Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots 2024 NFL Draft: Drake Maye at No. 3? Last-Minute Trade? Final Mocks

Episode Date: April 25, 2024

With hours remaining until the 2024 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots are making their final preparations to select a future franchise cornerstone. Will they select quarterbacks Drake Maye or Jayden... Daniels at No. 3? Or, will they trade down for J.J. McCarthy or Michael Penix, Jr? Host Mike D’Abate is joined by Tyler Lamb of Stadium Rant to discuss the Pats plans and to evaluate two final mock drafts. #nfl #patriots #nfldraft Find and follow Locked On Patriots on your favorite podcast platforms:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1c5ZxFm...Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-...And follow host Mike D’Abate on X, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the New England Patriots and talking with fans — @mdabateNFLSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Home ChefNo more asking "what are we going to have for dinner" thanks to Home Chef and their chef designed recipes. For a limited time, Home Chef is giving Locked On listeners 18 free meal, free dessert for life, and free shipping on your first box. Head to homechef.com/LockedOn today.Monopoly GO!Get in the game and join your friends. Download MONOPOLY GO! now free on The App Store or Google Pay. The mobile hit twist on classic MONOPOLY.eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotos.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFL. Terms and conditions apply.BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDON today to get 10% off your first month.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase.FanDuelFanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning GUARANTEED That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – win or lose! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

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Starting point is 00:00:00 The time for the talk has just about ended. The 2024 NFL Draft is almost upon us, but we still have time for a few more mocks. Stick around. You're about to be locked in to the Locked On Patriots podcast. You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your daily New England Patriots podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast
Starting point is 00:00:26 Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful, and thank you once again for making Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Remember, Locked On Patriots is not only a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. We're also free and available on all platforms, including YouTube. So smash that subscribe button and download and follow wherever you get your podcasts to ensure that you get the latest episode as soon as it's available.
Starting point is 00:00:56 I'm your host, Mike DeBate. I cover your New England Patriots for Pat's Country. So reach out to me and let me know what's on your mind on X at MDABATENFL. Also be sure to follow the Lockdown Patriots account on X as well at LO underscore Patriots. And today's episode, folks, is brought to you by Monopoly Go. I admit it, I have a competitive side, and it's a big fan of Monopoly Go, the mobile hit twist on classic Monopoly. So join your friends and download Monopoly Go, now free on the App Store or Google Play.
Starting point is 00:01:31 And Pats fans, we are nearly at the most anticipated NFL draft for your New England Patriots, perhaps since 1993, when a young quarterback named Drew Bledsoe from the great state of Washington came in and became the team's new franchise quarterback. That's picking higher than they have since that date. Are they going to pick another franchise quarterback, or are they going to entertain the idea of trading down? We're going to discuss all of that today, including, yes, folks,
Starting point is 00:02:01 we're still not done with the mocks yet. We're going to continue to go through our mock drafts. And joining us here today to submit his own version of the mock drafts is one of our very favorites, a man who's guested here on Locked On Patriots several times, and we're honored to have him back. He is the owner and CEO of Stadium Rant, my good friend, Tyler Lamb. Tyler, welcome back to Locked On Patriots. Thank you for joining me today. It's amazing to be here, man.
Starting point is 00:02:27 Every time I come on, I can't even believe that I'm on here because I listen to the podcast every single day. I'm tuned in. I'm always listening. So it's cool to go back and listen to my own episodes. I'm freaking out. We're a day until the draft. We've all been waiting for this since pretty much november what are they gonna do how is this new ownership group gonna are not new ownership
Starting point is 00:02:50 group the new front office group now this new regime how are they gonna handle things how are they gonna operate like at least with bill the past couple of years you knew that there was gonna be something that you could like hold on to. Like Bill, you never know what Bill's going to do, but like he had these certain tendencies where you're like, all right, that's just totally a Bill Belichick move. So without that, there's just a little bit of spiciness. There's this mix here. But I think I speak for pretty much every Patriots fan.
Starting point is 00:03:21 Like let's get in this thing. Let's go get a true player, a franchise-changing player. I think it should be a quarterback. Many people disagree, but that's fine. Nobody really knows what's going to happen, so I would say what I want to happen is they stick at three and pick Drake May. I think that should be the pick. When you're picking at number three overall,
Starting point is 00:03:43 my personal preference is to take the player with the highest ceiling, especially since you're a team that has a ways to go. You're not going to win next year, which is fine. So if you need to take a person who can develop into a possibly a top eight, top five quarterback like a Justin Herbert or Josh Allen, I think you do that instead of going with the safer type of player like J.J. McCarthy, who I think looks like slightly more athletic Baker Mayfield. Baker's a good quarterback, but Herbert and Allen, those are true game-changing type quarterbacks.
Starting point is 00:04:19 And I think that's what you should be shooting for if they pick a number three. Yeah, I think in a lot of ways, Patriots fans are eager for that new face of the franchise to come walking through the doors in one Patriots place in Foxborough. Look, if you're not enamored with the quarterbacks that are on the board where you're going to be picking, conventional wisdom would tell you that you probably are better off trading down. I'm told that if Bill Belichick were still in this room, a lot of people expect that this team would be trading down,
Starting point is 00:04:48 that it would almost be a foregone conclusion. But you've got your owner right now saying privately and publicly that he'd like the Patriots to get a quarterback in the first round. That's a pretty non-subtle hint. I think that's pretty overt. When the owner says that's what he wants, I think the ownership group or at least the front office is going to listen to that so that being said it's looking likely
Starting point is 00:05:10 the patriots may stick and pick at number three so far the offers that the pats have been getting have not been anywhere near what they're looking for in return for that prime piece of draft capital and saying all week long i believe that is the most valuable piece of draft capital and saying all week long, I believe that is the most valuable piece of draft capital in this draft right now. Because let's face it, Washington's not moving. Chicago's not moving. Patriots are the only ones that have not really given their tip their hand as to which way they're going to go. So teams still believe they can trade up and give the Pats that godfather offer
Starting point is 00:05:42 that they've been looking for, the offer they can't refuse. The Vikings, the Broncos, a lot of teams right now have been rumored to trade up into that spot. But Elliott Wolfe is running point here. He's going to be the guy. And if there's a situation where the Patriots did move out of three, Tyler, do you expect them to move back up and snag a quarterback in this round? Or are they looking to trade out, back build, build an infrastructure, and then maybe punt and goag a quarterback in this round or are they looking to trade out back build build
Starting point is 00:06:06 an infrastructure and then maybe punt and go for a quarterback next year that's extremely risky but a lot of people still have it on the table so it all it all depends on what that godfather offer is for three i've heard a couple times now like if, if that's their plan, they should be asking whoever comes up to three to be giving them enough capital so they can move up to, like, seven or eight. And, like, let's say it's the Vikings, for example. Like, I'm going to need four firsts. I'm going to need 11, 23, a 20-25 first, a 2026 first. Then what I would do is I'd take that 2025 first and package it with, let's say, 34 and try and move back up into that area there to get a quarterback.
Starting point is 00:06:55 But the sketchy thing about this is, like you said, you have the Broncos, you have the Vikings, you have the Raiders, you have the Giants possibly interested in trading up. If you do move back to, say, let's say 11. Like, let's not forget last year when we were on the clock and we knew the Jets wanted Broderick Jones, and we traded with the Steelers and they picked Broderick Jones. Like, the Jets are sitting at 10.
Starting point is 00:07:18 We're sitting at 11. It's feasible that they could give the raiders a little bit better of a deal to move up just so we don't get our franchise quarterback and then if that's how you kind of go and you're left with like faux knicks i i don't want phonics phoenix is not the guy he is just not it for me i'm just like if i, I'm wrong. I'll be wrong while he's on somebody else's team. So at that point, you're looking at next year's quarterback class, and it's Quinn Ewers, Carson Beck, Shador Sanders. And Sanders would be cool. I think he has the most potential of that group. But you're potentially trying to go to a worse quarterback class and use a top tier pick on a worse quarterback class instead of just using it now. And doing what you need to do in the next year.
Starting point is 00:08:13 It always seems like there's wide receivers or tackles that you can find in every draft. Like every draft class has at least a couple of good ones. That's not true for quarterback like quarterback special and like when a draft class is talked about for two plus years like this one is that means everybody's been waiting for these prospects and like biding their time and saying this is the quarterback class like they did with the the borough class like they did with the lawrence class which didn't work out but it it could have if things had changed. Like if the 49ers took Justin Fields, that probably would have worked out for them.
Starting point is 00:08:51 If they had took Mac Jones, that probably would have worked out for them. If the Jets had taken either one of those quarterbacks, like I think they just got the players wrong. But their prospects, every one of those prospects was a very good prospect to a league like these ones are so that's kind of where i'm at with trading back it's interesting because i do have a mock that we do trade back in which i don't love but like that would be a scenario that i'm acceptable with if that makes sense and i think you've outlined the scenario very nicely it's a risk. You're never guaranteed this type of draft capital.
Starting point is 00:09:28 Again, the new England Patriots could end up winning five, six games next year. If things break the right way. I think a lot of people forget that a four and 13 team that finished dismally last year. There's no question about it. Could have finished with a better record. If things broke a certain way on any given Sunday
Starting point is 00:09:45 they could have ended up with five six wins and then all of a sudden you're out of the top three you're not making this pick so it always stands to reason that you make the pick where you are based on your biggest need and if you have a needed quarterback like the Patriots have I think they have to do everything and anything they can to fill that void with one of the top level prospects on the board. And they're guaranteed at least one. That's the good thing about a top three quarterback class is you're guaranteed at least one. The question is, are they comfortable enough with Jaden Daniels if Drake May is not there? Are they comfortable enough with Drake May if Jaden Daniels is not there? I think the Patriots have kind of given their assurances that they'd be good with both guys. I agree with you.
Starting point is 00:10:29 I happen to think that Drake's ceiling is the highest out of these prospects. Maybe not right out of the box, ready to go. I think he's going to need a little seasoning. I think that's why you see Jacoby Brissett here, the perfect type of guy to mentor a young quarterback into his potential. And let's face it, there's a lot of potential with this kid. Drake has all the intangibles and all the skills necessary to succeed. It's going to be about bringing them all together. And that's really the job of the coaching staff. Gerard Mayo, Alex Van Pelt need to be on the same page when they
Starting point is 00:10:59 bring this kid in. And we both know, Tyler, that this goes deeper than just the quarterback position. Patriots need help at various positions, and how do you fill those roles? Well, one of the best ways to do it, folks, is to give an old-fashioned mock draft. And that's right. The pick has not come in yet, so there's still time to give mock drafts.
Starting point is 00:11:18 And right here, we love them on Locked On Patriots, and Tyler submitted four mock drafts that I think give interesting scenarios and may give a little insight as to what the brain trust in one Patriots and Tyler submitted four mock drafts that I think give interesting scenarios and may give a little insight as to what the brain trust in one Patriots place is thinking. We're going to mock the Patriots 2024 draft when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues, a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Patriots fans, as locked on Patriots everydayers, you know that I tend to be on the mild-mannered side.
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Starting point is 00:13:23 Put your Boston sports fandom to the test with FanDuel. Visit FanDuel.com and make your first bet an automatic win. FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining us here today. We are only hours away from the start of the 2024 NFL draft one of the most pivotal NFL drafts in recent memory for your New England Patriots what better way to lead us into the 2024 NFL draft and to take a look at some of your great work and folks we're going to kick it off right away with a draft that I believe is not only
Starting point is 00:14:02 interesting but I think fills the Patriots draft needs extremely well I always look at a draft that I believe is not only interesting, but I think fills the Patriots draft needs extremely well. I always look at a draft and say, great it from the top three. If I'm looking at this, I'm giving this an A plus right off the bat. Tyler, you've got at number three, the Patriots taking Drake May, but then you've got some trades mixed in and a couple of very good prospects that I think could set this team up for success for years to come. Why don't you walk us through what you've done here on this first mock draft offering? So yeah, basically, at 34, I was sitting there, I was looking at the gap between 34 and 68. And I had two players that I was basically trying to pick between in Xavier Leguette and Kingsley Suomathia. And I just decided there was no way I was going to get both of them if I picked a 34 and 68.
Starting point is 00:14:52 So I decided to send 34 to the Panthers for 39 and 101. And with that 39th pick, I took Xavier Leguette. I think that he is the makeup pick for the Nikhil Harry selection. When we all wanted them to go with DK Metcalf or Debo Samuel or AJ Brown, I think Leggett has that type of skill level in him. People say he can't separate well. I totally disagree. He's extremely explosive.
Starting point is 00:15:21 He might not be the most agile route runner. That hasn't really been his game. But he's going to be the outside X receiver. He's 6'3", 225 pounds. He runs a 4.3940, blazing fast, big body. But he fits in perfectly in this Alex Van Pelt offense because they're going to want to run a lot of play-action crossing-type routes and those deep crossers. And that's something that he did often and very, very well at University of
Starting point is 00:15:53 South Carolina. He's a beast. I think that he can develop his route running because I don't think it's negative. I don't think it's a strength of his. It's one of those things about him that's just average right now, but it can be improved if somebody asked him to do more. So yeah, Leggett has been my favorite type of round two wide receiver for them
Starting point is 00:16:16 because they need that outside size. They need that outside X. That's something that they don't have the physicality that he would bring. Next, I decided to look at my current draft picks that's something that they don't have the physicality that he would bring next um i decided to look at my current draft picks and i figured i needed to trade up to get to a matthew so i took 68 the 101 that i got from the panthers a sixth and a fifth next year i know that's a lot of picks but necessarily not a lot of of picks kind of thrown in there. So essentially, I look at this as 68 and 101 to move back up to 49. So you jump about 18 spots, give or take 19 spots and then take Kingsley Sue and Mattia.
Starting point is 00:16:58 He's the left tackle from BYU. He has starting experience on both left and right side. But he projects to be a left tackle in the NFL, which is a big thing. Like there's a lot of right tackles in this draft, and that's kind of your Jordan Morgan, your Blake Fisher. I think Fisher can go on the other side as well, but Sumo Matia was the best ceiling prospect. I think that Chuck Sophorakor can start for a few games. We'll assume Mattia gets his feet in the water and kind of gets ready to play.
Starting point is 00:17:31 But once he's ready to play, he's 6'6", 325 pounds, and this dude's one of the better athletes in the class pound for pound. So he is going to be a plus starter in the NFL, I think. So my first three picks are in the top 50. Then we don't have another pick until 103. So I decided to look at somebody who was kind of falling, Braylon Trice. I think he's more around the mid-80s. I think that's more appropriate for his value.
Starting point is 00:18:01 And before the combine and the draft started, some people were mocking him in the first round. So to have him fall to the fourth and be a rotational edge rusher, I think that he would fit very well in this scheme. He could give Matt Judon a break. Having him, Judon, Uche, Barmore, Keon White, now you're starting to build that Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers type of pass rush and wave sort of thing that they do.
Starting point is 00:18:32 That's the only defensive pick on this mock. That's fine. I think that this should be an offensive type draft. Then we get to 137, Theo Johnson. He's 6'6", I believe 265. He brings this height, weight, speed to the position that in the fifth round, I think is extremely valuable. I think he can come and be your tight end too pretty much immediately.
Starting point is 00:18:59 And he's going to be a beast in blocking, in-line blocking. It kind of gives you more flexibility with Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper. So you're not like Henry can play out on the slot, like kind of flex down a little bit. He doesn't have to be that in-line guy. He also fits the Elliott Wolfe, Ron Wolfe, executive tree type of player build, 6'6", over 255 pounds. Like, he kind of fits that mold, so he's right in there.
Starting point is 00:19:30 Round six, we went 180. I went Jordan Travis. You know what? Like, it's not a bad idea to use a late-round pick on another quarterback with potential because, I mean, the Redskins did it back in the RG3 Kirk Cousins draft, so I don't think it's a bad idea. Worst case, Travis develops. He might get in there because of, like, a minor injury to May,
Starting point is 00:19:51 show his talent, and you could trade him for, you know, a third or something like that. Then at 231, I have them going Dylan Johnson, the running back from Washington. I know they signed Antonio Gibson, and they have Romandre Stevenson, but I think that past specialist scat back type of role is still something they should look to fill with a younger player that's not on a $20-ish million contract that Gibson is on.
Starting point is 00:20:20 So I like Johnson's past protection ability, and he has smooth hands, and he's 6'2", so he's a little bit bigger for a scat back. But yeah, that's that draft. I think you've done a great job here. You've filled positions of need that the Patriots have, and look, I'm glad that you got a running back in there. I'm glad that you got a scat back. Six foot is a little bit on the bigger side for Dylan to be that type of role, but this is a role that the Patriots love to continue to replenish. They
Starting point is 00:20:50 always look to the later rounds, the mid rounds in the draft to replenish this position. Even when you don't think they need running backs, they're constantly replenishing that because it is a position of need. And I like that pick a lot. Sua Montaer, I think, is someone that I keep coming back to as the potential to be a cornerstone left tackle. You love to see what this kid can do, and he really is good. I think he's going to be a run blocker right off the bat. His toughness, his tenacity is something that leaps off the page when it comes to his abilities.
Starting point is 00:21:22 He's particularly adept on quick pulls and screens, and I think that would put him in a perfect position to be a part of an Alex Van Pelt offense. So that's a pick that I absolutely love. And you picked Xavier Leguette, which, again, is becoming very rapidly a big-time draft crush that I do have for this team. This kid, I think you hit the nail right on the head. This kid is someone that can
Starting point is 00:21:45 not only make the catch at the catch point, but he's also someone with the speed and the route running ability to be the type of wide receiver that everyone hoped Nikhil Harry could be here in New England. I think Xavier Leguette definitely fits that profile and then some, and I think he'll be a better pro. So excellent job with the first mock draft that you submitted here, Tyler. But the best part of it is we are not done yet. A very trade back happy mock draft on the table right now. And Tyler's going to walk you through exactly how he did it for the Patriots to arrive at the number 11 pick.
Starting point is 00:22:19 And we're going to bring it all home with an amazing mock draft and wrap up the mock draft season here on Locked On Patriots when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Locked On listeners, when you're hiring for your small business, you want to find quality professionals that are right for the role. That's why you have to check out LinkedIn Jobs. LinkedIn Jobs has the tools to help find the right professionals for your team to help you do it faster. Here's the best part, folks.
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Starting point is 00:23:31 That's linkedin.com slash locked on NFL to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining us here today on Locked On Patriots as we march toward the start of the 2024 NFL Draft. Just hours from Roger Goodell walking up to that podium and announcing the Patriots pick at number three. Maybe he announces a trade. Don't hurt the messenger, folks.
Starting point is 00:23:58 I'm just saying it's still possible. But we're going through a lot of different scenarios here with our good friend Tyler Lamb of Stadium Rant bringing it when it comes to mock drafts and wisdom counsel knowledge everything that the man brings to the table we're glad to have him here and we're honored for you to join us here on Locked On Patriots my friend you did entertain the idea of the Patriots trading down to take a quarterback not in the top three I think we'll start there because this is going
Starting point is 00:24:25 to be one of the more intriguing mock drafts that you submitted. Patriots making a couple of trades down to the number 11 pick and I'm going to let you reveal exactly who is going to be there for the benefit of those listening. For those of you watching you can see it right now but Tyler take us through the journey and the trades that you executed to arrive the Patriots at number 11 and taking their quarterback of the future. So, yeah, at first I wanted to try and trade back just because all of my mocks that I've done so far really don't have that. Most of the time I don't trade back because I don't think that's what they should do. And I don't think that's what they should do and I don't think that's what they're going to do but if they were to trade back first I'm looking at the Giants because I don't really want to move back from three to six to 11 and just get three first round
Starting point is 00:25:14 like it's not three first round picks it's a pick swap and two first round picks one of them's in 23 and one of them's next year so what I did was I offered the third overall pick to the Giants for 6-47 in their first rounder next year. They accepted that. And then once I got onto the clock there, it kind of seemed like the quarterback run was still going on. J.J. McCarthy was still there. I don't like J.J. McCarthy.
Starting point is 00:25:42 I don't think that is just not a fit for me. So I looked again, and the vikings were calling and i traded the six pick for 11 23 and their first round or next year so that's 11 23 34 47 and two firsts would be our top 50 look at this point. Then at 11, Michael Penix is still there because the Giants traded up to take Drake May and the Vikings traded up to take JJ McCarthy. Then after that, there's a little bit of lull in the quarterbacking teams. I don't know if the Broncos or the Raiders or the Saints
Starting point is 00:26:22 really have enough to move up into this area. So, yeah, I took Michael Penix Jr. He's the best pure passer, pocket pure passer, like, in the draft, I would say. I mean, Daniels is close. May does incredible work off platform, and so does Gale Williams. But if you're looking for timing, rhythm, arm strength, Penix has it all. The things that worry me about him is he's going to be 25 as a true rookie which is a little scary he had two
Starting point is 00:26:51 ACL tears a little bit of a shoulder issue um but kid kid has heart and talent if he wasn't injured maybe if he was 22 and not injured he'd probably be the fourth quarterback off, might be the third quarterback off this group. So, yeah, we went Michael Panics there to address the quarterback need while recapping two, or I'm sorry, two, three, four, five, five picks. Then at 23, I took Adonai Mitchell, who we talked about a little earlier, going to be a great pro. Then I traded 34. I traded back from 34 to 40, added pick 100.
Starting point is 00:27:32 And at pick 40, I went Kieran Amadjigadi. I think I got that name right. He's a similar player to Kingsley Sunil Mattia. I just like Sunil Mattia a little better. He was gone at that point. I think he's going to be a solid pro. I don think he has necessarily upside as soon matia does um then after that i traded 47 for 49 and 80. so it was 47 pick 100 took 233 for 49 and 80 and And then I moved back again from 49, gave them 193 and around six pick for 51 and 98.
Starting point is 00:28:11 So at 51, I picked Tyler Newman. He's probably the best free safety in this class. And that one, getting that free safety would allow you to use Duggar, Jabril Peppers in a closer to the line of scrimmage, their role that they should be in. Because they're trying to use Duggar to reel Peppers in a closer to the line of scrimmage their role that they should be in because they're trying to have Duggar play more free safety I don't think that's necessarily his game he can do it but new been being your free safety and having these two playing the last scrimmage and covering the crossing routes and just being near the football
Starting point is 00:28:40 that that makes your secondary way better at pick pick 80, I went Jalen Wright, who might be the most explosive back in this class. He has size. He has pass protection strengths, and he can catch the ball, and he really does have true NFL breakaway speed. And I think that's something that this running back group kind of lacks. Gibson's a good route runner, and he can be used across the formation. Doesn't have breakaway speed.
Starting point is 00:29:11 And Romandre's a good in-between-the-backs type of guy. Can catch, can do a lot of things. Doesn't have breakaway speed. After that, at 98, I went Brandon Rice. I figured double dipping at wide receiver would be decent with the amount of picks that we had in this class. I think Rice is going to be a great bro. I don't think he's his dad.
Starting point is 00:29:33 Nobody's Jerry. Let's be real. But he's an extremely good route runner, 6'2", 210. Has good hands, has good speed. Everything about him screams, I'm going to be good. And he may not have the highest ceiling, but getting another big body like that, now you're two outside receivers, A.D. Mitchell, Brendan Rice,
Starting point is 00:29:56 and then you have Kendrick Bourne and Pop Douglas, Hunter Henry. Now you're starting to look at something with Michael Penix there. Then at 103, Cedric Van Praan, 137, we went Theo Johnson again. We kind of talked about them in the last month. And then at 180, I went another running back, because Dylan Labe is my actual favorite running back in this class. I think he's an elite receiver. And he just has that thing, man.
Starting point is 00:30:23 He reminds me a lot of Shane Green. Shane Green was the comp that I had when I was watching him. I think that he has a lot of those similar qualities to be a really, really good change of pace back, and if they don't decide to bring Romandre back, then you have Jalen Wright and Dylan Lave here. The last move that I made is actually a trade with the Buccaneers. I sent both first-rounders that we got from the Vikings and the Giants
Starting point is 00:30:49 and picked 68 to the Buccaneers for Tristan Wirfs. And then that handles our left tackle need. So then in this draft, you end up with Wirfs, Penix, A.D. Mitchell, Amagaji, it gives you a swing tackle backup, really, really good depth right there. Even possibly, if you wanted to kick Owenu back inside a guard, and you can play
Starting point is 00:31:13 Amagaji and Tristan Wirfs, Owenu, Cole Strange, Sidney So, whoever beats that one out, then David Andrews, Cedric Van Der Praan, all of a sudden your bad offensive line turns into a strike. Tyler Newman, a little bit of defensive help there. Then two running backs, Brendan Rice and Theo Johnson.
Starting point is 00:31:34 I think that addresses every single need. And that's something I would actually be happy with if that was the way that they were going to go and trade back. Agreed. I think that's absolutely. Yeah, but you know what, though? You've got a cart full of great prospects for the New England Patriots in this draft as well. I know a lot of moving parts, folks, and a lot of trades, but when you look at the haul and you look at Michael Penix coming in,
Starting point is 00:31:56 obviously it's a little bit of a drop-off when it comes to what guys like Jaden Daniels and Drake May will be able to give to you. There are accuracy issues there, but his fit and being able to navigate an offense that loves to use the run to facilitate play action, to take the deep shots down the field, Penix is the guy to do it, and he's healthy enough to do it. So you can't argue with the logic here. Aidy Mitchell, one of the top receiver prospects in this class.
Starting point is 00:32:23 Kieran, I think, is going to be a very good tackle in this league. I know some people are a little squeamish to say, oh, he did it at Yale, but there is a lot of stiff competition that the Ivy League faces. And I believe he's going to be a top level talent. I love Tyler Newman. I think he may be off the board by the time they're ready to pick here. I think he's someone that is starting to see his draft stock rise a little bit, but you played the board as it was. And I completely agree. If he's there,
Starting point is 00:32:51 you can't lay off him. Someone who can be that safety of the future, especially if Jabril Peppers decides he's going to test free agency, or if Kyle Duggar's contract is only really more of a two year. And then we'll see type deal, as our good friend Miguel Benzon said a couple of weeks ago here on Locked On Patriots, it gives you insurance. And then you look at guys like Brendan Rice, Jalen Wright.
Starting point is 00:33:15 Dylan Lobby, I think, is someone that I absolutely love. This kid is an elite backfield pass catcher, but someone that has the burst and the breakaway speed to be able to be effective as a rusher as well. I know the Patriots do have Antonio Gibson, folks, and we talked about that earlier, but Dylan Laube would look excellent in a Patriots uniform. And folks, we absolutely could not have wrapped up mock draft season better than the last pick in mock drafts that we showed to be Dylan Laube, someone that was one of the first Patriots prospects that I profiled here on
Starting point is 00:33:48 Locked On Patriots to open up the season. But Tyler, I thank you for lending all of your wisdom and counsel, your insight, and providing us with interesting scenarios that I know, folks, you're going to be taking with you to the podium along with Roger Goodell on Thursday night when the Patriots make their first selection and all throughout the weekend. What can I say, my friend? Thank you so much for joining me here today.
Starting point is 00:34:10 Before I let you go, please let everyone know where they can reach out to you, interact with you on social media. Tyler Lamb. Yeah, of course. You can follow me on Twitter, at Lamb4752. What I'd rather you do is go follow the Stadium Rant Twitter, at Stadium Rant HQ.
Starting point is 00:34:30 Tyler, we'd love to have you back here post-draft to evaluate the Patriots' ball, what we think of the picks, and exactly how they're going to assimilate into the new system that's going to be run by Gerard Mayo and his coaching staff when this team starts to hit the field and really come together for the first time. On behalf of Tyler Lamb, I'm Mike DeBate, reminding you all to stay safe and to stay well and to be the change you wish to see in the world. Don't forget, draft night, we are coming at you
Starting point is 00:34:52 with up-to-the-minute updates and, of course, reaction to all of the Patriots' picks all weekend long. So keep it here on Locked on Patriots and definitely enjoy the NFL draft. We'll see you back here again as soon as the picks announced right here on Locked on Patriots.

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