Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - East Meets West II: Patriots/Seahawks Crossover - 5/5/2020

Episode Date: May 5, 2020

It’s AFC East/NFC West Divisional Crossover Week across the Locked On Podcast Network. Joining host Mike D’Abate is Corbin Smith of Locked On Seahawks to discuss both teams’ 2020 NFL Draft hauls, their potential rosters and the similar team-building styles of both franchises. 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 Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful. It is day two of your intra-divisional crossovers. Here on the Lockdown 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, your host of the Locked On Patriots podcast, which of course is a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Ensure that you never miss an episode of Locked On Patriots by subscribing to us on Apple Podcasts, following us on Spotify, and listening and downloading via your preferred podcast provider. And today's episode is brought to you by Built Bar. Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to BuiltBar.com and use promo code LOCKEDON and you'll get $10 off your first order.

And remember that great products such as Built Bar allows all of us here at the Locked On Podcast Network to bring you your team every day. And folks, because it's your team every day, that means your questions, your comments, and your feedback. Always welcomed and appreciated. And you can share that feedback on Locked On Patriots 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. Patriots fans, yesterday we kicked off the intra-divisional crossover week here on the Locked On Podcast Network, and it was the battle of the division champs. The San Francisco 49ers, champions of the NFC West, and of course the reigning AFC East champions, your New England Patriots. And Brian Peacock, host of Locked On 49ers, joined me here yesterday, and we played a game of compare and contrast when it came to the 2020 draft halls for both teams, which free agent additions will help to bolster the rosters, and a little bit of back-and-forth

quarterback talk when it comes to former Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and current Patriots quarterback Jarrett Stidham. Well, today we're all in for a treat, folks, because the team that we'll be discussing in today's crossover might bring you back to February 1st, 2015, Super Bowl XLIX and Malcolm Butler's improbable interception. It was the rebirth of the dynasty and the first of three Super Bowl titles in the decade. But as glorious of a memory as it is here in New England, it is a tough memory for those in Seattle.

And make no mistake about it, those Seattle Seahawks present one of the most formidable challenges to the Patriots in the upcoming 2020 season. And to give us a little more insight on those Seahawks, is going to be the host of Locked On Seahawks. Corbin Smith, also of SI's Seahawk Maven, will join me today on the microphone, and we'll talk a little bit about some of our favorite roster additions, which players on the current roster need to step it up in order to be most effective in 2020, and of course, how the draft strategies of both teams have led to sustained success throughout the past decade, and hopefully into the next decade.

Corbin is a great friend of mine, a brilliant football analyst, and I encourage you to sit tight, folks, because we have another informative and what I hope to be entertaining episode of Locked On Patriots on tap for you today. But first, folks, I did want to address that the Patriots did suffer a departure yesterday, and his name is one I'm confident that most of you know, but some of you may not, and that is now former director of college scouting for your New England Patriots, Monty Ossenfort. Now, outside of New England, Monty's name may not be a household name, but it soon will be. He has undoubtedly been one of the most important members of the Patriots' front office,

and on a personal level, one of the truly great guys in the business. And on Monday afternoon, MMQB's Albert Breer announced that Monty was indeed departing New England to become the director of player personnel for the Tennessee Titans. And Ossenfort was one of those guys that the Patriots would probably want to keep under contract forever if they could. But his contract was up, and it was clear that he wanted to advance up the ladder of a franchise's front office. And honestly, folks, he just didn't have that opportunity here in New England. With Bill Belichick essentially holding the GM duties, Nick Casario as director of player personnel,

and a pool of executives with whom Manny was in the mix, Austin Fort believed that his best opportunity was with the Tennessee Titans, and a pool of executives with whom Mani was in the mix. Ossenfort believed that his best opportunity was with the Tennessee Titans, and it's hard to argue that. And make no mistake about it, Tennessee is getting a great one, and he will be sorely missed in New England. Mani Ossenfort had an eye for talent, especially that diamond-in-the-rough, late-round talent that the Patriots are known to be able to employ. He was one of the very best at spotting this type of talent, and was actually one of the driving forces behind the Patriots identifying Matthew Slater in that type of a role. So that should give you a good idea of exactly how much Monty Austin Ford meant to this front office.

I'm truly happy for him on a personal level. On a professional level, for the Patriots standpoint, now they begin the undaunting task of replacing him. And even though we're not even two weeks removed from the 2020 NFL Draft, preparations for the 2021 NFL Draft are already underway. And I believe that the Patriots will look to go in-house on this one, and I saw an article from WEI's Ryan Hannibal that essentially stated this same fact. And the name to remember here, folks, as a name that could possibly replace Monty Ossenfort

is Brian Smith. Smith has been with the Patriots organization since 2000, and he's really worked his way up, beginning as an intern, and working his way all the way up to being the college scouting coordinator, and he's held that position for the last eight seasons. He's worked hand-in-hand with Assenfort throughout the years, and having had his hand in the Patriots college scouting since 2006, it would really be a surprise to me if Brian Smith was not the one to take over for Assenfort.

Other possibilities are Elliot Wolfe, who recently signed with the Patriots in the offseason. He spent time with the Packers in the Browns front offices, even served as the assistant GM for the Cleveland Browns for the last couple of years. Other scouts like Matt Groh, Brandon Yerrigan, and Tim Hefflinger also remain possibilities, but I would still say Brian Smith is the most likely option. But even if Smith is the guy, will the Patriots' next-man-up mantra be able to work in the front office as well as it seems to work on the field? And will we be speaking as glowingly about the Patriots' draft hall as Corbin Smith

will be speaking about it when we speak in just a moment? But before the Patriots-Seahawks crossover takes over the Locked On Patriots podcast, I don't need to remind you that as we continue to adjust to our new normal, finding the energy to complete daily tasks lately is not easy, and neither is finding a healthy, low-calorie treat that is just as delicious. Well, folks, your search for a protein bar that gives you everything you need and everything you want is over. Because Built Bar is that tasty treat that you've been looking for, so make it your go-to bar today. I'll be honest, I make it your go-to bar today.

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That's right, folks. I'm talking about Super Bowl XLIX, and it's polarizing for all of us. But one thing is for sure. There is a lot of respect among these two franchises and today may be Cinco de Mayo but it is also day two of the intra-divisional crossover here on the Locked On Podcast Network. I am Mike DeBate the host of the Locked On Patriots Podcast and I'm Corbin Smith host of the Locked On Seahawks Podcast and Corbin it is a pleasure to join you today on the microphone and talk a little Patriots Seahawks preview for the upcoming 2020 season my friend I'm always looking forward to matchups between these two

teams and obviously there's a lot of changes especially on New England's end between the last time these two teams played back in 2016 and the projected matchup here for 2020 but you still got Bill Belichick you still got Pete Carroll coaching on both sidelines. These teams will be ready to go when they play at CenturyLink Field. They certainly will, and two of the best coached teams, two evenly matched teams in my opinion. And yes, folks, I still said evenly matched, even with the absence of arguably the greatest quarterback of all time, because I think the Patriots are still well equipped to be able to compete. But, Corbin, we'll put that on hold for just a moment. But we will start from a New England standpoint.

And the Patriots, I think, are facing one of their toughest tests of the 2020 season in your Seattle Seahawks. It might be a little bit too early to prognosticate the X's and O's on this one, but both rosters have undergone some changes. And I've been impressed by what the seahawks have done so far i think they've reinforced their offensive line between cedric obiwe brandon snell bj finney chance warmack mikey apati i think that those are among their key signings and their re-signings and i really like that they've gone all in and keeping with a smart priority of protecting Russell Wilson. Greg Olson at tight end, definitely a big addition.

Bruce Irvin at defensive end, another big addition. And you also brought in a wide receiver that Patriots fans know pretty well, and we'll get into that in just a moment. But the Seahawks did make some key additions to their defense via the draft. Most notably, linebacker Jordan Brooks out of Texas Tech, and edge rusher Daryl Taylor from Tennessee, who I scouted for the Patriots numerous times, and I really like what this kid brings to the table from the edge rush. Corbin, when you look at Seattle's draft hall, who has the biggest upside to impress this year and maybe even a little bit beyond? So if we're looking at instant impact players,

I'm going to surprise some people here, but know there was so many there were so many critics out there when the Seahawks picked a linebacker in the first round and I was stunned I didn't think they were going to pick a linebacker when you've got Bobby Wagner and KJ Wright still in the middle of your lineup but KJ Wright's going to be 31 years old he's had some injury issues he had shoulder surgery this offseason he's entering the final year of his contract Bobby Wagner's going to be turning 30 soon. And even though he's still at the top of his game, you and I both know in this league that players can hit a wall in a matter of seconds. I mean, things can change from one year to the next very quickly. So while I don't think that's going to happen with Bobby Wagner, I think he's still going to be very good

in 2020. The Seahawks are preparing for the future. So everything that Pete Carroll and John Schneider have said so far indicates Jordan Brooks is going to be getting on the field early and often. In fact, it sounds like they want to play him at Will Linebacker where KJ Wright has been the last nine seasons. So basically they're going to be phasing KJ Wright out to an extent. He's going to be moving to that Sam Linebacker position most likely. Still going to get a lot of snaps. He's going to be phasing K.J. Wright out to an extent. He's going to be moving to that Sam linebacker position most likely. Still going to get a lot of snaps. He's going to be a valuable defender. But they want Jordan Brooks to be an impact player on day one.

He's got sub 4.5 speed. He ran a 4.54 at the combine. But the Seahawks hand-timed him at under 4.5 at a separate event. So this is a guy that can move. He's a sideline to sideline player. He's an excellent tackler. He had 20 tackles for loss out of a little over 100 tackles last year. So roughly a fifth of his tackles were behind the line. And so Seattle's really excited about his upside and being able to come in immediately. And I think Daryl Taylor's another player,

especially without resigning Jedefin Clowney, He's going to get his opportunities starting in day one to be at least a functional reserve rotational rusher that can come in and get after the quarterback. And if he's fully recovered from his fractured shin, he is a player that fits that Leo defensive end position perfectly in Pete Carroll's defense. Yeah, he truly does. Taylor was one of those types of edge rushers that I looked at as a potential fit in New England. One of the big reasons why is his ability to come off of the edge. You mentioned his ability to play in that Leo style that I think is something that the Patriots would have been able to utilize him and utilize him quite well.

You mentioned the shin injury, and injuries are always a big factor in players being able to either be productive or maybe be stunted a little bit in terms of their growth in the NFL. Again, I think at the top of the Seahawks draft, you look at a guy like Brooks at the linebacker position. You mentioned that Pete Carroll and the Seattle Braintrust is eager to get him on the field. And I can see why there's an explosive ability to his game. And Daryl Taylor is the same way. But I also liked some of the maybe lesser-known picks that the Seattle Seahawks got, maybe some diamonds in the rough, some hidden gems later in the draft. D.J. Dallas going to them at the running back position at number 144 in the fourth round, to me, was great value, and I think he can pay some dividends in this offense.

Another guy that you and I spoke with about a little bit offline was Stephen Sullivan out of LSU. Seventh round, pick number 251. I think Sullivan has a tremendous upside. I love his ability to be that hybrid type of tight end in the NFL, especially coming in knowing that he's going to have Greg Olson on this team to learn from. He has the ability to play in the tight end slot. He also has the ability to slot in and be a receiver. He does have that capability.

He may not be the blocker that a lot of people hope that he would be, but those are skills that can be learned. And I believe that in a right fit and in a Pete Carroll-style offense, I believe that he can pretty much do that. So I like the Seattle Seahawks draft haul. And I think overall, I think they've made themselves pretty formidable. As far as their late picks, you mentioned Sullivan, you threw out, mentioned DJ Dallas. I think Alton Robinson out of Syracuse, I already talked about Darrell Taylor.

They doubled down with the pass rushers and they absolutely needed to. They finished next to last in the league in sacks last year. They finished 28th in pressure percentage. They needed some guys that can get after the quarterback. And Robinson's coming after kind of a down final season in Syracuse, just four sacks in his final year with the Orange. But the year before he had 10 sacks and this guy's an electric rusher off the edge too. So they added two young guys that have played a lot of college snaps

that should be able to come in even amid the circumstances right now. They should be able to come in whenever football returns and they should be able to carve out roles on this defense with their athleticism, their flexibility, the ability to bend around the corner. That's something this team desperately needed. They just didn't have that bendy edge rusher last year that could turn the corner on tackles and get to the quarterback. They got two guys there that are

capable of doing that, so I'm really intrigued by him as a fifth round pick, and I would be remiss not to mention Damian Lewis. You talked about the offensive line being overhauled. He might be the best addition to that offensive line, bringing in a big mauling guard out of LSU that played for the best offensive line in the country, the national championship LSU Tigers. And he might not work for some teams, but in Seattle's system, he's a perfect fit. He truly is. And again, I think the Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, both are like-minded in that you can never have too much offensive line talent, too much offensive line firepower, guys that can come in, add depth to the line, and add a lot of athleticism and versatility.

And I think these two teams have done that, and we will get to the Patriots' offensive line, I'm sure, in just a minute. But, Corbin, I would be remiss if I didn't try to pick your brain on one of Seattle's newest offensive weapons, and that is a player that we've spoken about here before on Locked on Seahawks and that is Philip Dorsett they've added more wide receiver they've added more uh veteran options uh to their wide receiver but I think Philip Dorsett can slot in nicely into a number three role behind Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. And from our previous conversations,

you know, I'm pretty high on Dorsett. And I think he's going to be a solid addition to the Seahawks wide receiver core, especially since he's known for his speed. And he's going to be linking up with a quarterback who loves to throw the deep ball in Russell Wilson. How do you see Dorsett fitting in with the Seattle offense as the 2020 season approaches? So this is nothing against Tom Brady, because as you mentioned, he's one of the greatest quarterbacks, if not the greatest quarterback in NFL history. And I don't think all of it was falling on him for the inability to get the football to Dorsett because he's far from a superstar. He has not lived up to that first round billing in his five NFL seasons.

But I just look at the schematic fit going to Seattle and having Russell Wilson, one of the best deep ball throwers in the league and having those other two weapons around him that defenses are going to be concerned about. And you mentioned Greg Olson too. Defenses have to worry about him at the tight end position as well.

They've got a ton of weapons at Russell Wilson's disposal. And it's interesting with all the receiver talent there was in this draft class, Seattle didn't actually pick a receiver until the sixth round when they picked Freddie Swain out of Florida. Now, Colby Parkinson is basically a giant receiver coming out of Sanford. They picked him in the fourth round. So they did add some pass catchers in this draft class. I'm very intrigued by Parkinson as well. He's a player I mocked the Seahawks several times. So he's a guy that was not surprised they were interested in and ended up picking. But when you look at the players that

they've added at receiver, Dorsett is probably going to be the most impactful one from day one here. And I think it's another example where they were looking at, we're not going to have OTAs. We're not going to have mini camps. Let's not invest a high draft pick in the receiver position when it's not one of our biggest needs. We can get a speedy third weapon that has reliable hands in Philip Dorsett that has started to take some snaps out of the slot as well. We can move him around a little bit. He can run some jet sweeps. Maybe we can use him on special teams some. So I think when you look at his speed and the type of route runner that he is, I don't think he's a very refined route runner

on short to intermediate routes, but the Seahawks don't necessarily need that in their deep passing game. They need a guy that can get open and can get downfield so that Russell Wilson can get the football to him. And he's not going to have to worry about having bracket coverage against him when you've got DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett running verticals and teams are scared to death trying to defend those two. The opportunities are going to be there, and Russell Wilson loves those speedy guys that have soft hands, and he checks off both those boxes. So this might be the best scheme fit that he's had since he's come into the NFL, and that'll give him his best chance at long-term success.

I agree, and from a personal standpoint, I can tell you, Phillip is one of the classiest guys that I've ever had the opportunity to cover. He really is just one of those football players that you love having on your team. He's great in the locker room. But when I found out that he was going to Seattle, this to me seems like such a hand in glove fit for Philip. Russell Wilson led the NFL last season, as you know, 22 completions that traveled at least 25 air yards. ESPN charting was the source that i discovered that from and that's a stat that stuck in my head since the day i found out that philip dorsett was going to be a seattle seahawk and throwing the deep ball is one of russell wilson's best strengths and he has another receiver to get the speed to get open

down the field not that he didn't have that with lockett and metcalf but don't forget dorsett ran a 4.3340 at the 2015 scouting combine so he still has the ability to turn on the jets when he needs to if they can get something similar to the production that he gave them in new england which was 29 catches 397 yards five touchdowns i think seattle might consider that a pretty good return but I think he's going to actually eclipse that one of the reasons why is because I think Russell Wilson can air the ball out and can utilize Dorsett's biggest strengths the other is a reason that you brought up Corbin and that is there is a possibility of a truncated offseason program that could leave some teams with

the inability to be able to break in a young rookie wide receiver so if you're looking at some of the younger players that might hook on either through free agency or undrafted dorsett really positions himself well to be able to ingratiate himself into the seattle offense and really develop i think a very good rapport with russell wilson so from a personal and a professional standpoint, I think Philip Dorsett ended up in the perfect spot, and I expect a pretty good season out of him in Seattle. I would agree with you.

I think there's a really good opportunity for him to be in that 400, 450 receiving yard range. I'd be surprised if he did much more than that just because the targets are limited in Seattle. I do think they are going to throw the football a little bit more this year. If you look at the offensive line moves they've made, Damian Lewis was that big mauling run blocker. They like it guard, but a few of the other players that they've added, including Brandon Schell, I think Brandon Schell is a better pass protector than a run blocker. So I think that him going from Jermaine Effetti to Schell kind of is one

indicator. Maybe we're going to change up and as the fans like to say, we're going to let Russ cook a little bit more than what he has in the past. And even the center position, BJ Finney is not somebody that's going to maul people at center. He's your new guy replacing Justin Britt, but he's a really sound pass protector. So their moves they've made indicate to me there might be some slight philosophical changes to let their franchise quarterback really run the show and air it out a little bit more that will create more opportunities for Philip Dorsett to be able to make plays downfield and this is an offense that really suits his skill set well as you mentioned agreed and Corbin you have provided a great amount of insight when it comes to the Seahawks potential

2020 roster but this wouldn't exactly be a true crossover unless we flip the script and you put me on the hot seat. In just a moment, folks, my colleague Corbin Smith and I will talk about what the tumultuous offseason in Foxborough means for the Patriots in 2020 as these two teams prepare to do battle this season in Seattle. But first, guys and gals, I just wanted to take a moment to let you know about the next great read from author Alka Joshi. And with Sunday being Mother's Day, start the competition today with the most important people in your mom's life. Mother's Day is her Super Bowl, so celebrate this Mother's Day by scoring her favorite gift of the day. Your mom will be able to travel in her mind to exotic India, sample the food, and laugh at the perils of raising a

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including Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Walmart, Costco, and Target. And for this Mother's Day, make mom the ultimate winner in your family. Welcome back. Glad to have you joining us on the locked on podcast crossover series afc east against the nfc west first time since 2016 i'm your host corbin smith of locked on seahawks and i am mike debate host of locked on patriots we're going to continue our roundtable discussions with the afFC East today by taking a trip to Foxborough, which has had unprecedented turnover this season. Here to join me breaking down the Patriots heading into a new era starting in 2020 is my good friend Mike DeBate. We caught up a few months ago on the

podcast. Tom Brady obviously already had signed with Tampa Bay at the time, the biggest offseason news that we had seen in quite some time. It ultimately was not that surprising given how things had shaken out there a few weeks before the start of free agency, but there were still people that just couldn't believe he actually left New England and now he's got an old friend back with him with the Bucs. How surprised were you to see Gronk turn in his WWE stuff and come out of retirement after a year so that he could play with Brady in Tampa Bay? To be honest, Corbin, I was surprised. I wasn't shocked. And I think a lot of rumbling started to occur right around the time that Tom Brady signed in Tampa Bay.

And a lot of people started to say, I think maybe tongue-in-cheek a little bit, but maybe there was some truth to it, that what if Gronk came out of retirement and joined Tom Brady in Tampa Bay? And it seemed like a pipe dream at the absolute most. But when you look at it at its core, it actually really does make sense for both sides. And the way it played out wasn't as sinister as how you're seeing it played out in a lot of the media narratives that have come out since. Look, bottom line, I know the two sides are going to put out a lot of pleasantries, and they already have. But if Rob Gronkowski was ever coming back to play on a football field again, it's starting

to look like it was never, ever going to be New England. And I think in a lot of ways, with Tom signing with Tampa Bay, it opened the door for Rob to consider the possibility of returning to the NFL. It allows the Patriots to save cap space. It allows the Patriots not to take a cap hit the way it happened. Rob let the team know before he wanted to officially reinstate. If he had done that and hadn't notified the team, the team would have been hit by a $9.25 million salary cap hit immediately.

That could have devastated the team's ability to be able to field a $9.25 million salary cap immediately. That could have devastated the team's ability to be able to field a competitive team. They would have had to have cleared cap space immediately, and it wouldn't have worked out the way it did. So ultimately, Rob gets a chance to go and play for the only quarterback he's ever played for. By the way, judging by the sources that I've talked to, the only quarterback he ever wanted to play with

in the beginning or in the end, really, judging by the sources that i've talked to the only quarterback he ever wanted to play with in the beginning or in the in the end it really that was all he wanted to play for was tom brady it gives him the ability to do that he doesn't have to be the main offensive option we look at tampa bay's roster they're well stacked from top to bottom and it gives tom brady that familiar receiver that he was looking for and it gives the Patriots the opportunity to officially cut bait and move on and save a little bit of cap space in the in the interim and be able to build that offense in a new image for a new quarterback in Jared Stidham yeah that's the thing with these two boobs obviously the offseason narrative in New

England has all been about Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski leaving. And you've got Jared Stidham taking over as quarterback. They haven't made any other moves. That really fits with what you were telling me back in March. You did not anticipate that they were going to be splurging to sign a veteran free agent quarterback or using an early pick. But free agency didn't just hit New England on the offensive side of the football, losing Brady and then having to trade Gronkowski. They lost several key defensive players, Kyle Van Noy being one of them that leaves for a division rival to Miami Dolphins. Which one of those moves, looking at how things have played out this offseason, which one of those moves on defense do you think is the biggest loss for this team to overcome?

And how have the Patriots gone about trying to address these issues trying to replace some of these players well the two big departures on the Patriots defense that I think are going to hurt the most are Kyle Vannoy and Jamie Collins at the linebacker position not only were Vannoy and Collins adept linebackers true linebackers but they were also players that had the ability to set the edge as well and they were really two of their primary pass rushers so what did the patriots do they took their opportunity and they took their second day draft capital and they invested it in some guys that i think are going to pay immediate dividends on this team the first one i believe is their best selection and that is Joshua Uche out of Michigan

Uche might be one of the most underrated pass rushers in the 2020 NFL draft undersized defender got long arms the skill set to make an immediate impact rushing the passer I like that combination that he brings of initial quickness bend and closing speed I've said that several times on locked on Patriots and I really can't say that enough. The more film that I watch on him, I'm so impressed by what he brings to the table. Now, look, the Patriots had success in rushing the passer in 2019. Again, a lot of that was because Van Noy and Collins were so adept at being able to do it. But Usha to me fits that classic Patriots profile. Well coached, disciplined. He'll project best as an outside rusher.

I like his ability to come inside and be an interior blitzer, but I think he can really create a formidable pass rush tandem with fellow Michigan alum Chase Winovich, who I believe is ready to ascend and make that extra step as well. And I said that actually yesterday when I talked to our colleague, Brian Peacock, with regard to the 49ers and what the Patriots are going to need to do to compete there. They're going to need some speed at the edge rush and the linebacker position. Boucher provides it. The other guy that they brought in was an edge rusher out of Alabama,

and that is Anthony Jennings. And I know from talking to you offline, that's a guy that you had your eye on for the Seattle Seahawks as well. Look, I love Jennings. Stout run defender. I like the way he sets the edge. He's a very good tackler. I think he has an underrated combination of quickness. I like his ability to change direction, and he's got great instincts. The one thing that I love about Anthony Jennings is despite the knee injury that he had, he's got a lot of toughness and a lot of tenacity i really like the fact that he plays his assignments as indicated to me that's one

of the things that's going to endear him most to bill belichick so yes van noyen collins is a big uh subtraction for this team and they will hurt there's no question about it ushe and jennings are not going to come in and immediately replace what these guys gave you but they give them the option of being able to do that and build from within and I really like their ability to be able to compete at the next level both of these guys in 2020 and beyond we talked about this earlier the Seahawks and Patriots really do mirror each other in so many ways with how they try to build rosters and construct their team. And I look at this draft class for New England and I looked at all 32 draft classes once the draft was over with. I didn't have a chance to see everything play out covering the Seahawks full-time. I didn't get to see what other teams picked and some of the later

rounds, especially when picks start flying off the board. But I absolutely love the first five picks that New England made. They have three defensive selections at the board, but I absolutely love the first five picks that New England made. They have three defensive selections at the beginning, and I want to start off with the guy that you haven't mentioned yet, Lenore Rhines, Kyle Duggar, a player that has good size. He can play corner. He can play both safety positions. He's coming from that small school, so there were teams that may have written him off their list just for that reason alone. The Seahawks typically have not drafted small school guys, especially that early in the draft. They'll take some flyers on some later in the draft, but a player like this that really showed out at the Senior Bowl, I'm not surprised at all that Bill Belichick brought him in with the

versatility that he's going to bring. He's a chess piece that he's going to be able to move all over the place. He can put him in the slot. He can put him down as a money linebacker. He can play outside because of his height and his length. I'm really fascinated by what Belichick's going to be able to do with him. And then you mentioned Uche. He's a player that I mocked the Seahawks quite a bit because just like Daryl Taylor and Alton Robinson, he is a guy that is really bendy around the edge, can turn the corner quickly, athletic, good burst off the line of scrimmage. What he's got that those other two don't have though, Daryl Taylor is decent dropping back into coverage. He's played some outside linebacker at Tennessee, but I think Uche has a ton of upside dropping back

into coverage. So as far as being an all-around outside linebacker, he's probably the best prospect of those two. Whereas I think Taylor with his size being almost 270 pounds is much more suited to be that hand in the dirt 4-3 defensive end. So he's a pick. He's a player that I was certainly looking at for Seattle. Along with Anthony Jennings, who I had seen some reports might go into day three, the Patriots were able to snag him in the third round. And like you said, such a high IQ football player that has had a few injuries, but he's come back and he's continued to play well. He's underrated athletically.

Maybe that tweener when you're looking at where he's going to fit position-wise, but he plays bigger than 250 plus pounds. And his football IQ allows him to be able to disrupt the backfield frequently so I think he's another guy Bill Belichick's gonna love moving around as a chess piece on this on that defense that has played a couple different spots while playing at Alabama now on the offensive side of the football the two picks, we talked about Rob Gronkowski coming out of retirement, being traded to the Buccaneers. They have been looking for a long-term replacement for him. Obviously the Patriots love to have multiple tight ends that can impact games,

both as blockers and receivers. Belichick didn't waste any time getting some new tight ends. Back-to-back picks in Devin Asiasi out of UCLA and Dalton Keene out of Virginia Tech what are your thoughts on where these two are going to fit in and are there any day three picks that you think have a chance to be instant contributors for the Patriots well Asiasi is a guy to me that really I think is someone that the Patriots didn't realize they always wanted and I'll explain what that means. Adam Trotman was really the hot name that everybody was talking about as a really good fit in New England out of Dayton, myself included.

I kind of fell in love with what I saw from Adam at the Senior Bowl, at the Combine. I just thought that he gave that typical, prototypical Patriot vibe every time you watched him. But the more I watched Devin, the more I loved his game. That blend of size, speed, and length, impressive athleticism, and I really like the upside that he showed as a route runner. He's got natural hands, above average body control, which is something that is so big in a Patriots tight end.

And look, there's no question about it. The Patriots desperately needed help at this position. They combined for a league low 37 catches, tied with last for two touchdowns. And when you think about some of the prolific tight ends that have played in New England, that's a stat that can't sit well with Josh McDaniels and, of course, with Bill Belichick.

Now, they have expectations for Asiasi. They used valuable draft capital to obtain him. But I believe that they are going to really come into their own when it comes to this selection. I like what Devin can bring, and I think he may end up being their primary option at the position this season. Dalton Keene out of Virginia Tech was a little bit of a surprise as well, but when you look at what he's able to do, he's versatile enough to line up in line, in the slot, and he can line up in the backfield, too. I like the way he moves about the field.

He runs hard after the catch. He's yet to become that big play threat, and I think he could use some improvement in his route running a little bit. However, he performed very well at the combine, and I think that's what caught Bill Belichick's eye. I think he has the tools to improve in both areas. So at the end of the day, I'm liking what I see in the two selections at tight end when it came to what the Patriots did. On day three, the guy that I'm watching right now is Michael Onwenu, the guard out of Michigan. And again, another Wolverine. But I really like the way these guys are able to come in, be prepared, and fit right into the Patriots scheme of things. He's a massive guard.

He's got excellent length. He overwhelms defenders in the run game, and I like the way he anchors when he protects the passer. It's very rare, if ever, that he's easily bypassed by a pass rusher, and I think that's something that the Patriots are going to need desperately this year, especially with a new quarterback under center. So he's got a lot of durability, started all 26 games for Michigan over the last two years,

played 12 as a backup role as a sophomore in 2017. So durability is nothing that is new to him. Again, I really like this addition, and I think he can pay dividends for the Patriots offensive line this year. And my listeners for Locked on Seahawks are not going to be surprised by this comment at all, but Dalton Keene, you mentioned him potentially, you know, he's a guy that fits the Patriots, but Asi Asi might be the better tight end of the two. I'm going to disagree with you there. I think Dalton Keene might be the diamond in the rough there. He actually got picked earlier than I thought he was going to. So maybe not quite as much of a diamond because

Bill Belichick picked him earlier than he was anticipated to be off the board but you look at his ability to make plays downfield he's a guy that's 254 pounds that ran in the four sevens so he's athletic he had a really good set a three cone drill had a really good short shuttle drill as well so he's got the size and athleticism he was a player I was mocking quite a few times to the Seahawks, even with the tight ends they already have in the roster. And him and Colby Parkinson were two players I was very intrigued by. New England gets one of them, Seattle gets Colby Parkinson. So again, these two teams, they're thinking along the same lines, trying to build their rosters. Good way to finish up here. There's so much discussion right now

about this incoming draft class for both of our respective teams, but it could be very hard for rookies to make an impact this year. We've talked about the fact there's probably not going to be any OTAs or minicamp. We don't know if training camp is going to start on time given the coronavirus. Which breakout player do you think must emerge for the Patriots that's a returning player for this team to be able to stay in contention in the AFC East? Well, as a returning player, I'm actually going to go with a guy that really did not see a whole lot of action last year. And believe it or not, that is Damian Harris running back out of Alabama. And I think in a lot of ways, the running game is going to be such a key part of what the Patriots do this

year. You're going to see a return to the 2001 style Patriots. Very good, very solid mechanics from a quarterback, excellent decision-making pinpoint accuracy, able to put the ball only where his receiver can find it, but he's not going to be that prolific big threat throwing down the field. That's not a

knock on jared stidham folks that doesn't mean he can't throw the deep ball and he can't be accurate with it but his decision making is going to take some time to be refined because of that they're going to need a solid running game in order to get things going in new england offensively and i think damian harris is going to be a big part of that sony michelle will continue to be the feature back james white will continue to be that threat running out of the backfield i'm not sure about the future of rex burkhead here i love rex i hope he hangs around but he may end up being a cap casualty the patriots may end up choosing to go with the free up cap space rather than employing him if that's the case damian harris could see a lot of time being that second bell cow type back that needs to be

productive in a Patriots offense like this so to me I think it's going to be really important for him to come in come in ready and come in prepared and I think the fact that he redshirted last year allows him to be able to do that spent a lot of time with a clipboard in his hand and from the people that I've talked to in New England he picked up an awful lot of pointers and a lot in terms of being able to be prepared so he's the guy that i'm looking for to help this rookie class really kind of round into form and don't forget the fact that he has red shirted quote unquote and i say that figuratively folks not literally but the fact that he has red shirted allows him the ability to help some of these rookies that may not see a whole lot of time on the field this year but a whole lot of action in practice

and that's practical training for the future and that's something that Bill Belichick is very big on when it comes to rookies so I think he can be an indelible part of the rookie development of this class especially this year if they're not going to see a whole lot of time as you mentioned, he's basically a player that is part of your 2020 draft class, even though he was picked last year, just not getting the snaps, not getting the workload last season. And I was wondering about Nikhil Harry potentially in that question as well, because they struggled so much with receivers last year for Tom Brady. Stidham's going to need that go-to guy that can develop at receiver. So I'm curious to see how Harry plays out in 2020 as well. Mike, as always, a pleasure to chat with you about the Seahawks and Patriots.

And I'm really looking forward to Thursday when the schedules get announced by the league. Obviously, there's some uncertainty whether we're going to actually have a normal schedule this year, but we're at least for now going to get a taste of that 16 game schedule that will include the Patriots traveling to Seattle to battle the Seahawks absolutely Corbin it was a blast sharing the microphone with you always an honor always a pleasure we look forward to the crossover when these two teams do end up hooking up and uh as of Thursday we'll know exactly when that will be, or we hope when that will be, but it'll give us something to look forward to in the interim. And it will be a fun crossover week that week, my friend.

Guarantee it. And Patriots fans, with day two in the books now of our intra-divisional crossover with the AFC East and the NFC West, we take our leave of the Seattle Seahawks, over whom the win was divine in Super Bowl XLIX. But now we turn our attention to the victory in Super Bowl LIII. That's right, tomorrow, Brad Mader, host of Locked On Rams, as in the Los Angeles Rams, will join me here on Locked On Patriots. And we'll talk a little bit about the potential of this matchup,

how the Rams' roster might look different in 2020, and of course, how their most recent draft haul might lead Los Angeles into the future of their franchise. So folks, once again, to make sure that you don't miss any of these crossovers or any episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast, please be sure to subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, follow us on Spotify, and don't forget, you can always listen to Locked On Patriots right on your own smart device. Simply ask it to play the latest episode of Locked On Patriots.

And if you've enjoyed today's podcast, now tell Simply ask it to play the latest episode of Locked On Patriots. And if you've enjoyed today's podcast, now tell your smart device to play the most recent episode of Locked On Fantasy Football. Once again, I am Mike DeBate. I thank Corbin Smith for his time, his insight, and his appearance today. But most of all, I thank you so much for listening and for staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Stay safe, stay well, and have a great day, everyone.