the draft this year, and number 57 selecting Adam Trotman, who is a pretty popular guy this weekend, and for good reason, but he also has the Patriots getting Cole Komet at number 87 out of Notre Dame. This one, I think, might be a little wishful thinking. I love Komet as a player, but I don't see him slipping to number 87.

Now, if the 57th and the 87th selections were inverted, you take Komet with 57 and Troutman with 87, that might be a little more realistic. Although, with the way Troutman is rising up the draft board, that might be a little bit realistic. Although, with the way Troutman is rising up the draft board, that might be a little bit wishful thinking as well. But I think Komet will be off the board by the time 87 rolls around. This is not a very deep draft when it comes to tight ends, but if you're in need of one, Cole Komet is one of the best out there.

Liam also has Chase Claypool, a wide receiver out of Notre Dame, being selected with the number 98 pick. I absolutely love Claypool's game. I think he would be a tremendous fit in New England. But again, number 98 seems to be a little bit overly optimistic. I do believe he's off the board by then. Things happen at the draft to change teams' priorities, and often it's through no fault of the player.

So if the Patriots are faced with the decision to choose either Troutman, Komet, or Claypool with any of these draft picks in either the third, the first, or if they trade into the second, I truly believe there's a good chance they'd consider it. Overall, I liked the shape of Liam's draft, especially number 107 having Darrell Taylor out of Tennessee, outside linebacker with some athleticism, and then at number 108, Alton Robertson, a defensive end out of Syracuse, helping out the pass rush. So Liam, thank you for your submissions. I really enjoyed breaking these down, and I look forward to you keeping them coming

here on Locked on Patriots. And last but certainly not least, we go to our good friend Andrew Carraway at Carraway 6, who submitted a great mock draft last week and continued to do so this week. He titled this one, We Believe Stidham Is Our Guy. And he means it, folks, because he doesn't have the Patriots dipping into the quarterback pool until pick number 241, choosing Shea Patterson out of the University of Michigan. And wouldn't it be great to have another Wolverine quarterback to go alongside? It would be great to have a Wolverine quarterback in Foxborough again anyway.

But with the number 23rd pick in Andrew's Mock Draft of the Week, he has them selecting Kenneth Murray, linebacker out of the University of Oklahoma. And folks, when it comes to your New England Patriots, Murray is becoming quite the popular selection among draft experts for a lot of the reasons that we've discussed. He's the prototypical Patriots defender. He's got a high football IQ, size, versatility, and athleticism. If Bill Belichick remains defensive-minded in the first round of this year's draft, then I think Murray is the guy he'll want, assuming he's there at the number 23 pick. To be honest, folks, I think

there's a high chance that he will be. For the second week in a row, I think Andrew did a solid job here, including at number 87, bringing in Bryson Hopkins at tight end, Aloy Gilman at safety at number 98, and a very intriguing late-round value pick at number 230, wide receiver James Proch. Now Now Proch had a pretty good collegiate career for the SMU Mustangs. Had a nice showing at the 2020 Combine, but reportedly Patriot scouts have been enamored with this kid as far back as the Senior Bowl. Proch is a smart route runner and a pretty athletic kid, so I really like this selection. In fact, they may even have their eye on Proch a little bit sooner than pick 130. The Patriots currently possess

picks number 204, 212, and 213. Don't be a bit surprised to see James Proch's names called in one of those slots. Again, Bill Belichick is not worried about aesthetics or optics. He's looking for the best possible fit, and James Proch might end up being a pretty good addition to this wide receiving core. So Andrew, again, for the second straight week, I appreciate your submission, really intrigued by your insight here, and I hope that you continue to submit content during our interactive exercises as we march toward the NFL draft beginning on April 23rd. So folks, there you have it. You have been aware of the mocks of March for the past month.

And once again, I thank all of you who have taken the time out to make submissions and showcase your general manager skills. As I stated earlier, keep a sharp eye on the Locked On Patriots Twitter account and my account as well, as there will soon be another interactive initiative being announced just in time for the home stretch heading into the draft. As for me, I will be back tomorrow to continue to bring you the latest news notes and analysis from Foxborough. As always, please be sure to join me each and every day here on the Locked On Patriots

podcast. Subscribe and download via your preferred podcast provider. And don't forget, you can always listen on your smart device just by asking it to play the latest episode of Locked On Patriots. Once again, I'm Mike DeBate. I thank all of you pseudo GMs that helped to make the mocks of March. Fun and interactive exercise here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. But most of all, I thank you all for listening each and every day and for staying locked into Locked on Patriots.

And if you've enjoyed today's episode, now tell your smart device to play the most recent episode of Locked on NFL. Stay safe, stay well, and have a great day, everyone.