Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Fields Day? New England Patriots Draft analysis with Mark Schofield — 4/28/2021

Episode Date: April 28, 2021

It is Draft Day Eve across the NFL landscape. That means the ‘rumor and innuendo’ machine is working at full capacity; especially when it comes to the New England Patriots. Joining host Mike D’Abate is Mark Schofield of USA Today’s Touchdown Wire. The pair discuss the latest rumors surrounding trading up in the 2021 NFL Draft (presumably for QB Justin Fields), trading back, or trading for 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Lastly, Mark provides his prognostications on what the Patriots might do, and what they WILL do during this weekend’s Draft.  Listen to The Ultimate Mock Draft 2021 presented by Audacy and the Locked On Podcast Network. April 19th-26th. Follow the feed today!Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus.Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you.ManscapedGet 20% Off and Free Shipping with the code LOCKEDONNFL at Manscaped.com.NugenixText now, and they’ll include a bottle of Nugenix Thermo, their most powerful fat incinerator ever with key ingredients to help you get back in shape, absolutely free! Text DRAFT to 2-3-1-2-3-1. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you Foxborough faithful. You are now locked into the Lockdown Patriots podcast. It is Wednesday, April 28th, 2021. And today is draft day eve here on your daily home for news notes and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. And after you finish listening to today's episode of Locked On Patriots,

get all the sports news you need in under 20 minutes with the Locked On Today podcast. Host Peter Bukowski updates you on the latest news in every major sport with the help of our local experts. Follow the Locked On Today podcast on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Happy Hump Day, Patriots Nation. Today is the day before the draft. The 2021 NFL Draft is set to kick off tomorrow evening from Cleveland, Ohio. And as of the time that I'm recording this, your New England Patriots still hold the number

15 selection in the first round, scheduled to take place tomorrow night. But will the Patriots be holding onto that pick? Might they be looking to make the move up in the draft to get that quarterback of the future? Folks, there are a lot of reports circulating out there. Of course, yesterday, Albert Breer of MMQB stating that the Patriots and the Carolina Panthers have been in contact about a possible trade-up and that groundwork for a deal may already have been put in place.

Well, today's events may change that up a little bit because on Wednesday afternoon, those Carolina Panthers did indeed pull off a trade with the Denver Broncos, sending quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to Denver in exchange for a sixth round draft selection. Now, I know all of you are saying out there, it's a sixth round draft pick. It doesn't mean they're not going to do anything with number eight that doesn't really have anything to do with the Patriots not so fast folks with Carolina now dealing away Teddy Bridgewater it's obvious that they're ready to roll the dice with Sam Darnold as their starter and while I don't think there was anybody questioning that it does present an interesting dilemma for Carolina now I think at

least for the 2021 season, they'll be ready to roll with Sam as their starter. But with Teddy Bridgewater now in Denver, Carolina lacks a solid backup. And let's face it, Sam Darnold has had his injury histories. There have been some question marks about whether he is the guy that can be a face of the franchise type quarterback and lead this team to playoff contention. If Sam struggles on the field or struggles to stay on the field, then the Panthers have a problem. They don't have a legitimate backup to Sam Darnold. And what makes matters worse is that they may have hitched their wagon to a star

that simply wasn't capable of being their next franchise quarterback. Because of that, Carolina may be a little bit more reticent to trade away that number eight pick. If someone like a Justin Fields or a Trey Lance or a Mac Jones slips to number 8, Carolina may decide that they want to hold on to that pick. So, bringing this back to a Patriots perspective, the Panthers may have just increased the premium that the Patriots would have to pay in order to pry that number 8 pick away from Carolina. But this is far from being all dismal news for the Pats. The Broncos that just acquired Teddy Bridgewater were long rumored tomal news for the Pats. The Broncos that just acquired Teddy Bridgewater

were long rumored to be competition for the Patriots when selecting a quarterback at the number nine pick. And while it's still very possible that Denver may indulge in a quarterback at number nine, it's a little less likely. If that is indeed the case, one of the marquee quarterbacks in this draft could end up slipping to the Patriots even as far down as number 15. So folks, as I like to say, keep a sharp eye.

This is going to get very interesting between now and tomorrow evening. But the Patriots rumors are not done there, folks. Earlier this morning, Jeff Howe of The Athletic, again a source I trust implicitly, stated that the Patriots are quite enamored with Justin Fields. So much so to the point that they've had discussions with the Atlanta Falcons about possibly trading up to the number four pick. Some ice water was poured on those hot coals this afternoon when Atlanta is reportedly interested in holding on to that number four pick and choosing Florida tight end Kyle Pitts. But again, nothing is set in stone and anything and everything is possible when it comes to the NFL draft. And while I've attested for the past few weeks that I think trading up to number four is

something that the Patriots would be highly unlikely to do, I trust Jeff and I trust his sources. If he's saying it, there's got to be a lot of fire behind that smoke. Once again, folks, keep a sharp eye. And last but certainly not least, that's right, folks, the rumor mill isn't done yet. Old friend Jimmy Garoppolo is once again in the Patriots' crosshairs. Reportedly, that is. Several media outlets once again floating the rumor that Garoppolo may become available

throughout the draft weekend, and that the price that the Patriots would have to pay may be a little more palatable this time than when the Patriots reportedly reached out to San Francisco about a month ago and inquired about Jimmy's availability. Folks, if there's one thing that draft rumors teach us is that anything and everything will be discussed, all possibilities will be considered, and that anything is possible. But just like everything else in life, it really comes down to the money. Jimmy would need to restructure his deal in order to be traded to New England. At present, the Patriots just don't have the cap space to absorb his contract. That's not to say it can't be done,

but Jimmy, the Niners, and the Pats would all have to work out a circumstance that would allow Jimmy's contract to fit under the Patriots' salary cap umbrella. The Panthers, the Broncos, and Teddy Bridgewater did something very similar in order for the Panthers to be able to ship Teddy and his new contract over to Denver. You would have to think that San Francisco and Jimmy Garoppolo would be open to do something similar with the Patriots if this deal is going to work. But that's assuming the Patriots are even interested in this deal. That's also assuming that the Niners are even considering trading Jimmy Garoppolo. It's all a lot of rumor and innuendo out there, folks. And boy, I'll tell

you, it's exhausting. But I will say this, it keeps things fun. Bottom line, don't let a lot of the rumor and innuendo, most of which ends up being empty, distract you from the solid pinpoint analysis that so many great draft minds have provided. The scouting reports, the prognostications, the determinations of who is the perfect fit in which system is truly my favorite thing about the NFL draft. And here today, to lend some of that additional wisdom and counsel is a voice you all know very well. He is the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.

The excellence of execution and the host emeritus here on Lockdown Patriots, my good friend and predecessor Mark Schofield. And today on the hot seat, Mark and I will talk about all of those rumors surrounding the Patriots, whether or not Justin Fields is the quarterback to trade up for, or does Mark have his sharp eye on someone else. We'll also ask Mark to put on his GM hat, gaze into that Belichickian crystal ball, and determine not only what he believes the Patriots will do, but also what he would do if he were general manager of the New England Patriots. Folks, it's an action-packed agenda today on this Draft Day Eve episode, and without further ado, my good friend Mark Schofield joins me on the hot seat to talk anything

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Patriots fans, we are mere hours until the 2021 NFL draft. And if you thought we were going to get through draft week without welcoming back the host emeritus here on Locked On Patriots, you got another thought coming because this man is one of the best at what he does. I am wholeheartedly sincere when I say that he is the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be. The excellence of execution himself. That's right, folks. Today we bless the reins and we welcome back my predecessor, my mentor, my good friend Mark Schofield. But thank you so much for joining me today. Welcome back home. Michael, it's great to be back home. It's great to be with you. I know this is a busy time for both of us, running around, chasing down rumors, chasing down stories, but we're almost through,

right? We are almost done. The Patriots are almost on the clock. We can put this draft to bed, put it behind us, and get some work on the 2022 mock drops, which I know everybody's excited to read Saturday night. Absolutely. Everybody is. It's the best time of year for it. And, you know, look, I always appreciate you taking time out of your schedule

to join me here on the pod, buddy. You know, come back home, check on the place. You mentioned a busy week. I don't know. It's kind of dull this week i think there's really nothing going on at all i mean we all have so much time on our hands no folks i kid um it is draft week my friend uh always a lot to talk about at this time of year a lot of analysis a lot of scouting you provide some of the most intricate insight on which

players fit which team best so where where do we start today, Bud? Where else? Rumors. Right. Because it's the nature of the business. It's just what we do. And of course, our New England Patriots are being mentioned among the teams that might be moving up in this draft. And a couple of different reports seem to catch a little bit more fire than others over the course of the last 48 hours. Obviously, yesterday, Albert Breer of MMQB saying that Patriots have sniffed around on a trade up to the number 10 spot or into the top 10, I should say, presumably for a quarterback. Breer goes on to say that he believes that if Justin Fields is sitting there at number eight, there are strong enough ties between New England and Carolina and some groundwork on a deal. This could end up coming down. Now, whether or not it will, your guess is as good as mine, but it seems like that possibility is alive.

And this morning on Wednesday, Jeff Howell of The Athletic wrote that word is that the Patriots think very highly of Justin Fields, seemingly in contrast to what we've been hearing the last few weeks. In fact, highly enough that they've even spoken with the Atlanta Falcons about moving up to the number four pick. Mark, you and I have covered Bill Belichick for quite a while. You've done so a lot longer than I have. And for a guy, meaning Belichick, that keeps things so close to the vest, especially when it relates to the draft, it's a bit surprising to hear all of these rumors. A lot of people are saying Belichick is tipping his hand more than he has in years past. Some are negating it based on that and saying Belichick wouldn't do this. It's all smoke and mirrors.

He's playing games with the media. But we've seen a more aggressive Bill Belichick this year. No one thought he was going to go out and spend the type of money that he actually spent in free agency. And it surprised a lot of people, even with the space available. People were still taken a little bit back by the amounts that he put out. So, but in your opinion, do you think that all of these rumors are just the product of the circumstances and that everyone's getting caught up in the moment? Or is there a legitimate chance that Patriots fans should expect the unusual this time around when the NFL draft kicks off tomorrow night? I do think, and you use the word aggressive with respect to what Bill Belichick has done in free agency,

I think that's an important sort of bit of context here because I do think. Not to get people's hopes up, but I do think we might see a bit more aggressive Patriots organization over the next couple of days than we are accustomed to seeing. The reason is twofold. First, like you said, they were very aggressive in free agency. Even though they had money at their disposal, it still surprised a lot of people when they were so aggressive in acquiring players. Two tight ends. The top two options at the position of free agency, they went out and got them both. Two wide receivers. You know, a quarterback slash safety in Jalen Mills. You know, Michael, Matthew Judon from the Baltimore Ravens.

They were very aggressive in free agency, very sort of outside what they usually do, outside the norm. And that did two things. It allowed them to fill a lot of needs and address a lot of positions of concern. And it sort of showed people that this is not what we're used to seeing from Bill Belichick. And so that tells me that that aggressiveness will continue because they're doing things differently, number one. And number two, they've addressed a lot of needs. You know, they don't have a lot of positions to really tackle now,

thanks to the free agency spent. Now, do they still need to address wide receiver perhaps? You know, particularly with Julian Edelman in retirement? Yeah. But this is a very deep wide receiver class. I mean, I've got, you know, 14 guys I'd be comfortable drafting in the first two rounds alone. So that tells you how deep this is. I think I've got like 25,

maybe 30 players in my top 200. Now my board is worth next to nothing, but still that tells you the depth of this class. And so they can address wide receiver. They can add linebacker depth. They could add offensive line depth, deep defensive line depth. But the one missing piece is the certainty at the quarterback position. And we'd all love to see Cam Newton put it together and be that guy that maybe he was in 2017. I don't think they can bet on that.

There are still people that believe Jared Stidham could be the guy. I don't think they can bet on that either. I think they have to make sure they've got that figured out. And given how aggressive they were in free agency, I think the opportunity is there to be aggressive in the first round of this draft tomorrow night. Now, does that mean going up to four? Maybe, but you might have to pay a lot.

Maybe, though, Detroit at seven, Carolina at eight. Like you mentioned, there have been sort of preliminary discussions with Carolina. Those might be opportunities where if a Justin Fields slides a bit, if a Trey Lance slides a bit, New England can come up and get that quarterback. And so now you've got an opportunity where you've got between Cam and Stidham and a working quarterback, the opportunity to figure out that QB piece, which does remain sort of the one bit of uncertainty about this roster going forward. Yeah, without any question. And I think that you make a lot of interesting points and a lot of good points. First of all, about the aggression that Bill Belichick showed, there is definitely a little bit more spring in Bill's step when it comes to moves to be made. So maybe that does

account for something. You also mentioned his willingness to pay the price, and that ultimately is going to be the deciding factor here is, is the price worth it to be able to move up? Have they identified the guy in this draft that can be their future quarterback and lead this team for a number of years? You mentioned Cam putting it all together. Even if he does and he comes out and has a very solid or even you know better than solid season in 2021 is he the long-term answer likely not I mean at the you know with the age and injury

concerns and history there you have to think that Cam is on the downslope of his career rather than the upslide if Jared Stidham is not going to be the guy and he's not going to be the future of this franchise then you hit the nail right on the head. They absolutely have to address that. And they will ultimately address that because it is still the biggest question mark on the roster. And it does lead me quite nicely into another question that seems to be lingering around in the clouds all over the place. And I have my reasons for why that seems to happen. But I wanted to pick your brain on this a little bit today. And that's Jimmy Garoppolo. Obviously, the rumor mill went

into full effect when the San Francisco 49ers way back, it feels like a long time ago that this happened. It really wasn't as long as people think that they traded, you know, to move up to number three in the NFL draft. Everyone assuming they're going to take a quarterback, they're going to trade Jimmy. We heard reports that the Patriots were in on Jimmy Garoppolo, that they called, the asking price was too high from San Francisco. Pats chose to back out. Jimmy carries a hell of a big cap number.

That's going to be tough for the Patriots to be able to fit under their circumstances right now. Jimmy would require a major restructuring in order to be able to come here. But the rumor just simply won't die. And now it's picking up a little bit more steam, saying that over the weekend, we could see Jimmy moved. And Kyle Shanahan fed into this, you know, just a few days ago when he says, I can't guarantee anybody will be alive on Sunday, let alone who's on the roster. So a lot of rumors still churning about Jimmy Garoppolo. In your opinion, Mark, is there any type of fire to the smoke we hear on Jimmy?

And if a deal is there to be made, what do you think it might look like? Well, I mean, a couple of things on that. I understand why the Jimmy Garoppolo rumors will not die. You know, obviously when a player leaves New England, there's always the idea that they can come back. We saw just this past free agency cycle with the return of Kyle Vandoye. We've seen it with Jamie Collins and others. And so there's history of Patriots players leaving,

seeing that the grass isn't always greener, and then sort of coming back home. And so a lot of people have said, look, the Patriots haven't, seeing that the grass isn't always greener, and then sort of coming back home. And so a lot of people have said, look, the Patriots haven't hit a quarterback. The San Francisco 49ers are going to a draft toward a three, and they've got a crowded quarterback room already. They've got to get out from Jimmy Garoppolo because if you draft a rookie at three, you've got Garoppolo on the roster. That's just a mess waiting to happen.

And so people put two and two together. But what the terms of that deal might look like, that's all over the place. I mean, what does Jimmy Garoppolo in a vacuum sort of fetch, given that contract? Maybe a third. I mean, you look at the Sam Donald deal, you know, I wouldn't want to pay more than maybe a third, maybe a fourth for that, maybe a fourth and a conditional future pick. And then when you factor in the economics of it, Garoppolo, like you said, will have to take a massive restructure to make it work.

And so, you know, I think it's more people putting two and two together than anything else. Now, I'm sure the Patriots have done their due diligence on it. And if San Francisco has said, well, we'll wait to see how things shake out, but maybe you could have them for a conditional, you know, fifth, it could become a fourth depending on how much he plays. Well then sure. You know, if the price isn't going to be a ton to pay in terms of draft capital,

then yeah, sure. You can go do it, but I would rather see them go and be aggressive and get a potentially dynamic player than the guy that's being potentially passed over for Mac Jones. You know? Right. Not that Mac Jones isn't a good quarterback prospect, but if we're taking the guy off of San Francisco's hands

that might have lost his job to a Mac Jones, I think people, and I would put myself in this category, rather see them go in a bit of a different direction. I think that you're hitting the nail right on the head. And look, this comes from someone that would really love to pump the tires of my fellow countrymen. I've called them my Patriots by Zahn in the past. But look, we've covered Jimmy up here in New England. I think he's a little tougher than people give him credit for.

I think he's a great leader. People respond to him. They love playing with him. His teammates in San Francisco love playing with him. He was very popular up here in New England during his time. But you make an interesting point is if we're going to go all in on a quarterback that has seemingly fell out of favor with a team that has spent a good amount of draft capital to move up and draft getting their next dynamic player what does it say about bringing him back now the other argument on the other side of that is well bill belichick may see

something in him that kyle shanahan does not that's possible but we're also talking about two very good uh coaches and we're talking about two very good offensive systems, meaning that the Niners under Shanahan and then that Belichickian McDaniels system that's run here in New England. So I think you make an interesting point on that. And look, Jimmy is always going to be that what if in New England for as long as he wears a different uniform. I think the 2020 hindsight on Jimmy may be a little bit romanticized, but, you know, it's just one of those rumors that persists. And a lot of it is stoked by media speculation and fan hope. So we live in hope, bud.

We live in hope that the Patriots will end up doing the right thing. But those rumors are going to continue to be out there. It'll be interesting to see if there's any fire to that smoke this weekend. Mark, it's always a blast when you come back home. Your wisdom, your counsel, the perfect antidote to the knee-jerk negativity running rampant throughout Patriots Nation right now. But if Mark were the GM of your New England Patriots, folks, what would he do in the upcoming days leading into the NFL draft and beyond? Well, when we continue, Mark Schofield and I will discuss this

and at least make one more total reference when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Locked On listeners, this week has tons of sports action on the go. The NFL draft kicks off on Thursday. Baseball season is in full swing, and the Kentucky Derby is back as the first leg of the Triple Crown begins this weekend. Put your prognostication skills to the test with BetOnline, the fastest and easiest way to bet on all of your sports action. Get all of the latest news, odds, and info for all your sporting needs, including Major League Baseball, the NBA, the NHL, and all of your UFC MMA action.

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the 2021 NFL Draft set to begin tomorrow night, April 29th, 2021 from Cleveland, Ohio. And Mark, your expertise in the draft is unparalleled as far as I'm concerned. In the previous segment, you helped us set the record straight when it comes to rumor and innuendo, but your scouting work and your insight on this pool of potential draftees is second to none. I mean that from the bottom of my heart, folks. Mark is one of the best analysts you'll find anywhere in football, whether it be college pro. this guy does it all. And he does it with class and he does it with accuracy that is beyond my mental capabilities to even comprehend. But I'm going to put you on the hot seat today, my friend, I ask you to put your GM hat on,

gaze into that Belichickian crystal ball. We love to gaze into on podcasts like this. And according to the gospel of scofield which is what i'm going to start calling this now i hope you don't mind um what should the patriots do this weekend in terms of addressing their positions of need as gm buddy what would you do if you were in charge of the new england patriots well i mean my first move is to try to get up and try to get Justin Fields. I've long been on the record here of being a fan of Justin Fields. He's my second favorite quarterback in this draft class. I think he's much closer to Trevor Lawrence than the guys in the tier behind him and the group behind him. And if he does indeed slide past that pick at four, whatever Atlanta does past San Francisco at three,

is that I am making calls to Detroit. I'm making calls to Carolina as you try to get up into draft temp. Because I look at Justin Fields from an athletic profile standpoint. You're talking about somebody that's almost 6'3", runs a 4'4", 6'. There have been comparisons to Baby Cam. You see that athleticism. You see what that adds to the Ohio State offense over the past two seasons.

You see the developmental strides he made from his first year as a starter to his second year as a starter. Team captain, a leader, a guy that wanted the Big Ten to play football when it looked like they were going to shut things down due to COVID. A competitively tough player that takes a massive shot against Clemson, comes back, throws a touchdown, and staves off. A Trevor Lawrence comeback. He checked so many boxes for me at the quarterback position.

And if teams are going to pass on him, I'm going to be aggressive to try to get up to draft Justin Fields. Now, if that doesn't work, and either Justin Fields drafts or we can't make a move then I'm exploring two different options one obviously staying at 15 and making a pick and I do think that there are opportunities to make a pick at 15 with a player that could be rather impactful as a rookie you could look at corner I know there are questions about Stephon Gilmore and potentially moving him or JC Jackson I look at a player like JC Horn, man coverage type of cornerback,

somebody that you can play matchups with. This is a guy that in the SEC last year covered Kyle Pitts one week, Elijah Moore the next. You can't get two diametrically different receiving types of players than, you know, a massive tight end with a wingspan of a 737 and a shifty slot guy. You know, that's a very talented corner. And so I'm a big fan of his game. You know, he could also look defensive line.

You know, this is a thin position group. And the Patriots, I know they've added some players. They brought some players back. But that's a classic Belichickian move. And talking to some people sort of in and around both the pro and the college game who have talked to Belichick or talk to Patriot scouts. It wouldn't surprise me if new England just stays with 15 to draft Christian

Barmore out of Alabama. It's a thin position group Barmore by most accounts is the best of the options. He might be more of a round two player, but he might not be there at 46. And that sort of feels like a classic Belichickian move, right? Exploited the market and efficiency, thin position group, best player available, draft him there.

That could be something that I would explore if I were the general manager of the New England Patriots. I'd also look at wide receiver. And I know they have a needle wide receiver, and this is a deep group, but there are some options at 15 that I would explore or sliding back a little bit, whether it's a Rashad Bateman, Terrence Marshall Jr. You could even look at more of the shifty slot types, whether it's Tony, Kadarius Tony or Elijah Moore. But that's also a position you could address at 46. And I would give serious thought to sort of trade him back. The Patriots do have a gap between 46 and 96. I like to add a pick or two in that area if I can't go get the quarterback, if we're sort of out of the quarterback game, because that might be the window where you take a swing on a Kellen Long, take a swing on a Davis Mills.

If you could add a pick, say, in the 60s or the 70s or the 80s, maybe add two potential picks. And so those are things that I would explore if I were in the room. I'd want to go get Justin Fields because I do think he's the kind of quarterback that you could go build a team around, and he's that guy you sort of win with. But if not, those are the options that I'm exploring. The other thing to keep in mind, and this is a possibility,

Matt Jones is there at 15. I know we've all sort of come to expect that Jones is the pick for San Francisco at three. I won't believe it until I see it. And so I do think there's a window that Justin Fields comes off the board there or Trey Lance comes off the board there. And if that does happen, tell me who's drafting Mac Jones. Maybe Denver at nine, but I think Denver and their new general manager

might look at it and say Drew Locke versus Mac Jones. Maybe we'll just roll the dice with Drew Locke and address a different position. And so Mac Jones could be an option at 15. I would consider that. And one last player I will mention, Micah Parsons. Off-ball linebackers, they sort of have been devalued

in today's NFL, partly because, you know, my good friend Dave Archibald pointed this out the other day when we were talking about Micah Parsons. Their main contributions are the run game, and so they've been devalued a bit. Also seems like a Belichickian pick. You're talking about a player that's a

top-five talent. I know there are some character questions pick. You're talking about a player that's a top-five talent. I know there are some character questions, but you're talking about a player that's a top-five talent. If he's there at 15, it wouldn't shock me at all to see the Patriots explore that. If I were in the room and he was there at 15 and we exhausted options about trading out, trading up, couldn't get a quarterback, didn't want to go quarterback there,

Micah Parsons would also be a name to keep in mind. Without question. I'm so glad that you mentioned Mac and Micah because, believe it or not, we did a little ultimate mock draft here on Locked On Podcast Network throughout the course of the last week. That scenario actually played itself out. All of a sudden, I'm looking at picks going off the board. I did exactly what you would do. I tried to make my move up to get Justin Fields. At the end of the day, I've really become enamored with Trey Lance, and I really loved his game. But Justin Fields, to me, the comparisons to Cam Newton And sure enough, Mac continued to slide down the draft chart. Number 15, he's sitting there. I rolled the dice. I took my chances and I took Mac at number 15. But one of the things that I got, I don't want to say criticism for, but one of the things that bothered me, and it came very, very close. This was a very close race for me, was to take Micah at number 15, who was also still sitting there. You're talking

about a guy that can anchor the middle part of that linebacking core for a number of years to come. A real successor, I think, a legitimate successor to a guy like Dante Hightower in terms of his knowledge of the field, where he needs to be, getting other players in position to where they need to be to make plays. Michael Parsons is that generational talent. Ultimately, the need for quarterback kind of went beyond anything else at this point. And I chose to go with Max simply because the value at 15 was there. And I believe that he has the playmakers, the play caller, and the protection in New England that he'll need to ultimately succeed, even if he sits a year behind Cam Newton or Jared Stidham or whoever happens to be the quarterback this year in

New England. But good points. I'm glad also that you mentioned Stephon Gilmore, JC Jackson. There's a lot of smoke regarding their possibly being moved this weekend to help move up. If they do, I agree with you. I like JC Horn. I think there's a definite fit there. To me, he's one of the better prospects at the position in this draft. I really love Patrick Sertan II. I mean, there's really not a whole lot to not love about him, but I don't

believe he'll be there, and I think that it's going to be difficult for the Patriots to move up to get him. Caleb Farley right now is all over the place, but he is a top-tier talent at the position as well. So again, folks, these are positions to keep an eye on, and Mark always has his eye on the ball. He always has his eye on the prize. And lastly, before I let you go today, bud, we talked about what the media and the fans want the Patriots to do when we talked about the rumor and innuendo last segment.

We just talked about what you would do as GM of the New England Patriots. I even lent a little wisdom and counsel on what I would do or what I tried to do. But now it's time for your prediction, Bud. In your infinite wisdom and counsel, what will the Patriots have done once the sun sets on the 2021 NFL Draft? Yeah, and that's sort of the million-dollar question. And, you know, in trying to piece together what will happen Thursday night from the language perspective, I'm trying to temper my own hopes and dreams

and expectations because, you know, as much as I'm a quarterback guy and as much as I would love to see the Patriots sort of get that quarterback, figure that quarterback piece out, lock down Today. I had them coming up to 11 to get Trey Lance. That was my sort of last-ditch attempt at making that predictive mock draft, not the one I would do, but what I think will happen. Gettleman has been talking about, you know, he's never found a willing trade partner in terms of trading back. That's why he's never done it. If Lance somehow slides, if field slides,

teams go in different directions, if Jones does indeed go at three, maybe that's an opportunity for the Giants to finally find that willing trading partner in New England. Patriots come up and get their quarterback. Maybe there's a bit of road colored glasses there in that analysis because a lot of things would have to happen for that possibility to even be in play. In terms of tempering my expectations, as much as

I'd love the trade-up for Fields, the trade-up for Lance, I'm coming around to the idea of Christian Varmore at 15 or the Patriots trading out because, again, you look at that would be the very Belichickian move to draft that player on a top talent and a position of need in a thin draft class or trade it out.

Like they've done so many times. If the value just isn't there, then moving out. And that is something to remember in talking to people. And then around the league over the past couple of days, most people have maybe 10 to 14, quote, first-round grades, and then it starts to fall off. And you're talking about a team that's picking at 15. And you look at some of the players that might be available there,

you know, maybe they're sort of fringe first-round talents. I mean, Christian Barmore is probably more of a second-round grade of the vacuum. And so maybe New England sticks with their old MO, looks at the value and just decides, since we can't get the quarterback piece, the value just isn't there. We'll slide out. We'll take some more swings at this tomorrow.

Have fun making content tonight, guys. Go record your pause and try to pitch this to the audience that this was the right move, but this is what we're going to do. And so I'm sort of preparing myself for, you know, maybe Barmore at 15 or an eventual tradeout. Now, maybe that's trying to set my own expectations, and so I won't be disappointed. But it does seem like that's a direction that they might end up going eventually, which is we'll make a value call if we like it, we'll stay and make a pick. Otherwise, we're going to slide out.

Of course, you do have to find somebody to come up. You know, maybe they can only fall back a couple of spots. I look at a team like Washington, and maybe a Christian Derrissaw is there or a Tevin Jenkins or an Elijah Veritaker or maybe even a Micah Parsons. Maybe they come up, and you only can slide back to 19, but then you reevaluate things and maybe bar more at 19 feels a little bit better or maybe that puts you in the range of one of these wide receivers that maybe didn't feel like at 15,

but at 19 with an additional pick in the third round or the second round, you feel a little bit better about taking another swing later at a different position. And so that's kind of where my head's at. Now, that could change in the next five hours. I mean, if we get some other bit of news or another trade or, you know, something else gets announced and maybe the view of it changes. But right now, that's kind of where my head's at and what they do more.

Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, trading back is definitely in the realm of possibility, folks. It's not just because it would be typical Bill Belichick, but in a lot of ways, I think you've laid out some scenarios in which it makes perfect sense for the Patriots to do that. If the value is not there, the Patriots are not going to just go ahead and waste the pick just because they have it and they're going to utilize it. They're going to utilize their draft capital to the best of their ability. And if that means trading back, maybe picking up an additional pick and utilizing the bottom half of the first round or into the second,

that's exactly what they're going to do. Bill Belichick has proven that he's not afraid to do it. But again, do we see aggressive Bill come out and make that move up? Your guess is as good as mine, Bud, and we'll find out in just a little over 24 hours folks he is mark scofield an amazing writer and analyst for platforms such as inside the pylon big blue view bleeding green nation pat's pulpit and of course usa today's touchdown wire i'm only naming a few folks his podcast the sco show if you're a patriots fan it's appointment listening. His coverage of the draft has been second to none.

If you haven't done so, please, please, folks, go out and check out everything that he's done. And he's also the reason that that Toto poster hanging on the wall here at the Lockdown Patriots studios will never be taken down. That's up there always in his honor. But what can I say? Thank you so much for joining me before leaving us, please let our listeners know where they can find you and what we can look

forward to from the great voice and pen of Mark Schofield during the draft and beyond. Well, Mike, it's always a pleasure to be back with you. Always have a blast when we get a chance to catch up before the show, after the show, during the show, appreciate all that you've done. Such a huge fan of what you've done with this show. I couldn't be happier to see your success.

As for me, look, Thursday night you're going to get me a couple of different places during the draft. I'll be on the SB Nation live show at the start of the first round to talk about these quarterbacks. Then I'm going to pop off there, head over and join my friends over at Pat's Pulpit. They've got a great live show going as well. And then I'll close out the first round like I do every year with Sigmund Bloom, Matt Waldman over at the Audible and over at Football Guys. They do a live show every first round. They've been doing that for years. The Christian Hackenberg draft was my debut over there.

I came on on the second night, but then the fall on draft cycle, I got to call up to the first round, and I've been closing out the first round with my friends Matt and Sigmund ever since. So you can look for me Thursday night at a couple different spots. Then I'll have a second round mock draft that will drop sometime late Thursday night, early Friday morning, to get you ready for what might happen on the start of

day two. And then Saturday, you're going to get best available players to kick off day three. And Saturday night, friends, buckle up. You will get a 2022 watch list on offense, a 2022 watch list on defense, and perhaps as early as Monday, not just a 2022 mock draft, but also I'm taking a look back. Last August, I did my way too early 2021 mock draft, and I'm going to revisit that, see what I got right, see what I got wrong. I will say, last August, wasn't a big reach, but I said, first overall pick, Trevor Lawrence to the Jacksonville Jaguars,

and fingers crossed, I think we're going to get that. I also had Jamar Chase to the Dolphins Patty Sewell to the Bengals and so maybe I got a couple things right but I also had Marvin Wilson and Sean Wade in the first round and it doesn't look like they're coming off the board Thursday night so that's the stuff you could look for from me over the next couple of days folks he defines the mantra no days off what better patriots coverage or nfl coverage in general can you ask for than someone that already has his eye on 2022 and we're not even through 2021 yet that's why you're the excellence of execution but all kidding aside definitely enjoy best of luck in the draft coverage folks if you want pinpoint accuracy with just every type of value you can imagine

check out my good friend mark scofield throughout draft weekend in the meantime my friend before we have you back on to talk post-draft stay safe stay well and we look forward to having you back here on lockdown patriots very soon uh to talk uh post-draft and into the 2021 season as these rosters start to get set oh mike look Mike, look forward to it, my friend. Anytime you need me, you know where to find me. Absolutely, bud. Thank you so much. Have a great weekend.

Enjoy the draft, bud. You too, my friend. Be well. Just like that, Patriots Nation, we are almost at the threshold of the 2021 NFL Draft. And tomorrow, the Locked On Podcast Network is partnering with the Draft Network to cover the NFL Draft live. Get insight and analysis from Locked On local experts and the Draft Network's national

experts. Subscribe to the Locked On NFL YouTube page to watch live three-day coverage of the NFL Draft April 29th through May 1st. And here on Locked on Patriots, we've got a very special pre-draft episode scheduled. Kagan Stifel of Pat's Pulpit of SB Nation joins me here to prognosticate the Patriots' potential moves and to preview all of the action that we expect to see tomorrow night in Cleveland.

So, to be sure that you do not miss a single second of the action, follow the Locked on Patriots podcast on platforms such as Spotify, the Odyssey app, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. Just make sure that you are staying locked into Locked On Patriots. Once again, my name is Mike DeBate. I thank my good friend and predecessor, Mark Schofield, for his time, his insight, and his appearance on today's pod. But most of all, I thank you so much for listening and for continuing to make Locked

On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Until draft day tomorrow, Pats fans, stay safe, stay well, always be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone.