Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Let the Combine Commence; Patriots Mock Draft Monday - 2/24/2020

Episode Date: February 24, 2020

The 2020 NFL Draft Combine is underway in Indianapolis, Indiana. Host Mike D’Abate offers his preview for the week’s events. He also breaks down the latest selection by Joe Marino of TheDraftNetwork.com for the New England Patriots with the 23rd pick in Mock Draft 6.0. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello to all you Foxborough faithful. Welcome to your Combine Commencement and Mock Draft Monday episode of 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. I am Mike DeBate, your host of Locked On Patriots, which of course 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 welcome, always encouraged. Always feel free to reach out to me and follow me on Twitter at MDABATEFPC. And while you're roaming around out there in the Twitterverse, please be sure to give the Locked On Patriots account a follow as well at LO underscore Patriots. Patriots fans, the 2020 NFL Draft Combine is underway as we speak in Indianapolis, Indiana. And as I stated here on Friday,

it is one of the favorite time of year for football fans all over the country. Draft hopefuls from all over the college football landscape finally get their opportunity to showcase their skills in front of the fans and media alike. And even though draft preparations really begin from the minute the 2019 season ended, we get a little tease during the Senior Bowl, but the Combine is really what kicks NFL draft season into gear. And all week long here on Locked On Patriots, we will be bringing you the latest on the Combine.

Each and every day, I'll be giving you my assessment of the day's events, have some special guests lined up with their boots on the ground in Indianapolis this week, and last but certainly not least, it's going to be an interactive week here on Locked on Patriots, so please be sure to keep a sharp eye out on my Twitter feed, the Locked on Patriots Twitter feed, going to be asking for a lot of your feedback this week, including your predictions on who might be a good fit, any questions you might have, and of course, whether or not the performance of your draft hopefuls makes it more or less likely that they'll be wearing a New England Patriots uniform in 2020.

But of course, today is Monday here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, and that means across the NFL landscape here on the Locked On Podcast Network, it's Mock Draft Monday. Once again, as they always do from now until the end of the draft, our friends at thedraftnetwork.com have issued their mock draft. And a voice you all know very well, my colleague at Locked On Bills and one of the draft network's top analysts, Joe Marino, gives his prediction this week on what the Patriots will do with the number 23rd pick. This was a wild mock draft for Joe.

He's getting a lot of feedback. However, the New England Patriots selection he made makes an awful lot of sense. And we'll break that down today. And I'll give you my opinion on Joe's selection for the Pats in the final segment of today's show. So sit tight, folks. We're going draft heavy in the content today. And we'll continue to do that all week long. I hope that you find it informative.

And I sincerely hope that you enjoy today's podcast. However, before we dive cannonball style into the Draft and Combine pool today, we start with a bit of news on free agency. And this one had an indirect impact on the Patriots, especially for fans that were holding out hope that playoff Danny was going to make a return in 2020. Of course, folks, you all know playoff Danny as Danny Amendola. And for the past couple of weeks, we've been hearing persistent rumors that Danny might find his way back to Foxborough for 2020.

In fact, there was a pretty prevalent rumor from a lot of reliable sources that indicated that Tom Brady's future might be tied to Danny Amendola's. They might be looking to reunite as a package deal somewhere. Well, if that is indeed the case, folks, it's going to have to happen in Detroit, Michigan. Because over the weekend, Pete Schrager of Fox Sports reported that Amendola is expected to sign a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions.

And even though I know this is a hard one for all of you Patriots fans to swallow, this wasn't exactly a move that caught me off guard. Amendola played a key role as Detroit's slot receiver after signing a one-year deal in 2019. He's going to fill that same role for another season. In 2019, Amendola appeared in 15 games for the Lions, caught 62 passes for 678 yards. He had an average of 9.7 yards per catch. Now, we all remember Danny for some of the key clutch touchdowns he caught when he was

here in New England. He only caught one touchdown in Detroit last year, but there were a couple of reasons for that. First, Matthew Stafford did experience a lot of injury. He never really got a chance to develop a chemistry with his starter. Second, and really most importantly, Amendola is not really designed to be a touchdown machine. I know everybody thinks of him that way, but that's really not his game. He's really more designed to advance the ball, make tough catches, and advance the ball in short yardage. The Patriots know that very well, but so does Lions head coach Matt

Patricia. Don't forget, defensive coordinator here in New England for a number of years. He practiced a lot against Amendola, and he knows his toughness and his capabilities. If Matt wants to instill that Patriot-type discipline in Detroit, he's going to need a guy like Danny to be able to do it. So overall, this is kind of a no-brainer that Detroit would want to bring him back. By most of the accounts that I've heard, Amendola wasn't exactly disgruntled in Detroit, so this looks to be a pretty good fit. But again, as I stated a few moments ago, I know this does not sit well with Patriots fans. We have an affinity for Danny Amendola. I love the guy as well. Having the opportunity to have covered Danny in training camps and practices here for a couple of years in New England, I can tell you without hesitation, he's a great guy, he's a hard worker, he does

everything the right way. Except for one thing, and that tends to be a pretty cardinal sin when it comes to the Patriots, particularly head coach Bill Belichick. He did take some shots at the organization on his way out of town. And while I truly believe that that would not, and let me repeat that, it would not prevent Bill Belichick from trying to re-sign Danny Amendola if he felt it was going to be the best move for the football team, it probably wasn't going to make him number one on his free agent wish list either. With the injuries to Julian Edelman this year, the Patriots are probably looking for a more speedy option on the outside,

or if they are looking for slot help, it'll probably be a younger receiver. So at the end of the day, folks, it just didn't look like a reunion between Amendola and the Patriots was ever really in the cards. As for the story about he and Brady reuniting and being a quote-unquote package deal, it doesn't look like at this point that there was much substance behind it. Now, it is a nice little story. Everybody that's seen these two play on the field together or has watched Tom vs. Time knows that Brady and Amendola are pretty good friends.

I don't think that's changed any time soon. I think they're still very good friends. But I don't believe that either one of them has tied his free agent future to the other. These are two independent thinkers, and I wouldn't read too much into the tea leaves about Amendola's decision to return to Detroit as being an indication that Brady is either definitely staying or definitely leaving. Sad to say, folks, I don't think that story's been written yet, and I don't think you'll really be able to have any concrete information as to what Tom's plans are for at least another week, maybe even more. But again, Danny will always be a beloved Patriots alumni.

I know I join you all in Patriots Nation by wishing him the very best next year. And unless the Lions end up playing the Patriots in the Super Bowl next year, we hope he puts up some monster numbers and helps Detroit to a lot of wins. And with that being said, it's time to delve into the draft. And in just a moment, I'll be giving you a little combine teaser for the New England Patriots. Who might I have my eye on? And I'll let you know when you can expect to see your favorites work out as these collegiate

hopefuls make their case to have their name chosen on draft day. However, before I proceed with that, we here at Locked On are proud to say that this episode is sponsored by Blue Chew. Guys, now you can increase your performance and get that extra confidence. Listen up. BlueChew.comcom that's blue like the color blue blue chew brings you the first chewable with the same fda approved active ingredients as viagra and cialis you can take them anytime day or night even on a full stomach and since they're chewable they work up to twice as fast as a pill so you can be ready whenever an opportunity arises if you could benefit from more confidence where it counts, Blue Chew is the fast and easy way to enhance your performance. Blue Chew is

prescribed online by licensed physicians, so you don't have to go to the doctor's office or wait in line at the pharmacy. It ships right to your door in a discreet package. They're made in the USA, and since Blue Chew prepares and ships direct, they're cheaper than a pharmacy. Best of all, there's no more awkwardness. Right now, we've got a special deal for our listeners. Visit bluechew.com and get your first shipment free when you use our special promo code LOCKEDON. Just pay $5 shipping. Again, that's B-L-U-E-CHEW.COM, promo code LOCKEDON, to try it for free.

Blue Chew is the better, cheaper, faster choice, and we thank them for sponsoring today's podcast. Once again, folks, the 2020 NFL Draft Combine is underway in Indianapolis. And to commemorate that, it's Combine Week here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. And while the Combine itself runs a full calendar week Sunday to Sunday, for this year, that meant Sunday, February 23rd through Sunday, March 2nd. The actual workouts don't really begin until Thursday, so they'll begin this Thursday on February 27th.

Monday through Wednesday is set aside to obtain players' measurements, meaning height, weight, hand size. There's also testing and player interviews. But where you get a chance to see your favorite players showcase their athletic prowess is starting on Thursday, and it runs Friday, Saturday, and into Sunday as well. And this year, Thursday's workouts feature some pretty high-profile positions. The tight ends, the wide receivers, and the quarterbacks will work out.

On Friday, February 28th, the showcase of the offense continues, as offensive linemen and running backs will be working out on Friday. Also working out on Friday will be the special teamers, including the kickers. And don't necessarily roll your eyes on this one, folks. This just might be a position that the Patriots, as I like to say, have a sharp eye on. We all know that the Patriots are in need of cap relief. We also know that their incumbent kicker, Steven Kostowski, is coming off of hip surgery. In my opinion, this scenario would be unlikely at best, but the idea was floated around over the weekend that the Patriots might look to cut Gustowski, save cap room, and possibly

look at a kicker as early as the third round. Now again folks, before you say that I finally lost my mind, keep in mind that the Patriots did the same thing when they let Adam Vinatieri go. They drafted Gustowski and immediately handed him the keys to the kingdom. Now to be fair, in Gustowski's case, the Patriots had long been scouting him. They loved what they saw in him, saw an opportunity to grab him, and they seized it. Again, I haven't personally heard that the Patriots are looking at any of the kicking options in this year's draft as they did with Gustowski more than a decade ago. But if they do find themselves in need of some cap relief, and if they're in any way concerned

about Gustowski's health, especially after coming off of hip surgery, this may not be a completely harebrained idea. So keep a sharp eye on the workouts on Friday. Again, folks, file this one as unlikely, but not impossible. And for those of you that want to give the defense a little love, don't worry because the weekend is your time. On Saturday, February 29th, the defensive linemen and the linebackers will be working out. And last but certainly not least, as they do every year, on Sunday, the defensive linemen and the linebackers will be working out. And last but certainly not least, as they do every year on Sunday, the defensive backs

will have the day completely to themselves. And even though it's probably their deepest position, Patriots always seem to find themselves in the market for a cornerback at this time of year in draft time. So don't be a bit surprised to see them watching some of them closely. On Friday, Evan Lazar of CLNS Media joined me here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, and we talked about potential fits and who might he have his eye on as the Combine week gets set to kick off. And the safety position was one

that we mentioned, especially with the possibility of Devin McCourty moving on via free agency. Evan told us primarily to keep an eye out for Xavier McKinney of Alabama and Antoine Winfield Jr. out of Minnesota. He also mentioned Grant Delpit out of LSU, and I had advised that's who I had my eye on if the Patriots look to go safety in the first round of the draft.

But the eyes of a lot of fans and media alike when it comes to the Patriots are going to have their eyes squarely on the wide receiver and tight end position. And over the last couple of weeks, my guests and I have been talking about the wide receiver and the tight end position, and how it is definitely a position of need for the Patriots. More so on the tight end. If they hope to both appease and retain Tom Brady, they might look for a more veteran option.

And there are some options out there on the free agent market. We've talked about Tyler Eifert, Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, Eric Ebron. Perhaps maybe even a trade for O.J. Howard, which I know my good friend Steve Balistrieri has been toting for quite a while. It's an unlikely scenario, but it's not impossible, especially if Tampa Bay looks to go in a different direction. However, the 2020 NFL Draft is not really known as being a deep draft for tight ends. There is a lot of potential talent to be had, but it doesn't necessarily need to be harvested

in the first round like it did in 2019 when you had guys like TJ Hawkinson and Noah Phan. In fact, this year, our good friends at TheDraftNetwork.com, who are sponsoring the second segment here on Locked on Patriots today, don't even have one tight end ranked in the top 50 of their NFL draft prospects so far. In fact, the tight end doesn't even appear on their list until number 65, and that's Bryson Hopkins out of Purdue University. Cole Komet of Notre Dame is also pretty high up on the list as well. The Patriots could be able to snag some pretty good talent at the tight end position,

either in the third round or maybe even later. Two names that would excite Patriots fans are LSU's Thaddeus Moss. Yes, folks, Moss. As in Randy Moss. As I'm sure most of you know, but some of you may not know, that Thaddeus is Randy's son. How great would it be to see Tom Brady throwing passes to another guy named Moss in Foxborough? Unbelievable, right? Well, as Eben Lazar cautioned you on Friday, Thaddeus doesn't exactly have his father's

athleticism. He's more of a lumbering, blocking tight end. In Eben's assessment, he's comparable to a Dwayne Allen type. But keep in mind, a blocking tight end is something that the Patriots desperately needed last year and did not have. And who's to say he couldn't develop some of his father's receiving skills? I mean, come on, if you're looking to be tutored in the art of receiving, who's a better consigliere than his father?

But Thaddeus isn't the only name that I'll be watching this week. Dayton's Adam Troutman is moving fast up the board as well, and there's good reason for it. Adam has shown the ability to be a bit more impactful right off the bat when it comes to receiving. That coupled by the fact that he's still a very good blocker may make him a very appealing option for the Patriots. Other names to watch this week in the tight end attack for the Patriots are Vanderbilt's Jared Pickney, Harrison Bryan from Florida Atlantic. Don't forget, he was the nation's Mackey Award winner for the top tight end in the country. That's a pretty prestigious honor, and someone

that I think the Patriots might give a second or third look to this week. Sam McKeon out of Michigan could be a fourth or fifth round option. Again, much like Thaddeus, he's a much better blocker than he is a receiver. So if the Pats are looking for protection at the position, McKeon could be a good late round option. And last but not least, the name to watch this week is Steven Sullivan from LSU. He's a hybrid-type tight end wide receiver. He's got blocking ability, but he is definitely a prolific pass catcher. Josh McDaniels loves projects, and Sullivan would present that. He'll need work, but he has tremendous upside. If the Patriots are looking for both production and potential

in this position, a hybrid selection like this might end up solving their blocking and their receiving needs at the same time. But the quote-unquote sexy pick this year would be if the Patriots chose to address the wide receiver position at the number 23rd pick. For the sake of it being Combine Week, we'll put aside the fact that the Patriots could use that number 23 pick to trade for a known commodity, a current NFL player. Say, like a Stephon Diggs? Could happen. Probably won't, but it might.

But if the Patriots address the wide receiver position in the draft, there are plenty of aesthetically pleasing names that would get Patriots fans psyched for the 2020 season. Here on Locked On Patriots, I've talked about a few of them, and who better to help the former Super Bowl champs try to regain their throne than a couple of current national champions of the LSU Tigers, T. Higgins and Justin Jefferson. Two great players, each with different skill sets. Higgins is a bit more athletic, but Jefferson is more of the cerebral route runner. You know that sharp eye that I like

to keep talking about, folks? Well, I'm going to have both sharp eyes squarely focused on each of these players this week. Another is Penn State's KJ Hamler. Again, a very good route runner and someone that can be very productive in the slot. As you recall, I opened today's show by talking about Danny Amendola and his decision to remain in Detroit. If the Patriots are looking for slot help, Hamler could be an option there. But thanks to my good friend Joe Marino, the DraftNetwork.com's mock draft for Monday, February 24th, has them going wide receiver at number 23. And in just a moment, I'll let you know what Joe has in store for the Patriots and why I think this might be a pretty good fit.

Once again, Patriots fans, it is combine week here on the Locked On Patriots Podcast, and we're going to be talking a lot about the NFL Draft Combine. But for those of you who thought that I might have forgot that today is Mock Draft Monday in conjunction with our good friends at the DraftNetwork.com, fear not. It is certainly Mock Draft Monday here, and I know the Mock Draft segments are some of your favorites. And this week, Joe Marino of the DraftNetwork.com, who you also know as host of Locked On Bills here on the Locked On Podcast Network, was next up on the docket to submit Mock Draft

6.0 for TheDraftNetwork.com. And on this Monday, February 24th, Joe definitely showed some intestinal fortitude, as the late great Gorilla Monsoon would say. I highly recommend checking out the entire draft. His selection at number three for the Detroit Lions alone makes it a must-read. Without giving too much away, let's just say it involves a new signal caller in Detroit. And the Dolphins dip their foot into the quarterback pool as well, but it's not for who you think. I won't give too much more away, folks.

Definitely check it out. My man Joe does a tremendous job with this, and I applaud his temerity. But this is Locked On Patriots, and you're interested in seeing what Joe has in store for the Patriots at the number 23 pick. Well, Joe and I are both like-minded. We believe that Tom Brady will eventually find his way back to Foxborough for 2020, and as a result, they're going to need to surround him with as much talent as they possibly can.

If a free agent option is too costly, Patriots may look to use that number 23 pick on a wide receiver, and that's exactly how Joe has it shaking out here. In his mock draft, 6.0 here on Mock Draft Monday, February 24th, Joe Marino has your New England Patriots selecting LaVisca Chenault, wide receiver, out of Colorado. Now, Chenault would be an intriguing option without any question. He's a big, physical, and explosive weapon that can dominate after the catch and also win downfield.

Very similar to what we saw last year from Nikhil Harry. However, I see Chenault as a little bit more physically durable. Joe describes him as an alpha at the catch point and could be the type of player that the New England offense needs to more consistently stay on schedule. He has some versatility in the backfield as well, a la that jet sweep type of play that we saw Cardero Patterson run here on occasion a couple of seasons ago. But while Patterson was extremely fast, Chenault would be a better fit in those short burst

kind of gains. Overall, he's a pretty versatile weapon that can challenge defenses at every level on the field. He has a very good blend of size, physicality, burst, and ball skills. He really doesn't have a whole lot of imitation in the ways that he can make plays, whether it's stretching the field vertically, winning in the intermediate areas of the field, uncovering quickly on the short stuff, or used for touches in space out of the backfield. Chenault really brings a well-rounded skill set to the table, and that could make him a very

intriguing option for the Patriots. Something that Bill Belichick and even Tom Brady would love about this kid is he's a fierce competitor. He was often held back in college. Especially over the last couple of years, the University of Colorado had some very erratic quarterback play. To me, that really tested Chenault's skill set. And even though his productivity numbers are not eye-popping, considering everything he went through, they're still pretty good.

There are a couple of concerns to keep on Chenault's radar, though. One is in his horizontal route running. Joe points out that because of his size, Chenault has a bit of segmentation when he executes his horizontal breaks. He's still relatively fluid for a guy his size, but that type of segmentation can cause some hiccups when it comes to making receptions. The other concern is injuries, and while Chenault has not been injury-ridden over the course of his collegiate career, in 2019, he has undergone surgery to repair a torn labrum and also suffered from turf toe. Neither of these injuries is expected to debilitate him when it comes to making an immediate impact

in 2020, but it's worth keeping an eye on, especially when it comes to the injury history that the Patriots had this year with Nikhil Harry. Harry's inability to see the field for much of the season definitely caused him a great deal of setback when it came to productivity. However, injury questions aside, I think this would be a smart pick for the New England Patriots. Chanel's skill set can immediately take an NFL offense to another level and add difficult to defend dimensions to it.

That's something the Patriots did not have in 2019. It's something they will absolutely need in 2020 in order to contend for a Super Bowl title. That's especially true if Tom Brady comes back. However, even if Brady is not the quarterback in 2020 for the Patriots, they still need someone with that type of dynamic ability. And Chenault checks all of the boxes. In his draft assessment, Joe Marino compares him a lot to Sammy Watkins, and I think that's a very apt comparison.

He's the type of receiver that can do it all. If he does have any shortcomings, they can be overcome. At the end of the day, folks, you know my stance. I still think the Patriots go offensive line in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft. But if they choose to make a wide receiver pick, this may be my favorite one so far. And that's saying a lot, considering how high I am on both KJ Hamler and Justin Jefferson as fits for this football team. To me, Chenault has the potential to be a best-of-both-worlds type guy, and if he's healthy, he could add a whole new dimension

to the Patriots' offense in 2020. So there you have it, folks, yet another wide receiver being mocked to the Patriots by our good friends at TheDraftNetwork.com. Do you agree with the pick of LaVisca Chenault? Could he be the answer at wide receiver that Patriots fans are hoping for? I would love to hear your feedback, so please don't be shy in dropping me a line at MDABATEFPC on Twitter, or feel free to at the Locked On Patriots podcast at LO underscore Patriots. As for me, I will be back tomorrow to continue to bring you the latest news notes and analysis from Foxborough and from Indianapolis, Indiana as the 2020 NFL Draft Combine Week continues. 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. Once again, I'm Mike DeBate. I thank Joe Marino of TheDraftNetwork.com for his selection today on Mock Draft Monday for your New England Patriots. But most of all, I thank you so much for listening and for staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Have a great day, everyone.